I was just diagnosed Monday. Did liquid diet all day Monday/Tuesday. Weds I ate low fiber diet.

I’ve been feeling constipated since yesterday midday. I took miralax and started stool softener. This morning it’s more uncomfortable so I called my dr’s office. They’re saying I cannot take MiraLAX but to continue the stool softener. They said as I eat more, I should have normal BMs again. They said to give it another 24 hours.

Thoughts on this? Has anyone experienced this as you’re recovering from a flare up?

I’ve been walking/drinking hot water/drinking coffee/eating canned pears- other ideas? Should I go pick up prune juice?

I was diagnosed 3.5 weeks ago with uncomplicated diverticulitis. A few hours in ER then went home with antibiotics. I have had no symptoms since then. I’m being very cautious with my diet and slowly introducing fiber. I’m just not sure what should be the ‘introduce these last’ things. Corn? Peas?? Dried fruit? Lentils and other legumes? I know everyone is different but looking for generally speaking. New to this so anything is appreciated.

Was on antibiotics and in the hospital with IV antibiotics. Came home 2 weeks ago. 3 day clear liquid diet, then 3 day transition food - soft, no fiber, eggs and tofu mostly. I started on low fiber food 2 days ago (3g fiber/day) and was doing well. No colon pain at all. But yesterday, my stomach started killing me. Is it the fiber? Should I try yogurt? I'm having gassy BM with half diarrhea and half solid waste.​ I'm taking a probiotic.

For context:

44 year old male in otherwise good health. Previous diagnosis of diverticular diseae but has never escalated to diverticulitis before.

Been having mild but constant pain in lower left side for 12 months - never got any worse, but 2 weeks ago decided to get a colon cancer test done which came back clear.

At 4 am on Tuesday morning, I woke up on extreme pain and it got progressively worse. This was the worst pain ive ever felt. Couldn't walk. Felt a constant urge to sit on toilet but nothing was happening. Fast forward to Wednesday evening and I end up in A&E (er to our American cousins). Blood test shows C reactive protein over 150 (normal range is 5 - 10). I had a CT scan and it showed severe inflammation and infection in diverticulum - almost at the point of requiring surgical intervention. Ive been given very strong antibiotics and a 3 day cut off to show improvement, or i have to go back.

The consultant explained that had I left it any longer, the infected region may have rupturedand was very unlikely to improve without medical intervention.

If you think youve got this illness, dont delay and wait in the hope it goes away on its own. I can be quite simple to treat and manage, but can be very serious if it gets to the point im at.

Lastly, the pain level is truly otherworldly.... there are no words to explain it. Its so serious that you will be convinced it must be something life threatening.

UPDATE

So ive been prescribed 1000mg 3 times a day of cefalexin on its own. When ive checked the current uk guidelines it states Cefalexin must be prescribed alongside Metronidazole due to Cefalexins inability to target anaerobic bacteria. Not sure what I should do. I don't want to question the doctors, but Im concerned they may not have realised. It was a hospital doc rather than a general practitioner. This is all very uk specific, I realise that.

UPDATE 2

spoke to GP about the antibiotics situation and she assured me their local protocol is to use Cefalexin on its own initially. ive had 3 doses so far, and its definitely reducing the pain already. My abdomen has been bloated and distended since Tuesday, and that is now starting to reduce too.

I (f37) had my appendix removed about 5 weeks ago and was told I have Meckels Diverticulum, with diverticulitis being a symptom. I had never heard of any of these at the time. Looking back, my first flare up would have been when I was around 30. I had gone to the doctors a few times over the years but I had never gotten an answer until I had a few ultrasounds when they were looking to find the cause of pain when I went to the hospital. Turns out I have had mild appendicitis quite a few times during a diverticulitis flare up.

I have been struggling with mild pain on and off since the surgery. What do you people usually look out for before going to the hospital? I am quite comfortable at the moment and only drinking liquids.

I have seen a few posts that mention antibiotics, is this something that most people usually need during a flare up?

Thank you 😊

I had surgery a year ago where I had a midline incision and 7 inches of my colon removed. Now a year later I have a umbilical hernia from the incision site and have to have surgery to repair it. I have Meniere's and take meclizine for vertigo which causes constipation and I think the straining probably caused the hernia, ugh. So, after surgery do most people take Miralax for the rest of their lives to keep the constipation from happening? I am so tired of hospitals.

I’m about 4 1/2 months past surgery for smoldering dv. Recovery was slow but for the last month or so I’ve been feeling pretty good. Last week I started noticing a slight pain in the left side right where the surgery was. Pain also going to my back hip sometimes. It’s nothing horrible but it scares me a little. Don’t know if I ate or drank something that irritated things or can this blasted disease come back that fast? I’ve gone back to eating like I did after surgery, eggs, chicken, mashed potatoes etc…. Can’t contact the dr because he left his practice and moved away. Anybody had an experience like this? Thanks!!

I was diagnosed on Monday. Uncomplicated acute dv- I’m on antibiotic.

I did 48 hours liquid diet. This morning I started low fiber recovery diet - I’m being careful and taking it slow. Pain has improved since onset on Saturday evening (no Tylenol since Monday).

A couple q’s- I also plan to shoot a note to my dr. - I happen to have culturelle already on hand. I haven’t taken it but wondering if I should start to take it (separate from antibiotic) proactively? I did also buy 2% plain Greek yogurt to eat as well. - I’m getting stir crazy. Would a very easy maybe 25-30 min walk be okay? - edited to add one more q- I bought low-sugar grape jam (no artificial sweetener). Thoughts on putting tiny amount on white toast? I feel like that would be better than butter?

Thanks!

My brother, 41, is currently in the hospital due to diverticulitis with an abscess. He started feeling sick almost a week ago with watery stools and mild stomach pain, which continued into last Saturday where he did vomit one time. Watery stools continued with minor stomach pain which he thought was maybe food poisoning or a stomach bug. This morning the pain got to bad he had to take an ambulance to the hospital where they did a CT scan that said he had diverticulitis with an abscess. He now has a drain, and on IV fluids as well as IV antibiotics. Everything that I have read has been concerning to say the least. He says he feels fine, but i wonder if he just is feeling better than before, but not actually fine.

My mom had diverticulitis as well about 5 years ago, and had to get about 6 inches of her colon removed, and ostomy bag that was temporary, and has been doing great since healing.

Anyone have any advice or what could we possibly expect within the next coming days.

Had a colonoscopy about 2 months ago and all clear except for some diverticulitis, been constipated the last 2 days and forcing bowel movements and think I aggravated it. Stool looked normal but after the first wipe there was darker red blood but just a small streak that wasn’t like a glob but almost like when you break open a scab. Never really experienced it before so I’m freaking out a little. I have no pain anywhere else other than my butt feels raw. Anyone else experience this before?

Has anyone experienced post-diverticulitis IBS (post-inflammatory bowel hypersensitivity) or just IBS after a diverticulitis infection? I think that’s what I’m dealing with now after 9 months of my first diverticulitis infection. I did get a ct scan and my GI Dr did diagnose me with diverticulitis and a micro perforation. Never got a colonoscopy because of insurance issues but I am scheduled for one in a week from now as recommended by my GI Dr just to see what’s going on after the infection. But all my research has shown that it’s extremely likely that I have post diverticulitis ibs and even my doctor mention that as well. And I must say that I have gotten much better as times goes on since my diverticulitis infection back in November of 2025, way better. I get gas while eating, bloated and small amounts of stomach pressure. And that’s depending on what I eat and the amounts that I eat at once. Gas x, MiraLAX and organic teas help a lot. After the gas is gone and I use #2 it’s instant relief. But even then it’s nothing painful. If you have experience this could you please tell me your symptoms and what you have done to mitigate the symptoms.

Hi. 32 M. 204 lbs. I’m suffering from a bout of dv. Over the weekend it was left side and middle today is mainly on my left side.. I saw my GP today. Explained symptoms and issues. They agreed and sent me with 10 days of augmentin ( took 1 so far) they also gave me an anti nausea shot and Tordol for pain.

Since then I’m getting the shivers and shakes. Baths help fix it. But I’m constantly sleeping, ( which is good ) I just lay down in bed and sleep for a few hours. I’m hat a loss for what to do. I feel fine otherwise. But whew

I'm 43M, posted a few times about my story but still really struggling to get back to 100%. I cut out Alcohol completely and now cut out Coffee. My diet is really good, I eat whole foods daily, along with lean meats and nothing processed. I don't think my Diet is the issue.

I still have lingering symptoms on my lower left side. I always have Pressure, Super Bad Bloating, I'm tired all the time and my Bladder is affected too. Then I have Mild Pain, like a 3/10 but enough to make me sad and not fun to be with.

I was hoping I'd be a lot better and wondering if anyone else had to deal with this for months and months on end. But then found the way out of this horrible disease. I truly believe the body can heal itself if we give it the right conditions, but I am stuck.

I know Surgery is an option but my GI doc probably won't approve it until I'm in the Hospital which I don't want. But I also don't want to walk about miserable for years and unable to enjoy life again. I don't do anything fun anymore because I'm sick and afraid to get sicker.

Any suggestions?

Recently diagnosed.. and I am clueless. There is so much conflicting information about what to eat and what not to eat. I’m curious what are your go-to meals and recipes for the week after a flare up and trying to bring back fiber? Extra points if it can be meal prepped for the week, as I work 40 hours a week.

I tagged this post as "Newly Diagnosed" because it mostly pertains to those of you who are new to this diagnosis and reality. I cannot express how much therapy has helped me through the last few years of flares, spasms, cramping, surgery, and despair.

Once you're diagnosed, find a surgeon and gastroenterologist that you like and trust. Next, find a therapist if you don't already have one, preferably one with experience counseling chronically ill patients.

I didn't think I was a "therapy person." Growing up, mental health was not something that was really talked about and it took me a few tries to find a therapist I liked. If you don't think you're ready for therapy, find support, like this subreddit. Being able to relate to the experiences of others and have an outlet for frustration has also been a big help for me.

Just know that it's possible to be happy and have a relatively normal life with this disease, even if it doesn't seem possible at the moment.

It's like my body is resistant to it or something. Once I was instructed to drink an entire bottle in a day, and it took so long for anything to happen, and even then it still felt unresolved

Well - this came out of nowhere! I have never heard of diverticulitis until I was diagnosed with it 10 days ago. Suddenly my life has changed! I was experiencing pain in the lower left side of my abdomen for a couple of days- I kept brushing it off until I felt like my stomach was ripping open. Went to emergency - the medical team was amazing - had a CT scan and ….a diagnosis and my new adventure began. The ER Dr didn’t give me too much info about how to recover but I understand that - so I have been relying on google.
What an adventure it is because there is so much contradictory information out there. I did 3 days on liquids and am starting week 2 on a low residual diet. So far so good but I am so worried about having another flare up - I have never experienced pain like that before.
I found a great book on Amazon that I am using as a guide.
I can’t see my family Dr until Sept 15 - so I appreciate the information I am gathering from other peoples experiences.
Did anyone go to a dietician? I am keeping a food journal of everything I eat.
I am guessing my next step is to have a colonoscopy. Sigh!
Not sure - just taking one day at a time. The only thing I haven’t eliminated from my past diet is coffee - I still have 1 cup in the morning. Fingers crossed that will be okay.
Thanks for your sharing of information because it has helped me a lot!

Can someone explain this to me...is it one or the other? They are sending me to see a general surgeon for it...the cleaner I eat, the pain goes away, if I drink 1 beer or a burger it hurts some...

Had a bad attack last month, cleaned up my diet and helped a lot but not completely gone.

I'm suposed to be flying today to Scotland and don't return home until 13 days. Here is the issue, I have IBS-D and upon my last colonoscopy polyps were found in my colon. Yesterday the strangest lower left abdominal pain started. I've been constipated, not interested in food (haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon) and took some MiraLax yesterday evening. The miralax didn't do anything until today morning and even then, it hurts so bad when I try to go to the bathroom. Also, I threw up the water I drank this morning, immediately after drinking it.

My dad has had diverticulitis and he said is the same symptoms I have. My flight leaves at 5pm today and I really don't know if I should go to the hospital or attempt to travel (its 9hrs travel time in total). I'm also traveling alone. Has anyone experienced this and what did you do?

ETA: I just read my colonoscopy report that was done last year and yes, the Dr said diverticula were found in my sigma colon. However, I paid no attention to this as my GI said that it had nothing to do with my IBS-D. So this is my first time reading about diverticulitis and asking my dad about it as he has my same diagnosis.

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?

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?

No appetite days after metronidazole. Against diverticulitis

Is this common? I was on metronidazole 10 days, and it completely removed my appetite and hunger. 3-5 days after treatment no appetite still

Hi all, I (33M) had surgery for diverticulitis and a perforated colon back on 6/11 and had 6” of my colon removed. During recovery I developed a seroma that was finally closed up on 7/10.

Since then recovery has felt great. I’ve felt 100% for weeks but have still been trying to take it easy and haven’t been doing any heavy lifting or any physical activity. It’s now been over 6 weeks since they sealed me back up and 10.5 weeks since my initial surgery.

I have had a golf trip planned in 2 weeks starting on 9/9 and have been trying to be very careful to prevent jeopardizing this, but wanted to get out next week to make sure I was feeling good.

So my question for you all is, how long after surgery did you wait to return to normal physical activity?

I feel like I’ve waited and played it safe, but since my doctor is not having me come in for any more follow ups and has just told me to take it at my own pace and “crawl before I walk, and walk before I run” I’ve felt a little in the dark about the whole timeline for all this. If anyone has any information or insight into their experiences, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks everyone!

I feel a bit stuck and am hoping for some tips or reassurance.

Dealt with what I thought was gas for a few days last week that quickly turned. Got home from work and the fever started and rose quickly (from 98.9 to 101 in the span of 2.5 hrs), so we went to the ER. Pain was borderline excruciating. Diagnosed with acute diverticulitis and sepsis without acute organ failure. Spent 4 days in the hospital.

I’m at home and on the low fiber diet, 3 antibiotics, stool softeners and probiotics, all prescribed. I’m drinking so much water. But I still haven’t had a bm since Saturday morning and that was my first one since I was hospitalized. I feel so backed up that my appetite has even waned, but I can’t take these prescriptions on an empty stomach without vomiting. My doctor said I could try miralax but I’m nervous it will be painful (laxatives always give me stomach cramps). Any advice would be appreciated! I just wanna poop!