Diverticulitis

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autotech44
autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I guess I always learn things the hard way. I'm 60 years old and have been on a strict diet with daily exercise for about 5 months. Lost 25lbs, look and feel good.

Thought the abdominal pain and fever was a stomach flu, and hoped it would pass until day 4 when it was getting out of hand.

I spent Sunday in the ER and the CT showed Diverticulitis (never heard of it).

On antibiotics, pain killers, and a low fiber diet. The fever broke but pain and nausea is still there.

I'm sure my extreme change in diet and exercise including high protein and low carbs (fiber) was the trigger. Had a colonoscopy less than a year ago and all was good.

I don't know if anyone's familiar with CRPS, but I got it in my left hand due to surgery -- and the pain is as bad as it gets. If I become in need of surgery to cut out part of my colon, and it results in CRPS in my gut -- I'm done, and time to call it a life.

In the meantime, I'll do everything possible to prevent that from happening. I have an appointment with the GI doctor next week. And I'll get a nutritionist to help me with the correct new diet.

Anyone with experience and/or advice would be much appreciated.

Thank you,
Alex

Replies

  • JaysFan82
    JaysFan82 Posts: 851 Member
    edited July 2022
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    I had Diverticulitis right when Covid started. Had it once and that was it. Doc told me to avoid corn, nuts or any similar type food that doesn't adjust and could get stuck in my nodules in my colon.
  • autotech44
    autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
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    sollyn23l2 wrote: »
    As someone who has dealt with chronic health issues most of my life, please try and maintain a positive outlook on it. There will always be ups and downs. Always. And yes, chronic illness often means different dietary needs. But attitude is such a major part of quality of life. My uncle got Colon Cancer and completely gave up on life. He's alive (has been alive for years since diagnosis and treatment with no recurrence) but has given up on everything and won't leave his house. I have Celiac disease and Grave's disease (for which I had to undergo radiation treatment to destroy my thyroid. But I refuse to give up. Life is beautiful. Even when it's not. The key is to get up each day and *decide* that it is.

    Thank you.
  • autotech44
    autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
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    JaysFan82 wrote: »
    I had Diverticulitis right when Covid started. Had it once and that was it. Doc told me to avoid corn, nuts or any similar type food that doesn't adjust and could get stuck in my nodules in my colon.

    From what I've read the theory of food like that being stuck in the diverticula pockets causing an outbreak has been debunked for years. It's aggravated by a lack of fiber causing hard stools and excessive pressure in the bowel.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
    edited July 2022
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    My husband has hiatal hernia, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, and has to see a specialist at least yearly. He had 13 large polyps removed last year. He is scheduled for cystoscopy, hernia surgery, and colonoscopy this month. He has not given up, and I hope you won't. I wish doctors and surgeons would give more/better dietary advice to their patients. If at all possible, try to find a dietitian to work with you. Good luck!
  • autotech44
    autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
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    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    My husband has hiatal hernia, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, and has to see a specialist at least yearly. He had 13 large polyps removed last year. He is scheduled for cystoscopy, hernia surgery, and colonoscopy this month. He has not given up, and I hope you won't. I wish doctors and surgeons would give more/better dietary advice to their patients. If at all possible, try to find a dietitian to work with you. Good luck!

    Thank you. Yes. Dietitian is top priority. I know it was the high protein, low fiber that did it. The protein shakes didn't help.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    autotech44 wrote: »
    JaysFan82 wrote: »
    I had Diverticulitis right when Covid started. Had it once and that was it. Doc told me to avoid corn, nuts or any similar type food that doesn't adjust and could get stuck in my nodules in my colon.

    From what I've read the theory of food like that being stuck in the diverticula pockets causing an outbreak has been debunked for years. It's aggravated by a lack of fiber causing hard stools and excessive pressure in the bowel.

    This is very true.
  • nooshi713
    nooshi713 Posts: 4,877 Member
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    Congrats on your weight loss. Don’t give up on life.

    Diverticulitis is very common, especially as people get older. A lot of people like low carb diets but in general they do not provide enough fiber for good gut health. You might be able to still keep your current plan but add a bunch of berries, a little oatmeal, greens, and some beans. Diverticulitis often recurs but once your flare up is over, increase the fiber in your diet to hopefully prevent recurrences.
  • autotech44
    autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
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    nooshi713 wrote: »
    Congrats on your weight loss. Don’t give up on life.

    Diverticulitis is very common, especially as people get older. A lot of people like low carb diets but in general they do not provide enough fiber for good gut health. You might be able to still keep your current plan but add a bunch of berries, a little oatmeal, greens, and some beans. Diverticulitis often recurs but once your flare up is over, increase the fiber in your diet to hopefully prevent recurrences.

    Looks like on average my fiber was 20-25g per day and protein was about 120g. It seems the problem with high fiber is high calories. Curious what goals the GI doctor and/or dietitian are going to suggest. And if fiber supplements will be safe.

    When the pain began I just started using a different protein shake, Ensure. I noticed that it dripped on the counter, and like 15 minutes later I tried to wipe it up. It was hard as a rock, did not dissolve easily with water, and required significant elbow grease to get it off. Did not look like something my GI system would appreciate.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,174 Member
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    autotech44 wrote: »
    nooshi713 wrote: »
    Congrats on your weight loss. Don’t give up on life.

    Diverticulitis is very common, especially as people get older. A lot of people like low carb diets but in general they do not provide enough fiber for good gut health. You might be able to still keep your current plan but add a bunch of berries, a little oatmeal, greens, and some beans. Diverticulitis often recurs but once your flare up is over, increase the fiber in your diet to hopefully prevent recurrences.

    Looks like on average my fiber was 20-25g per day and protein was about 120g. It seems the problem with high fiber is high calories. Curious what goals the GI doctor and/or dietitian are going to suggest. And if fiber supplements will be safe.

    When the pain began I just started using a different protein shake, Ensure. I noticed that it dripped on the counter, and like 15 minutes later I tried to wipe it up. It was hard as a rock, did not dissolve easily with water, and required significant elbow grease to get it off. Did not look like something my GI system would appreciate.

    High fiber doesn't necessarily mean high calories. Technically, most fiber works the way it does because it's indigestible, i.e., you're not harvesting calories from it. There are some high fiber, quite low calorie foods. Look at some greens (cabbage, collards, spinach, etc.), jicama, raspberries, pears, apples, . . . . lots more.

    Supplements provide fiber, but not generally much other useful nutrition. Veggies, fruits, and grains are pretty nutrition-dense, including something(s) that seem to trigger health benefits that aren't 100% pinned down as to specific nutrient sources yet. (In large-scale studies, eating lots of veggies/fruits seems to correlate with good health outcomes, including when known confounders are accounted for. Could be research limitations, but some nutritional bodies are starting to suggest that 10 daily servings of veggies/fruits may be more health-promoting than the classic 5 servings.)

    I'm eating a bit less protein than you, which is appropriate to my size. (I target 100g minimum daily, my average this week has been 116g, but averaged 45g fiber, in 2,110 calories (in maintenance).) Fiber through food is achievable even on lower calories than that - I was getting in the 40g range even at weight loss calories.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,613 Member
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    autotech44 wrote: »
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    My husband has hiatal hernia, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, and has to see a specialist at least yearly. He had 13 large polyps removed last year. He is scheduled for cystoscopy, hernia surgery, and colonoscopy this month. He has not given up, and I hope you won't. I wish doctors and surgeons would give more/better dietary advice to their patients. If at all possible, try to find a dietitian to work with you. Good luck!

    Thank you. Yes. Dietitian is top priority. I know it was the high protein, low fiber that did it. The protein shakes didn't help.

    I don't think diet absolutely causes these things. Some people are more prone to them and diet can help improve or aggravate the condition. My husband eats mostly low fiber diet and still has issues.
  • autotech44
    autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm confident my diet is what triggered it. I went from one extreme to the other. For years I was eating poorly and gaining weight with no exercise.

    For the past 5 months I've been on a 1500 calorie diet losing about 1lb per week. Eating 1900 and burning 400 7 days a week, until I knocked exercise down to 6 days last month. I started at 202 lbs, currently at 175. I'm 5' 8" targeting 165lbs which is the high side of my optimal weight.

  • autotech44
    autotech44 Posts: 14 Member
    edited July 2022
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    I saw the gastroenterologist, and he did agree that my diet may have initiated the diverticulitis.

    His recommendations were no popcorn or nuts, increase fiber and take a probiotic.

    I was averaging about 25g fiber per day. I'm now above 30g and it's making a huge difference.

    My question now is about protein. I'm gradually increasing my weight training and trying to keep protein above 100g. But it's difficult and I was using a daily protein shake. I was thinking of switching to Atkins Plus which can help with both fiber and protein, but not sure if any protein shake is a bad idea with diverticulitis?

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