Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

What Is The Best Treatment for Diverticulitis Pain?

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
polarisworld
New Member
Joined : Apr 2009
Posts : 1
Posted 4/16/2009 7:28 PM (GMT -7)
I am 65 and suffer from chronic diverticulitis pains. I am due to get surgery but would rather not, especially at my age, and have been looking into alternative remedies to treat the pain. I've tried a few but nothing has really worked so far.

I read about a special food combining diet and although it does seem quite hopeful (there is a testimonial) I'm not sure if it works/will work for me. I would try it if I could get some more testimonials first and wondered if anyone has a treatment that has worked for their diverticulitis or at least tried anything like this or had any success with their diet to help with the pain.

I'm really desperate - hope someone can help.

thank you in anticipation

Lynne
profile picture
tb48
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2009
Posts : 23
Posted 4/16/2009 7:52 PM (GMT -7)

Hi, where is the pain located? I've had this for years too after getting a sigmoidscopy about 6 years ago that confirmed it. Don't know if I ever had pain from it or not. Anyway, I don't know about pain from diverticulitis but at the time was told that eating more roughage, like lettuce, would help.

profile picture
White Beard
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2009
Posts : 3740
Posted 4/16/2009 8:46 PM (GMT -7)
polarisworld
Welcome to the Chronic Pain Forum, I am sorry that you ended up having to find us, but you have come to a place with an absolutely fantastic bunch of very caring and compassionate people that will not only make you feel at home but will also make you feel like you are a member of a very loving and caring family!
You know just two months ago when I got my annual colonoscopy for ulcertive colitis the Doc told me I also have diverticulitis but I have never done any research on it nor really thought much about it! Although I have heard that it can be rather painful! Most of the time when I have had pain in my lower abdomen I have always just thought it was my UC acting up! So I can't be much help to you on this subject, but I am sure someone here might be able to help you! You might also want to check out the Ulcertive Colitis forum or the Crohn's Disease forum here at Healing Well.
Again Welcome to HW and the CP forum!
White Beard
profile picture
PAlady
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2007
Posts : 6795
Posted 4/16/2009 8:48 PM (GMT -7)
Hi, Lynne,
Welcome to the chronic pain forum of Healing Well. Sorry to learn of the diverticulitis. The only thing I remember is from when my mother had it; she had to avoid certain foods like corn and nuts, but I don't recall her ever having serious pain from it (then again, maybe she never told me).

What do your doctors tell you about options to surgery? I didn't get a chance to check out the site you posted, but testimonials are easy to give. I wouldn't base any decisions on that. But I'd encourage a second opinion before anything but an emergency surgery. Have you tried dietary adjustments yet?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I don't have a lot of detailed information to give you on this issue. Maybe someone else can add.

Again, welcome.

PaLady
profile picture
straydog
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2003
Posts : 18251
Posted 4/16/2009 10:39 PM (GMT -7)

Hi Lynne,

Welcome to Healing Well. Glad you found us but hope you get that pain taken care of, I know a little about it and its not fun.

I can understand wanting to avoid surgery, however, it sounds like you are pretty much out of options. Not wanting to rain on your parade, but so much of the diet fads do not work to begin with. Most people that have this problem watch what they eat anyway and end up having bad flare ups with the mess. I am very much aware of how ill diverticulitis can make a person. You basically wish you could roll up in a ball and die.

I have two people very close to me that has had this surgery and if I had to pick which surgery of two to be done, it would be the one where you are at right now. You do not want to wait around till that thing perforates. If it perforates, you have a chance of dying because of the toxins being released into the body. These toxins can cause you to become toxic and thats bad. This happened to my brother and let me tell you, you don't know what pain and sick is until that thing perforates. I am not trying to scare you by no means, just being truthfull with you. Because of the perforation he had an open surgery and and they laid him open from side to side. He was so full of infection when they opened him up, it was a mess trying to clean it all out and it all had to come out. They removed 2 ft of his colon. The surgeon came out and talked with me after surgery and gave me the above info on how bad it was on the insides. He also informed me that if my brother made it thru the next 24 hours without any problems, then he was home free. His incision was left open to heal from the inside out, and required packing twice a day. This was after he was released to go home from the hospital about 10 days later. With the incision being left open it took much longer to heal.

A close friend of ours battled diverticulitis attacks for years and was sick as a dog every time one hit. Always had to go on a round of antibiotics, sometimes ended up in ER because of the pain. This man watched his diet like no one I have ever seen. He was extremely careful of any foods he ate. As more time went by the attacks came sooner and worse each time. Finally, he had enough and very reluctanly gave in to surgery. His surgery was laproscopic with steri strips for stitches, because they make small one inch incisions. He had it done as an outpatient. His recovery was fine and he had no problems. He said if he had known how much better he would have felt and the surgery not being anything like he imagined, he could have kicked himself for not having it done sooner. He told my husband and I "man, I could kick myself for all the agony I have gone thru all these years". He is 62 yrs old and had it done about a year ago. He swears he has never felt better in his life and can eat anything he wants.

Now, there is my knowledge of diverticulitis. I wish you luck in whatever decision you make.....Susie

profile picture
Villandra
New Member
Joined : Apr 2006
Posts : 16
Posted 4/18/2009 8:01 AM (GMT -7)
Let;s see. All the original post said was that she has diverticulitis and they recommended surgery and she'd rather avoid it. She absolutely did not provide enough info for anyone here to decide wehther she needs surgery. All she asked for was niformation on other options.

From what I'm reading, some cases are as catastrophic as those described in the post above - but they're in the minority. Let's not assume the woman needs surgery without more information!

I ahve a diagnosis of possibly diverticulitis. Need to find out more for what conservative strategies are done for it - but I've an idea if anyone wanted to share that info here it would ahve been done already.

I'm off to find a forum with actual information.

Yours,
Dora Smith
profile picture
LLPLUV
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 1158
Posted 4/18/2009 8:20 AM (GMT -7)
WOW thats all I can say. I guess Villandra thought we all had PHD here..lol
profile picture
White Beard
Forum Moderator
Joined : Feb 2009
Posts : 3740
Posted 4/18/2009 10:35 AM (GMT -7)
Dora Smith I am sorry if you were upset with the replies that were given in this forum, but I think if a person really wanted to know about Diverticulitis they would probably would be better off going to the Irritable Bowel Syndrome forum or some other forum that deals with problems of the digestive system. This forum deals with Chronic Pain, and of course chronic pain can come from many many many different sources, it does seem that allot of the folks here at this forum suffer from chronic pain caused by spinal injuries, although there are many others also. I am not quite sure what you expected from this forum, but there are other forums here at Healing Well that I am sure would probably be more appropriate for your needs! Good Luck to You I hope you find what you are looking for!
White Beard
profile picture
Tony McGuire
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2009
Posts : 483
Posted 4/18/2009 11:44 AM (GMT -7)
Or maybe was trying to goad someone into acting/writing like they were a doctor.
profile picture
LLPLUV
Veteran Member
Joined : Mar 2009
Posts : 1158
Posted 4/18/2009 3:38 PM (GMT -7)
I think so Tony...
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply




HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
FacebookFacebook TwitterTwitter PinterestPinterest LinkedInLinkedIn
© 1997-2021 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.