Just diagnosed with Diverticulitis.

LynnJ9

I am looking for any advice on how those with this condition manage it. What do you avoid eating, what is good to eat?

Maxematics

My mom was diagnosed with this after being rushed to the hospital with an extreme fever and chills. It was a scary experience and I'm sorry you've been diagnosed with this. She avoids popcorn and can only eat nuts sparingly. She also slowly increased her fiber intake. Other than that, she pretty much eats fruit, vegetables, lean meats, and sometimes has protein shakes instead of a meal though that may just be personal preference.

MollyJE19

I used to get this regularly but not much in the last 5 years. There's a definite stress component to it, along with the physical. What you want to avoid is undigested food getting stuck in the pouches, where it can get infected, so things need to keep moving. I use glycerin suppositories, stool softeners and magnesium. I also drink lots of water, avoid processed food as much as possible, and aim for 25 grams of fiber daily from fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. I find I have to be very careful with popcorn and somewhat careful with seeds. Whole nuts don't seem to affect me. The biggest thing for me is to avoid constipation at all costs, even if that means a chemical laxative once in a while.

sugaraddict4321

A family member had it. What I recall is she was told to avoid anything with tiny seeds, like chia, sesame, and so on, because they can get stuck in the little pockets and cause inflammation. Also limit strawberries because of the little seeds.

Diatonic12

Do you eat fresh corn, canned corn and popcorn? These are triggers for many people, especially popcorn. My mother was rushed to the ER and had a long hospital stay after eating old popcorn from a movie theater.

LynnJ9

@Maxematics thank you, it was very painful, and a bit scary.
I almost never eat corn or popcorn, but I do eat strawberries a lot. I also had sesame seeds recently.
Other than that, I feel like I eat what you all are recommending, and I rarely, if ever, am constipated.
I am hoping they will send me to a nutritionist to help me, but so far they haven't mentioned it.

Diatonic12

I'm surprised they didn't give you some detailed instructions and lists of foods. Until they do you can do your own research on the innertube.

kshama2001

LynnJ9 wrote: »

@Maxematics thank you, it was very painful, and a bit scary.
I almost never eat corn or popcorn, but I do eat strawberries a lot. I also had sesame seeds recently.
Other than that, I feel like I eat what you all are recommending, and I rarely, if ever, am constipated.
I am hoping they will send me to a nutritionist to help me, but so far they haven't mentioned it.

Alas, we patients often must advocate for ourselves. Do insist on a referral, and if you are in the US, to a dietitian rather than a nutritionist. GP's don't routinely receive the training to be able to effectively advise on nutritional issues.

Also, the understanding of diverticulitis has evolved over the years and whatever you read here or on other random webpages may no longer be current.