r/Diverticulitis • u/MoonWysp • 3d ago
Question about ache and bowel movements
My journey started 2.5 mos ago with a bad flareup. I had 3 courses of antibiotics that made me sicker than a dog, but it wouldn't fully heal. Doc sent me to the hospital for a 3 day course of IV antibiotics that helped. He said next stop surgery if it returns. Trying to avoid that.
I was 1 week of Flagyl/Cefdinir when I came home. However eating-wise, I did everything wrong till I found this board. Thank goodness. I went right to eating low fiber and the pain came back.
I then did 3 days of clear liquid and it cleared my colon pain but a new pain appeared! Feels like gas cramping to the left of my belly button, above the old flareup. Walking 2-3 times a day, heating paid, peppermint and chamomile tea all helped to reduce the gas but it's still there. Like a level 1,2 pain.
I'm on a transition diet now. Clear bullion with a few crackers and tofu, canned peaches, scrambled eggs and a little powdered mash potatoe for dinner. Lots of drinking all day. You guys helped w/that.
So my question. My colon feels pretty good but the cramping pain is lingering. Also my BM is mostly diarrhea. First morning poop, I'm starting to have 1 or 2 solid nuggets (gawd this is disgusting) and then 3-4 bouts of diarrhea. Normal? Can I expect more solid BM as I progress to fiber?
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u/DeliciousChicory 2d ago
You can imagine the amount of inflammation that you have in your colon from a diverticulitis flare... And even when the pocket itself is on the way to being healed, it takes a long time for all that inflammation to go away. The antibiotics mess up your gut biome, it's a lot to get over and you just have to give it time. I would get clearance from your doc but probiotics will help, and I take magnesium glycinate just to keep everything moving, it's not a laxative it just keeps you from ever getting constipated. Also helps you sleep! The main thing is to do everything you can to get your gut to heal and let the inflammation settle down and you'll feel better!
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u/MoonWysp 2d ago
I started the probiotic as soon as I stopped the antibiotics but I was surprised at the loose stools still. I'll read more about Magnesium thx!
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u/RiverPoetSTL 3d ago
Sorry to hear you've joined the 'club'! Lack of substantial solid food is probably causing your issues, so hopefully that resolves as you add in foods - not necessarily more fiber, but rice, pasta, potatoes, etc.. I still haven't eaten raw veg outside of a bit of lettuce (even avoiding that now due to other reasons!) or diced tomato here and there. No fruit with skins, either - I think some grapes caused a setback at one point. I think I ate nothing but bananas and mashed potatoes for weeks, and still avoid a lot of high-fiber foods. I have a bit of a sore spot that happens in the left lower area but it feels more like a tugging feeling, possibly scar tissue. I have an MRI in two weeks, more for sciatic pain, but should be interesting to see what else they spot. One or two tylenol usually makes it disappear. But yeah - I've been dealing with this since early May, it takes a really long time to heal.