GI issue - can't figure this out

[upsscott]

Originally Posted by nota

my wife has crone's and reflux problems

last doc of many
had her stop eating beef or pork or cut way back on both
and not eat before bedtime so late lunch not dinner

both helped her with less attacks and less severe ones but did not totally stop the problems

This is exactly what I’ve done to remedy my diverticulitis flare ups along with copious amounts of fiber.

[Superman]

I do not like hearing these kinds of things about the people I care about. I have no suggestions for you Chris, but just encouragement. Keep working toward a solution.

[cstreit]

Appreciate the thoughts and ideas.

The hard part is building advocacy with the doctors. THey all take appointments, run tests, do referrals but no one really wants to step up and help work through all of it.

My guess is its the diverticula or some food sensitivity that aggravates it. Probably gonna go under the knife to eliminate that as an option.

[Superman]

The characteristic we value the most in a doctor is curiosity.

That said, I think it may have been Hippocrates who said medicine is the art of entertaining the patient while nature cures the disease. Today we know more than Hippocrates did but we don't know everything.

[cstreit]

THey don't call it "practicing medicine" for nothing.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by cstreit

I take multiple probiotics daily and plenty of GI healthy foods ( kimchi, etc)
No camera pills but recent colonoscopy shows perfectlY clean (save the one diverticula)

No surgery. GI dox says unrelated but can’t help but wonder if that isn’t the source.

High Immunoglobulin level says I’m allergic to,something though, hence the allergist.

Hmmm.."multiple probiotics"? Maybe overdoing them, producing all the gas? Not without reason came about the phrase "old farts". I've become a gassy jack since the surgery, take 2 probiotics a day.

If you do the surgery, I hope it's improved since mine in '85. I have a scar running from clavicle to my public arch...another "T-ing" off to the side where I wore a coloscopy bag for a few weeks. Nothing like having to wear a bag to make you appreciate your a-hole. Recovery was long and painful. I'd advise avoiding the knife if you can...

[cstreit]

Same probiotic - twice a day with breakfast and dinner.

I stopped them for a few weeks - no change.

[pwd72s]

Damn...sorry to hear that. I'm on the same schedule...2 probiotics. "natures bounty acidophilus".
Evidently there are variations? Forget the brand, but tried one earlier that worked too well, gave me the trots. So, settled on this one.

[porsche tech]

Originally Posted by cstreit

Probably gonna go under the knife to eliminate that as an option.

I should have mentioned, my wife did wind up having a section of her colon removed to solve her problem. The doc did say a temporary colostomy might be needed as sometimes the two ends are like tissue paper and can’t be sewn back together until they have time to heal up. Fortunately for my wife, she did not need that and has not had another symptom since (2 or 3 years now). It was, however, an ordeal…especially with the curve ball the Cipro hurled at us. Hang in there and good luck.

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by porsche tech

I should have mentioned, my wife did wind up having a section of her colon removed to solve her problem. The doc did say a temporary colostomy might be needed as sometimes the two ends are like tissue paper and can’t be sewn back together until they have time to heal up. Fortunately for my wife, she did not need that and has not had another symptom since (2 or 3 years now). It was, however, an ordeal…especially with the curve ball the Cipro hurled at us. Hang in there and good luck.

Thanks. Calling the surgeon tomorrow actually.

[pavulon]

Non-emergent colon resections are routinely accomplished laparoscopically today. However, not every non-emergent situation is the same. Also, I'd want to be really sure that diverticulitis is the entire issue.

[Tobra]

Have you looked at elimination or inflammatory diets? That is where I would start.

I got food poisoning in college, bad. Campylobacter jejuni they said, now they call it Helicobacter apparently. Never been the same since, occasionally kicks up. No meds, bland diet for a while and it goes back to sleep.

Speaking of sleep, do you do so adequately? That matters, sometimes kind of a lot.

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by pavulon

Also, I'd want to be really sure that diverticulitis is the entire issue.

It probably isn't - I do think its part of the equation. Since my IgE levels were double the acceptable peak range - it shows that I am probably allergic to something. I got a blood allergy test and was negative for Clam, Corn, Egg White, Fish, Milk, Peanut, Scallop, Sesame Seed, Shrimp, Soybean, Walnut, and Wheat

Normal range on IGE is 2-214. Mine was 460

So its possible that there is some allergy and it interacts/inflames the diverticula.

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Have you looked at elimination or inflammatory diets? That is where I would start.

Speaking of sleep, do you do so adequately? That matters, sometimes kind of a lot.

THe last few weeks I went very basic. Only foods that were 100% natural and organic. ZERO preservatives or chemicals. No inflammatory foods like veg oils, etc..

I don't sleep enough. Between my shoulder pain and gut pain - my guess is about 6 hours per night. As soon as my GI system "wakes" on on many days, the burning starts and I can't go back to sleep.

[charlesbahn]

What's wrong with the shoulder?

[cstreit]

Originally Posted by charlesbahn

What's wrong with the shoulder?

Feels like rotator cuff issues, but i know i have low level arthritis so could be that. Family curse.

[charlesbahn]

Quite possible the 2 are related. Do you know values for for your sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein? Any rashes?

[astrochex]

Wife had gut pain and #2 issues for a while. Diagnosed as crohns with severe intestinal blockage. Its been 3 years since surgery removing the problem sections. She has not had symptoms since the surgery while holding to a vegan, no SOS (salt, oil, sugar) diet. She also makes green smoothies every day which benefits me also. There are doctors (e.g., Dr. Brooke Goldner) with diet protocols that have eliminated inflammation symptoms.

Good luck.

[cstreit]

FYI My pain is lower GI, like 2" below the navel. Right aroudn where it hurts when the diverticulitis flares up.

[Noah930]

Diverticulitis, diverticulosis, diverticulum: not all the same thing. Sounds like you have a diverticulum (the little outpouching structure), seen on colonoscopy. So you have diverticulosis (the condition). But not clear to me: have you had diverticulitis (inflammation/infection of the colon)? If so, how mamy times? As you know, the elective treatment for recurrent diverticulitis is a sigmoid colectomy. Even if everything goes well (no complications), you're never the same.

If you've been scoped from up top (EGD: esophagogastroduodenoscopy) and from below (colonoscopy), maybe it's worthwhile to do the camera pill. It'll get a look at all that small intestine in between the two ends. Unless you're convinced it's diverticulitis causing your symptoms, I'd try that before signing up for surgery.