diverticulitis anyone?

[cookiedough]

well, just got outta hospital after near 4 days in.  NOT fun, 1st time ever to ER and ambulance ride and in hospital with IV's galore.  

Felt a tad tired, clammy, slight fever on Tuesday.  Wednesday 330a.m. woke up tried going no. 2 sat down got slight chills and shaking, teeth chattering just a tad.  Thought nothing of it, went back to bed under covers and was fine, no shaking, etc.    Wednesday woke up was still tired/slight fever, ate oatmeal and 3 hours later at work 11 a.m. felt my left side lower tummy hurt dull pain unable to stand fully upright walking hunched over.  Well,  got home 7 p.m., ate chicken/beans,  sat on patio 86 degrees and ASAP felt very cold and clammy and SEVERE shaking all over my body like a SEVERE SEIZURE nearly unable to get up and walk into house whole body 2-3 inch shaking.  Sat down on lazyboy feet up and still entire body shaking VIOLENTLY 20 minutes did not go away and by that time I was breathing heavy trying to catch my breath from SEVERE shakes.  Wife urged me to call 911 so did 1st time ever.  took my temp on lazyboy was 104 degrees but sure did not feel that hot to me.

Of course,  by time ambulance, etc. arrived my shaking 5-10 minutes later were gone completely, but could tell I still had a fever.  So, decided what the heck take my first ambulance ride to ER.  CT scan confirmed slight perforation in colon lining with pretty bad infection.  

In hospital 2 IV's and antibiotics for 3.5 days to clear up infection in colon.  Feel so-so still but no side pains and able to walk fairly normal.  Never thought I could not eat solid foods for over 3 days?  guess IV's and solution was good enough, for now anyways.

follow up CT scan am sure in 1-2 months and then ASAP after that if all good doing my 1st Colonoscopy if surgeon agrees my colon is up to the challenge of doing it.  

Surgeon follow up as well about doing an ELECTIVE surgery after colonoscopy to remove part of my ruptured (weakened) colon bad section since good chance they said this might come back again, maybe????  

Then,  at least one hip surgery after that since although only lost 5 lbs. the last 4 days, with all this going on,  hope enough weight loss that hip surgeon allows 1 of my 2 hips replaced later this year, was hoping both done in 2022 since after this 1st hospital stay, my OUT OF POCKET max I have to pay has already been met, the rest pretty much free.  Might as well say goodbye to anything fun to do in 2022 for any lenght of time?

[cookiedough]

then after noon release today,  general dr. told me LOW FAT, LOW FIBER diet which I got confused asking why LOW FIBER everyone else told me HIGH FIBER to eat.  He said LOW FIBER to not bind me up in that weakened ruptured colon area which I found odd, but I guess he should know?????????   very confusing what to eat and what not to eat and when? 

Never had tummy/colon issues ever before but prior to this Tuesday my last no. 2 on poddy was Sunday so was backing up somewhere just never felt a thing until Tuesday later in the day.    I have gone 2 days not going no. 2 before but never 3 days. 

[Ramie]

I feel for you, still recovering from Prostrate surgery.  Prayer's going you way.

Rick

[Pappy!]

Lesa has had it several times now. She is just now getting through the last pills to hopefully cure it. She was in the hospital around 6 weeks ago and it came back again. If this does not work then it is probably surgery time.
By the way....did you mean to post in the tech board?

[-mike-]

This thread has to be in 1500 Tech  section, why?

[raker]

I had a serious case of diverticulitis which caused a bowel blockage. 10 days in the hospital, had a section of my colon removed and wore a colostomy bag for six months. Had the colostomy reversed about a year ago. Now I’m a perfect A hole

[..]

Cookie,

I swear if it wasn't for bad luck you'd have none. I do hope you get better soon.

[cookiedough]

This thread has to be in 1500 Tech  section, why?

A mistake?

Give him a break.

sorry guys,  please move to General board.  I just started typing away after being couped up in hospital room for 3.5 days just hanging out on my cell phone and watching TV.  Darn nurses,  just doing their job, but coming in 2x's per night to POKE me for blood or check vitals while sleeping did not help either.

Sounds like this is a fairly common thing to get and sure hope no bag or comes back again, but probability am sure is somewhat high in same area it will comeback sometime in the future it sounds like.  Yah, elective surgery after another CT scan and see AFTER a colonoscopy how that goes first in a few months.  Heck, might as well get one of my 2 hips replaced as well before 2022 is up, why not?  Maybe if they cut enough COLON OUT, the hip surgeon Dr. will be happy since wants me to loose 30lbs. before hip surgery.  ONLY 4 lbs. were lost past 3 days on IV drips no food. 

[Patrick]

Fiber, fiber, fiber.

Low to no fiber until you heal. Then pound it. I had diver for years. Dr wanted to put me on statins for cholesterol but I said no. I started pounding the oatmeal, numbers dropped 50 points and I noticed no diver attacks after a couple months. Been eating a lot of fiber since and no diver attacks since.

Some friends have also disagreed with me stating their drs told them fiber was bad for you. We are one of the only countries with high cases of diverticulitis because of our low fiber diets.

[Valkorado]

Fiber, fiber, fiber.

Low to no fiber until you heal. Then pound it. I had diver for years. Dr wanted to put me on statins for cholesterol but I said no. I started pounding the oatmeal, numbers dropped 50 points and I noticed no diver attacks after a couple months. Been eating a lot of fiber since and no diver attacks since.

Some friends have also disagreed with me stating their drs told them fiber was bad for you. We are one of the only countries with high cases of diverticulitis because of our low fiber diets.

It's true that consuming insoluble fiber regularly is a good preventative, and enriched wheat flour has been America's dietary diverticulosis curse.  After the diverticulosis fact, insoluble fiber is not so good.

Many of us have diverticular pouches and are unaware of it.  Chronic diverticulosis Is another story, and diverticulitis (diverticular infection) can cause unbearable pain beyond description, sepsis and death.  I've lived with diverticulosis for decades, and have had a handful of infections.  The surgeon who did my last colonoscopy told me mine was the worst case he's seen (and I didn't even get an award).

Soluble vs. insoluble fiber...

In my case most soluble fiber like oatmeal is fine.  What works best for me diet wise is avoiding insoluble fiber and tiny seeds (Fig Newtons, poppy seeds, etc.).  There are many triggers, and I still discover new ones from time to time.  

FWIW, I have managed to avoid colon surgery thus far, but that may not always be the case.  Diverticulosis is a very touch and go disease.  It keeps life interesting for sure.

[Jersey mike]

Cookie,

I swear if it wasn't for bad luck you'd have none. I do hope you get better soon.

Exactly.

Feel better, get well soon.

[Patrick]

Yep, hurry up and get better.

I'd say its a real PITA, but, its a real pain somewhere else.

[cookiedough]

yah, not a fan of oatmeal at all.  Once in a few months this thing hopefully runs it course, for now anyways.  My wife eats hot oatmeal every morning but even with brown sugar on top, is not my fancy at all.

8 weeks from now in July I have an appt. with colon surgery dr. but I was told by both 'general' drs. yesterday when released that a ct scan soon PRIOR to seeing the colon surgeon dr. would be beneficial to see how colon healing.    So, I mycharted the colon surgeon dr. and she said no need to do ct scan prior to meeting her to discuss surgery.  I then just now messaged her back stating does that mean CT scan AFTER July appt. 2 months from now and yet another appt. AFTER CT scan done, seems a waste of time to have 2 appts. to me.  

I also called since have a prior from normal dr. request to do colonoscopy.  They are booked until December NO fricking joke.  So, I once again mycharted (messaged) colon surgeon dr. requesting colonoscopy (1st one ever) soon after July appt. and squeeze me  in to get it done late July or early August NOT waiting 7 fricking months to get a routine colonoscopy.  

Now you see why I absolutely HATE going to Drs.   One says one thing, the other says something else, and doubling up appts. not needed is a waste of my time and money, let alone waiting so long to get in to do a basic colonoscopy.   I sure hope the surgeon dr. performing the surgery has some flexibility to squeeze me in sooner than December, that is NUTS waiting so long.  I can see 2-3 months but much longer than that is a joke.

[Patrick]

I understand, its a royal PITA dealing with drs.

I'm not a big fan of oatmeal either. I forced it down for quite awhile. Now I use Metimucil. Seems to work.

[Jess from VA]

Now I use Metimucil. Seems to work.

You know what I call Metimucil?   A glass of sand mixed with water.  Only sand tastes better.   

[Patrick]

Now I use Metimucil. Seems to work.

You know what I call Metimucil?   A glass of sand mixed with water.  Only sand tastes better.   

Probably so, I don't  know.

Haven't tasted since the treatments. Have a hard time swallowing, most times even liquids.

But, I do get the orange flavored stuff, so I like to think its tastes good.