diverticular disease and fasting…tips?

This topic contains 23 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by Matrika 8 years, 8 months ago.

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Matrika

1:52 pm
16 Nov 14
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I’ve just had a week on antibiotics because diverticular disease changes showed up in a CT scan done in between two visits to emergency. My GP put me on several courses of antibiotics because she thought with the pain I was experiencing, the CT not showing diverticultis was probably not accurately reflecting the reality. Thank heavens I am now out of pain in that area (lower left abdomen) after the antibiotics, indicating she was spot on to prescribe them.

I have kept fasting with no great difficulty through all this…and have actually continued reversing a few of my numbers, including CRP which has confounded a few people.

My GP is on holiday til early December and I am now wondering what to eat for the diverticular disease, in order to avoid diverticultitis in future. It’s very painful and I really don’t want it back but everything I have found on the web re:diet for diverticular disease is totally contradictory.

So I thought the brains trust would for sure know something useful. Obviously I am not asking for medical advice, just a nudge in the right direction. Can’t get a referral to a gastropod til my GP is back in December and don’t want to eat the wrong things before then.

If anyone has a reference to a source of quality information re: What to eat with diverticular disease…I’d be very grateful. 🙂

My research abilities are somewhat challenged currently and I just am going in circles.

Matrika

12:26 am
24 Nov 14
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Well, my GP is on holidays until Dec 2 and I am on a bit of a roll just drinking very rich broths. I am rotating beef fish and chicken bone broth and throwing in the standard veggies, but discarding them when I strain the broth.

My blood sugar levels are staying very constant and I have no hunger, the broth is very satisfying so I don’t fee like I am fasting at all.

Broth is recommended for diverticulitis, so that I hope I am on track. I took a course of two antibiotics for a week and it helped a lot to reduce the pain, which was horrible.

The other thing I am eating is a very good quality organic plain yoghurt, with a bit of organic virgin olive oil and cinnamon. Sounds horrible but it tastes okay actually. I am having a small cup of that in the evening cause I figure it may be soothing. Along with that I’m taking a probiotic supplement.

Never intended to become a full on faster, it just happened through circumstance and lack of information for me on an appropriate diet…and doctor’s holiday season here. 🙂

Matrika

7:12 am
1 Dec 14
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Hmm.
More antibiotics for the next two weeks cause I didn’t take the previous ones for long enough. Taking enough probiotics to sink a ship and keeping on with the fasting just fine. Lots and lots of broth, clear soup, seaweeds and yoghurt. And oysters.

Not a very well rounded diet but it’s working.

Matrika

5:31 am
11 Dec 14
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Well, off all medications now…off the diabetes meds (Metformin) and blood sugars still pretty good.

Off the antibiotics because I became quite ill taking them. And off the painkillers (endone) because they made me really ill and impossible to take them.

So I am now drug free and getting down to the sources of what is causing the problems rather than treating the symptoms.It’s not at all clear what the heck was/is the matter with me.

Now attending a pain clinic which has an interdisciplinary team supporting a non drug approach for those who want it…thats me!! 🙂 And having hit all the cracks in the system am grateful to have some idea what I can do for myself.

So one step forward about three back but making progress and sticking with the fasting, because I think it is good for me and no-one who queried me about it has offered any reasonable rationale for why it may not be good for me.

I am becoming used to quizzical looks and then alarm when I pass across a list of references at which stage the opposition dissolves due to avoidance of reading on the part of whomever it was who was ill informed.

Astrid

10:46 am
11 Dec 14
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Hubby has had bad bouts of diverticulitis, so bad he has now had his lower bowel removed. Spoke to him and whilst he is not fasting like me, he would see no harm in himself fasting.

One thing he finds very helpful is to have bircher muesli for breakfast. He notices it when he does not have it most mornings. He has also gotten onto peppermint tea and finds that helpful as well (and this is a man that never drank tea).

We have found the info on what he should eat quite varied, it has really been just a matter of working it out.

Matrika

6:02 am
12 Dec 14
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Yes, it’s certainly a rich and varied tapestry of dietary information for diverticulitis! Eat more fibre, eat no fibre, eat no dairy , dairy is okay, no grain, whole grain. Good grief!

I’m still trying to find out actually what is going on with me, I think the diverticulitis diagnosis may have been a little too quick…now getting other things ruled out and am doing well with the fasting, have a lot of buffering fat so no need for me to stop or reduce it, since the only consistent advice I could find for diverticulitis was that broth is helpful…so that is what I am going with.

Matrika

1:13 pm
16 Dec 14
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Well…a bit of a saga but finally got a diagnosis of Colostridium Difficile. So, have been around the block for about 9 months now…hoping to get it sorted in the next few weeks.

Am just eating when I feel like it, often avocado.
Taking antibiotics to address the problem caused by…antibiotics…but am hoping to finally get this sorted out.

Anyway…am still fasting to deal with the symptoms and drinking a lot of broth and kind of looking forward to a bit of ordinary food sometime soon…if not Christmas maybe new year. 🙂

Matrika

2:49 am
3 Jan 15
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Don’t have diverticular disiease, got misdiagnosed. Now doing much better after treating colostridium correctly and following naturopaths probiotic instructions.
Not having any trouble fasting, not losing weight…definitely healing though.

Matrika

12:20 am
5 Jan 15
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Think I am nearly “there” in terms of gut healing.
Very little pain now and a return to some kind of “normalcy”.
I have taken a week of high dose L-Glutamine which does indeed do what it is supposed to ie rebuild the lining of a damamged gut and also taking a specific probiotic particularly effective for preventing c difficile whilst you are taking antibiotics…in my case that horse had well and truly bolted however, it seems to have reigned it in. I will have more tests in a week, however, feels like I am defiinitely on the mend.

I showed diverticular changes with CT scan and my doctor associated my pain then with diverticulitis…which was not the problem for me, a particular bacteria was. Same location, same symptoms as diverticulitis.

I kind of wonder now how many people get misdiagnosed with gut problems.
I am awfully glad this saga seems to be almost over for me (if I get good test results at the end of the week).

I have definitely come through with the take home message to take this effective preventative probiotic anytime I am prescribed antibiotics in future.

I actually WAS taking a probiotic…just not the one that prevents problems developing. The one that is extra good at preventing nasty gut bacteria taking over is called Saccaromyces cerevisee (boulardi)…it doesn’t hang around after you stop taking it but helps prevent a world of problems created by antibiotics, with bad overgrowths.

And I am going to take the L Glutamine ongoing for a while til I am sure my gut is entirely happy and healed again. That is til I have no pain

Still doing my fasting, still not losing any weight, but anticipate I will when I am rid of the nasty bacteria entirely.
Counting the days.

Matrika

12:53 pm
27 Jan 15
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Hmm.
Still testing positive and pain keeps coming back.

It wasn’t the 5:2 that caused this for sure but it sure is interfering with my diet and my life!

lasc

5:02 pm
28 Jan 15
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I was just looking through the website before starting the 5:2 and saw your posting. I’ve had diverticulitis for a few years and, unless there is now more data out there, diet for this condition is a matter of trial and error. From a personal point, breakfast cereals are a no no, not just because they are very high in both natural and added sugar, but because they aggravate the condition in me. You must remember, sections of the bowl are damaged, consequently, the condition will probably not be improved by loosing weight, but it won’t make it any worse. It is a matter of identifying which foods, both on your normal and fasting day, aggravate the condition. In addition, I have diabetes 2, and when I first started taking metformin, there was very severe ‘wind’ problems, which was overcome by going onto ‘long release’ metformin. Finally, there is no doubt in my mind that I have less problems with old fashioned home cooked meat/fish and veg meals.

Matrika

11:43 am
29 Jan 15
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Thanks lasc! Best wishes with starting 5:2, I hope it goes well for you. Home cooked meals are a great start and it should be straightforward for you as you describe your diet.

I too was taking metformin slow release but no longer, have got my blood sugars down to a level I am happy with and that my doctor sort of approves…she hasn’t been able to complain bcaseu I have been too ill to take any medication actually, so I have a good excuse. All I can manage are the antibiotics,
which are improving things in increments. About to get onto Vancomycin which should knockout the creepy gut bug I have been struggling with for ages now. Nothing else has killed it off and I think it may have been what was causing my pain that got labelled diverticulitis. Not yet clear but having a colonoscopy and gastroscopy n March 4…so all will be revealed.

like you I couldn’t eat cereal cause of the blood sugar effects either…am having a bit of quinoa every now and then, cooked in nutritious broth and am having a bit of mashed pumkin and flaked fish now and then. Had a meal tonight and it was blissful.

Ten more days of new pills and then hopefully I will be over all this.
It’s been an eye opener!

Nama

12:57 pm
29 Jan 15
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Matrika it sounds like you have being having a dreadful time! I have no experience in this area (retired Paeds nurse) but I thought C.Difficile was an ‘opportunistic’ bug that invaded when antibiotics knock out the normal flora of the gut? I can’t believe you have been living on broth all this time, you poor thing! Can’t you get the scope a bit earlier than March? So at least you know what you are dealing with. Good Luck!

Matrika

1:34 am
30 Jan 15
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Unfortunately we have had $3 billion removed from our health system (NSW Oz) in my state recently…so the hospital system is in meltdown and there are wait lists for everything.

Yes, it is an opposrtunistic bug but the antibiotics I have been prescribed for other stuff (diverticulitisk, paralysis tick and a few misfdiagnoses) have created the problem and I have not been an inpatient at all…this bug usually only affects people who have been inpatients…so I was lucky it finally got dianosed by a chance visit to a doctor other than my normal one, spotting the symptoms and testing for it.

It has been a total nightmare but I think I am on the tail end of it.

Thanks! 🙂

Matrika

4:55 am
30 Jan 15
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Sorry about all the typos…can’t go back and correct. 🙁

Matrika

4:59 am
3 Feb 15
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Today my CRP is almost normal.
6.0 mg/L…normal is 0.0-5.0

Taking Vancomycin, seems to be working with the 1 GM of saccaromycae boulardi a day. One more week and hopefully I will be out the other end of the inflammation and able to get on with the dieting.

Nama

6:21 am
3 Feb 15
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great news Matrika, good luck!

Matrika

11:53 am
25 Mar 15
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Finally got the all clear for the C.diff.

What a saga that turned out to be! I now know way more about gut biota than I ever wanted to…

Seems now like I didn’t have diverticulitis and the antibiotics really did me in. couldn’t throw it off til very recently and have now had a colonoscopy that cleared me and also this more accurate culture negative test…so, no more spores for me. 🙂
I quit fasting because I was trying to grow healthy biota…seems like the strategy worked eventualy but it was a bit nerve wracking.

So, no more diabetes and now no more Clostridium.

Wanting to start up the fasting again in earnest but easing into it. I have become an evangelist for S.B. and am gobbling down a lot of sauerkraut and fermented foods. 🙂

Matrika

10:42 am
12 Apr 15
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Hmm. Apparently fermented food isn’t good for IBS and oesophagitis (with an irregular OG junction).
I have become a person who is going form ailment to ailment and continuing tests and prescriptions to address what turns up.

Having reversed my diabetes and clostridium difficile…the tests to follow up after the clostridium (colonoscopy and panendoscopy) showed Grade A oesophagitis and was prescribed a PPI Somac…which I had side effects from…and also to the next one, Nexium.

I am really wanting just to walk right away from all conventional medications and prescriptions, but the GP insists that the Grade A oesophagitis is a danger signal for cancer if I don’t treat it by reducing stomach acid.

I am not sure if fasting increases or decreases stomach acid and am searching about for information…cause it seemed logical to me that this whole oesophagitis scenario may have come about from a massive antibiotic overload over the past six months.

My friends have diagnosed me with IBS (not my doctor) and so now i am trying to get my head around that too.

My own naive belief is that if i eat well, few carbohydrates, not much and have a lot of broth early in the day, not late, that I will heal.

And no coffee or black tea, lots of slippery elm.

So, that is what I am running on currently, til I find out more.

Nama

2:04 pm
12 Apr 15
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Hi Matrika,

It seems you are taking two steps forward then one back! I am no expert but did have issues with gastric reflux before I lost 16kgs on 5:2. I believe it was due to the extra weight (causing extra pressure, as happened with both my pregnancies years ago) and also the use of anti inflammatory drugs for arthritic knees. Fortunately my knees are much improved since losing weight, so I rarely need any drugs now. As a nurse I always question the benefits of any drug – doctors dish them out like lollies! I found nexium very useful with a flare-up but tried to limit its use to a day or so at a time as I believe any drug has unwanted side effects.

I agree you are better to eat carefully, avoiding spicy or acidic foods, and give your body a chance to heal itself. The gastritis won’t turn into cancer overnight. Use the nexium sometimes but not regularly. You also need to get some healthy gut flora again.
Good luck!

Matrika

9:23 am
17 Apr 15
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Thanks Nama,
Good to hear your knees are improved. 🙂 I had a really straong reaction to Nexium and Somac both and have found ways aound that and will avoid medications.

I’m making progress through the information overload and conflicting information I was getting.
Am definitely cleared of C. diff…thought I was but a specialist was insisting I take antibiotics to prevent it’s return whch made no sense to me…and got a second opinion thankfully which supported my belief thqat I was cleared (based on PCR and another negartive test).

Have now just got IBS which isn’t going to kill me so am very relieved and can finally go visit my aged mother again.:)

Feel like I have been on a loooong sidetrack from life~!
Anyways, heading back towards normal and am able to fast again with a clear conscience that I am not doing myself any harm. Onward and downward as they say.

Oh, yes, I am definitely getting some healthy gut flora…the best I can find.

Thanks.

_()_

Matrika

2:49 pm
15 May 15
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Well, have been around and about but am back on track now.

Have standard IBS and that got misdiagnosed as diverticulitis, which is what caused some of the problems…antibiotics, broad spectrum.

I am doing really well on the Low FODMAP diet (thank you simcoeluv).

Practically pain free now and have learned way more than I ever wanted to know about my digestive tract. 🙂

It has been interesting and now I just want to get on with it and lose weight! My 500 cal days are now FODMAP guided.

Still taking probiotics and recovering my sense of humour day by day. It disappeared for a few weeks there. I got very grumpy and then discovered that the gut produces most of the seratonin in the body, so that explained that. My gut was very grumpy!!!

LX

9:17 am
17 May 15
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Matrika, if you keep having issues with C.dif there is a world-recognized gastroenterologist in Australia called Prof Tom Borody: http://www.cdd.com.au/ He’s in NSW, and he does fecal transplants. Aussies in online forums rave about him. I hope that helps you in some way if you are still having problems.

Edit to add: for the recovery of humour, there is a prebiotic called Bimuno which is supposed to make you feel very zen. 😀 It is a galacto-oligosaccharide which only bifido bacteria can consume. I take it almost every day even though I have stopped supplementing with bifido probiotics. I do feel a little bit zen, but other people say it has no effect on them. It may be worth a try? Also I supplement with inulin for my little gut bacteria friends as well. I started with a teaspoon a day and gradually worked up to a tablespoon(15g) a day. It makes you fart quite a bit at first, but now not so much. If you take any of these supplements in powder form, make sure you drink lots of water too.

I also added mushrooms to my diet as they contain chitin, and the good gut bacteria love that too. And also rye bread – if you can get roggerbrot, that stuff is great. It contains arabinoxylans which are also good for the gut bactera, and lost of fibre to keep you regular.

Matrika

7:54 am
27 Mar 16
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LX
Thank you for your reply and the information.
Actually I did see Prof Borody for a colonoscopy but I managed to get rid of the C.dif using saccaromycae boulardii for a few months in a high dose, I was booked for the transplant but had a negative test and so dodged that pleasure!
I got rid of the c.diff with just one course of Vancomycin and several months of the Saccaromycae boulardii…I found a few research papaers that mentioned it. Then I got pretty much flattened by flu which went on it seemed endlessly, then I moved house becaseu I couldn’t manage plumbing problems and mould.Last year was not a great year for me and I am so glad it is over.

I do really appreciate your suggestions and am sorry I didn’t read them til now. I’m not eating any bread or grains these days and just getting back to fasting but am following the blood sugar diet….doesn’t seem to work for me but its helping lots of people so I am keeping on trying for a few more weeks before going back to broth fasting which does definitely work for me.

Apologies again for taking so long to get back and thanks for the info…will try the Bimuno, mushrooms are out unfortunately. When I eat am doing a lot better with the FODMAP diet.

I definitely need to be a bit more Zen!!! 🙂