Diverticular disease

nanna try leaving out gluten/wheat for a couple of weeks. It won't do any harm and you might be delighted with the result. So much of your symptoms were my symptoms plus others until I cut out gluten. Bingo!! It was like a miracle. I do t need anything now just a normal gluten free diet.

My gluten free diet has been working a treat until last weekend.

I had a couple of glasses of Prosecco on Sunday and boy, did I suffer for it afterwards. I don't normally like fizzy drinks - I think it's my body telling me, 'Don't do it!'

The bloating and pain in the upper left side of my stomach took two days to disappear and even then I felt like I'd been kicked by an elephant.

So, I'm now thinking, just trapped wind or something else?

Diverticular disease runs in the family so I've always followed a high fibre diet.

We eat a lot of mushrooms but having read the OP I might try leaving them alone.

I wholeheartedly recommend a gluten free diet though.

I too had a diagnosis and had the tests. High fibre is not the answer, in fact can be a causal factor. I have to avoid nuts and popcorn ( things which may get trapped in the pockets I suppose). Drink lots of water, and take a good quality probiotic.

merlot is there barley or some other gluten containing cereal in Prosecco? I'm not sure. I haven't tried it.

I don't think it does, whitewave - according to the list of gluten free drinks on the coeliac's website. I will certainly be wary from now on because it really floored me.

Gill, I remember my mother being advised to avoid a high fibre diet. Advice is so conflicting these days because fibre in your diet is supposed to help prevent diverticulosis in the first place.

merlot it is astounding how much eating a bit of gluten affects you isn't it? I ridiculously ate 2 liquorice all sorts and it took my system 2 weeks to get back to normal. Never again!!

I think if you have eliminated gluten from your diet it really hits you hard if you accidentally eat some.

DGS3 has just been diagnosed with coeliacs. His endoscopy is booked for the week after next so he can't give up gluten until then, poor lad. I'm already nagging him about reading labels because he's had over a year of ill health and it will be lovely to have him fit and well again.

Is diverticular disease another lovely affliction of old age we have to look forward to?

Yes that's right merlotgran but once you have the condition high fibre diet with lots of roughage can aggravate, it does get difficult with all the conflicting advice. I am not aware of all of my triggers apart from nuts and popcorn, sometimes just get an attack from out of nowhere it seems. I have cut, although not eliminated gluten, chiefly as I am trying to cut carbohydrates and restrict bread, potatoes, pasta, rice. I eat very little bread and no pasta.

I'm with ww about going gluten free. I've had issues for years with IBS and also have diverticulosis, but none of the specialists suggested gluten might be a problem. I read up on it and decided to give it a go almost two years ago and it's transformed my life. The IBS has virtually gone and the rosacea on my face has cleared up almost completely. Of course, it may not make any difference to you, but it's worth a try. It's surprising how many foods contain gluten, it was quite an eyeopener to me and, initially, I made mistakes!! If nothing else, the mistakes proved that gluten was a problem for me!

I've been diagnosed with diverticular disease. What I find the worst to cope with is the intermittent bleeding. Need to wear knickers and pads at all times because I just don't know when it's going to happen.

I don't know of anything that triggers it/makes it worse/makes it better.

What I do know is that I'm no longer going to get paranoid about eating this or that or avoiding this or that. DH and I eat reasonably well but we are both losing weight, which we're pleased about. WE don't eat a lot of carbs. DH needs protein because of his recent joint reconstruction - he needs the protein for tissue healing. He also has Type II diabetes to live with.

This is just something I have to live with.

I think that it's different triggers for different people, being gluten free has helped me a lot. The rest has just been trial and error. I think keeping a food diary for a while can help you indentify the culprits. Unfortunately nuts are a no no for me, which is a shame as i love them. Good luck Nana191729

Thank you all for your interesting comments. I think it's a clear demonstration that each of us is different in terms of triggers. I did go gluten free for a few months then very gradually re-introduced gluten containing foods and in very small quantities although I've avoided pasta completely, which was what started the whole thing off, and now pizza. When I tried pizza again it set it off and then again about 5 weeks later so I know that's a definite trigger. Have also tried to keep carbs generally very low and have recently started to make my own kefir which also seems to help - except when I ate pizza !! Good luck to fellow sufferers - it's a damn nuisance of an ailment to have especially when I've followed a good healthy diet and exercised regularly all my life.

I take probiotic tablets and drink lots of water.

Yes, we are all different. I manage mine with high roughage diet as we grow everything ourselves. Normal bread is out, and spelt home made sourdough bread is ok for me.

Had dd for many years plus surgery.
Consultant has said he cant pe.rform further surgery and have to manage by diet but pain so bad am often doubled over. I take buscopan and co codamol plus laxido. Can anyone offer suggestions re pain relief
Thanks

Where do you get probiotic tablets. ?