My husband has just been diagnosed with severe diverticulosis - advice? page

[Sonnenblume]

Some background: I am Primal since October 2008. My husband doesn`t share my lifestyle though we eat Primal when we eat together with sometimes a non-primal side-dish for him. Four years ago, when he was only 30 years old, he was diagnosed with severy stomach ulcers and successfully treated. As he has been suffering from abdominal pain for some months and an ultrasound revealed some swelling he had a coloscopy today. The doctor found severe diverticles and told him that he his bowls where - at 34 years old - in the condition you would expect from a 60 years- old. He advised him to eat very high fiber as long as he could tolerate it, if treatment with antibiotics was necessary more than two times a year during the following years this part of his bowl should be removed. I am very skeptical. I do not know if a diet "very high in fiber" might be good for this condition. I am going to convince him to absolutely remove gluten from the diet (if not all grains). Is there anything more we could do?
I am very worried!
Thank you so much!

[DFH]

The dr is right.

His diet should be about what anyone with an IBS should eat. Primal is really good for that. You want less inflammation. Obviously he should take notes and eliminate things that cause a problem.

I don't know what size the opening is, but you wouldn't want him to eat things that can get trapped in there and ferment, like sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. The high fiber recommendation is to keep things moving and "swept" inside.

If he has to get the surgery, do it. Fighting a problem like that robs energy all the time. When the problem is removed, it's like getting a jolt of energy.

I don't have a colon at all anymore. Due to colitis, the whole thing had to come out 20 years ago. They replaced it with a j-pouch made from small intestine. It worked out really well overall, but in Dec it developed a small opening a lot like diverticulitis, but in a different place. I have been back and forth to the dr all year about it and just had a surgery last Weds to close it. It's been a tough year, some of the things we tried first didn't work out. I had some trial and error for a few months as far as knowing when it was flaring up and I needed to call the doc.

Your husband will probably need to also learn when the pain indicates time to reach for the anti-biotics. Mine would flare up even before I got a fever. One time I went to the emergency room, said it was flared up, and they said "you dont have a fever and your white cell count is OK." I was back in the emergency room the very next day. The tests didn't pick it up fast enough.

Good luck!

[gordo]

Is there anything more we could do?

Yes. Get his linoleic acid(the most common omega-6) out of his diet as much as humanly possible. I have a friend that had part of his colon removed. It didn't help much. Getting off wheat and vegetable oils completely cured him.

Gordo

[tapper47]

"He advised him to eat very high fiber as long as he could tolerate it, if treatment with antibiotics was necessary more than two times a year during the following years this part of his bowl should be removed."

The info on fiber has changed back and forth over the years. I have had colitis since I was a child. I eat as little fiber as possible. It is amazing how much better my system is.

The only time I have an attack now is if I eat an apple or other very fibrous fruit or veggie.

[gordo]

Good point. The high fiber diet is what my friend did prior to surgery. If anything, it made him worse. At least his doctor made lots of money ...

Gordo

[Digby]

If he is determined to do fiber, then at least avoid the psyllium, and opt for the Benefil type. That's a tough diagnosis. I hope you both manage the wellness with the least amount of pain and suffering.

[js290]

Is there anything more we could do?

Learn how to squat.

[Sonnenblume]

Thank you everyone! DFH, that is a lot you have been through! Good to hear that you are doing well! My mother has Crohn`s disease and also has parts of her bowls removed. However, she cannot offer much advice, especially as she isn`t open at all to the idea that gluten might be harmful (or Omega 6, or grains in general)...Probably a lot is goin to be "trial and error"...I will convince him to become gluten-free. Our die (at least what he eats at hone) is already low in Omega 6, but I think that he has enough reason know to be careful with what he eats at work!