anti- biotics for diverticulites and flare ups

[summer1]

hi tanny

thankyou for my reply

i am a bit better today, thanks, i have been having sipping a lot of hot milk as i cant stop burping with all this wind, it sounds like a wind tunnel [ he he ] it is not a bad, and i am just resting as much as i can. also i am playing on line bingo at the moment, i just joined this site where i got £15 free and i have won £25 so far and i havent depositied any money yet and dont want too if i can help it, it has taken my mind off the pain and i am enjoying chatting to all the other players.

i do not want to go back to the hospital unless the pain gets so bad where i cant not control it i will banter on for now

hope you are feeling better and good luck with the doctors next week

take care - glynis

[tph]

Good luck with the online bingo!! Sounds like loads of fun and something to keep your mind busy. Keep us posted on your health.
Take Care
Tanny

[summer1]

hi tanny, hope your well

just been chatting in the chat room on the on line bingo and told someone to tell her cousin about this site he has been having numerous tests and they can not get to the problem, he sounds like he is suffering the same but his cat scans are not showing it?

i advised it might help him to check this site out, hopefully he will.

i have rang hospital this morning my consultant on holiday for 3 weeks from 17th of july so can not see him till 14th august anyway, i can see his sidekicks on the 7th but i need to see him, so i will just have to keep resting and hope it does not get too bad.

anyway we are branching out to the chat rooms on the on line bingo sites [ he he ] if we can help a fellow sufferer that all is good

speak soon

glynis

[tph]

Hello Glynis!

I am feeling so much better! I am off the antibiotics and hopefully It will continue! I am sstill eating low fiber for now. Maybe next week if I am still feeling well I will start adding fiber. Now you need to get better!!! Did you get the news letter about the new website (http://www.mydiverticulitis.com) and newsletter? I checked it out and it looks great!! I signed up. Looks like it will have lots of professional help.

I don't dare check out the bingo site. I think I would get in trouble!! While I was sick I got in trouble with on line shopping. You know what they say about idle hands!

Get Well
Tanny

[MagicMan]

Hi Fellow Sufferers,

Well I had my last attack. I had an episode just before the holidays and I said to myself as I have been doing for the past 2 years, 1 more attack, just 1 more attack and then I will have surgery. Well, it is January 12th and I am on the fourth day of antibiotics and thank God, they are helping. That is two attacks in less than a month. I am schedulling my surgery in 30 minutes. I am 42 and otherwise fit and healthy.

FYI, I wrap the Flagyl in a small piece of fruit roll up and there is no bad metal taste or aftertaste. Also, make sure that you do not use any products containing alcohol including toothpaste and mouthwash with Flagyl as this is what can lead to the bad reaction.

I cannot take it anymore. What to eat? What not to eat? Fruit, veges, skin, no-skin, drink this, drink that, everyone is a friggin expert. You know what? This is no way to live. It seems that everything that is good for your body is bad for your colon.

I am having my surgery and when I am healed I am going to the movies and getting myself a bag of pop corn.

My surgery will be towards the end of March. I will let you know the results. Yes I am scared but would rather do it electively and laparoscopically than in an emergency situation that is life threatening.

Stay well. Bye for now.
Kevin

[catty]

Hi Kevin,

I think about having "THE SURGERY" too
(it is just no way to live)

I am a "Chef" and a "FOODIE" and it just breaks my heart that I canNOT enjoy all the foods I love!

I just had my first surgey, a Total Hysterectomy, back in September.....so I hate surgey and the recovery!
(but I COMPLETELY understand how you are feeling)

Did you get a SECOND opinion from another GI Doctor?

Also, Is your problem in the SIGMOID Descending Colon???
(always fells kind of "Burining" Like you can feel your colon?)

I just suffered my SECOND Diverticulitis attack in early December 2008 (6 weeks ago)

I went ALMOST 3 Years....with NO PROBLEMS!
(now I am afraid of whatever I eat)

For me, in my personal experience...I am TRYING everything possible to avoid the surgery
~ so I have to eat like a vegetarian now
(I ate 3 "Buffalo" / Hot Chicken Wings, the other day and thought I was dying!!!!)

I am looking into "Chinese Medicine"....this has helped alot of people!

Did you know that there is Clinical Trial out for ASACOL???
(hope I spelled it right)

They use ASACOL for "Inflammatory Bowl Disease" Suffers and are trying to see if helps "soothe and calm" Diverticulistis.

You can get it now from your Doctor now, just have to beg for it!

Does it AMAZE you that there are NO medications to cure / manage this very common disease???

It is all antibiotics, liquid diets...and then PRAY that nothing happens to you!

I think about the doing the surgery daily...so I know where you are coming from.

Please let me know who you are doing.
Have you ever tried the "Great Taste No Pain" website approach of NOT combining certain foods?

My guess from your posting you have tried "ALOT"....sometimes the "affected" part of the colon is just so worn and "hurting" that there is no alternative.

Do you have to do a "Colostomy"? ( a 2 part surgery procedure)

Hang in there and hoping you feel better soon!
Love & Peace,
Catty
New Jersey, USA
44 Years, female

[BuklerMan]

100%

[sweetcaroline]

This is my first post to this forum. As I read your posts about your syptoms I am thinking how much they resemble my own. I have had several "flares this past fall and into the winter. I just completed a ten day series of anti-biotics which were hard on my system. They were Cephalexin and Metronidazole which is what I believe some are calling Flagyl. Well to-day I have to go to the Dr. again, because somewhere along the wat with these two I developed a bladder infection. I have taken probiotics and yogurt to help restore the proper bacteria function. Has anyone deveoped another condition as a result of antbiotcs?

[tropicalsol]

Hi Margie,
I recently had my first bout with diverticulitis. First they tried Cephalexin, but didn't work and my pains got worse. Terrible experience! Then took ten days of Cipro which did the trick for me. I'm not saying that would work for you, (I know your doctor has to be the one to decide what is best for you), but I'm just saying you might be interested to hear what worked for me. All the best......
~~Sherri

[MagicMan]

Hi Everyone,

I had my surgery 4 days ago and I am home from the hospital. Wow! What a huge difference, no hard colon or pain except for the incisions.

I had laparoscopic surgery with 2 small 1/2 inch incisions on my right side, 1 (2 inch incision) around the inside of my belly button which will never be seen once healed. Absolutely incredible what my surgeon was able to do with minimal damage. He is at Mass General Hospital in Boston Massachusetts and has performed Lap-Colon surgery for the past 16 years and is concidered an expert in this area.

Although he never once told me to have the surgery rather it was completely my decision, after the surgery was over he said that I had made the right decision at the right time and that this will take care of all my symptoms. He removed 12 inches of my sigmoid and said that it was severely scarred, streaked, hard as wood and damaged. He had a big smile on his face and so did I. I am 42 years old.

I am able to walk around, up and down stairs and take care of my basic day to day needs, No heavy lifting for at least 4 weeks though. Why push it. My wife and kids have been great as well.

I guess the point is, listen to your body. You will know when it is the right time to have surgery and follow you gut. I was scared to death, depressed and a lot of anxiety before surgery. Paxil for the last two months has really helped get me through it and it really is not that bad afterall. Funny, no pain at all in my colon, just my stomach muscles are sore but nothing that is intollerable.

Slow to have bowel movements but I am taking stool softener with pain meds and not going to strain. It will come when it it ready.

In closing, thanks to everyone in this forum. It was your commnts that gave me strenghth and peace of mind to go through with what will change my life forever and allow me to live a 99% normal life again. God Bless you all and do not be afraid. Follow your gut and find the right doctor. Ask people for references and go with you initial impressions.

Bottom line. If Diverticulitis is affecting your day to day living...Have the surgery and do not be afraid. Elective surgery is nothing compared to emergency surgery and the risk of a colostomy. Do it if you need it without hesitation. I wish I had done it a year ago. Knowing whatI know now after surgery, I would have. Best of luck to all. I know that my worries and anxiety are now gone. No more antibiotics for me. YEAH!

Bye for now.

Sincerely
Kevin

[gladys]

HI,
You're login name is a perfect on for someone with our condition.
I went to a GI doctor for a 2nd opinion last week. Both of my GI doctors claim that foods do not cause flare ups (although I swear popcorn is a killer for me and I'll never eat it again!)
The 2nd opinion doctor made the following claim about diverticuitis.
50% of people over age 50 have diverticulosis.
Of those people 10% will get an attack of diverticulitis.
Of those 10% - %5 will get a 2nd attack.
Of those 5%- 80% will get a 3rd attack!!!

If you get a 2nd attack of diverticulitis the odds of getting another increase mightily with each occurance.
The doctor told me they don't know why this is the case but studies suggest it has everything to do with low fiber diets in the US

I have had about 9 - 10 flare ups in the last 4 years.
I scheduled elective surgery today. Fingers crossed!

[MagicMan]

Please be sure to post your results after your surgery. It is three weeks today for me. I am off the pain meds as of 4 days ago. Try to limit them as I think they give you a false sense of security with respect to how your body is healing. I was back to work for a few hours a day 5 days after my surgery. I have been in bed and around the house for the past two days and will go to work tomorrow.

You will need to take it easy for a while but day to day functions have returned faitly quickly for me. My mind tells me that I made the right decision but my body is not yet convinced. I will have to give it some more time for everything to return to normal and heal up.

Good luck

[marguerite]

I'm startin g to feel a bit desperate! I had my first attack (had no idea what it was) around Feb. 12 - ended up in hospital on a drip. Came home and was on antibiotics - Apo-Ciproflox and Apo-Metronidazole for three weeks. Felt okay after that - for just over a week - then back to the pain, tho not as severe.
Went for a second CT scan, which apparently showed some improvement over the first, but... I don't know what is safe to eat (in spite of reading lots of info. on this site) as everything seems to affect me. The only way I can get rid of the pain is with Advil. I'm exhausted all the time and spend most of my day lying with a hot pad on my stomach. I'm now on my third course of antibiotics (same ones). The surgeon I've talked to wants to do a colonoscopy on May 19th - but of course only if I'm pain-free then. Didn't have the slightest problem with colon, bowels, etc. before this first flare-up.
Does anyone know if painkillers (like Advil) make things worse? I don't like taking them, but otherwise I don't seem able to function at all. I have the sense that exercise would probably help, but don't have the energy to do any!
Any feedback on these particular antibiotics, and on appropriate exercise, would be appreciated.

[MagicMan]

The only pain meds that would cause a problem with Diverticulitis would be the one's that make you constipated. ie. Percocet.

Do yourself a favor and find a qualified surgeon that does it laparoscopically. The only regret that I have from my surgery is not having it done sooner. I suffered needlessly for additional 4 years after my first diagnosos.

You never know what flare up will land you with a colostomy bag.

All of the anxiety related to doverticulitis is now gone 3 months after my surgery. I feel great and have put back 8 of the 20 pounds that I have lost.

I still do not eat pop corn, sesame seeds and citrus pulp. These still bother me but all else is great.

[Keef]

Hi there! Like many of us I have had DV for some years now. Have been through the mill and have been close to despair at times. I realised that if I was to tame the beast I would have to take control of it. I hate taking Flagyl and Co-codymyl so I sought an alternative approach.
After scouring the web for months and sifting through the diverse advice, I put together my own plan.
I keep a diary of everything I eat and drink and when and how severe any discomfort/pain is.
I devised my own plan of attack which I call my "Triple Whammy!"
I start each day with a pro-biotic, Actimel in my case. I take Fybogel after breakfast and again in the evening after dinner. I also take Olive Leaf Extract 3 times a day. It is a natural anti-biotic and is fantastic. Google it and make up your own mind, It doesn't come cheap though. i get mine from Holland and Barrett when they have their BOGOF offers and stock up. It was recommended to me by a fellow DV sufferer. I was sceptical at first as I am not all that convinced by homeopathic remedies but it has certainly made a difference to me. You have to take it for a couple of weeks before you notice the effect but in my case it has worked wonders.I can now eat most things. I still avoid a certain few foods as I know from bitter experience that they are gonna cause a flare-up irrespective of any type of medication but by and large I can now sit with the family and eat the same stuff as them! I started my "Triple Whammy! " regime 3 years ago after a particularly nasty and agonizing bout of DV and have not looked back since. I have been pain free now for nearly all that time.
I have just re-read my comment and must admit it reads like an advertizing blurb! Sorry if it does to you. Hope this helps.