(I posted the following in diverticulosis forum to your attention, hanna suggested I post it here, also, thank you for any insight.)

I came across your (to me) very knowledgeable responses to certain posts while looking for feedback regarding Mr. Monastyrsky's book, "Fiber Menace", which I began reading yesterday. Last June I contracted a bad gastro "bug" going around in my area, had diarrhea for three weeks (left untreated, not like me but very serious family matter was occurring at the same time) and within two weeks had what I thought was appendicitis attack. CT scan showed sigmoid colon inflammation "consistent with diverticulitis" although gastroenterologist said it might have been situational colitis. I refused colonoscopy because honestly the entire thing scares me to death. In the ER Dr. told me "nothing evil" was in my large bowel (no obvious tumors, etc., CT quality was "excellent" he said due to the fact my bowel was empty).

I have RARELY had a problem with constipation (although stools could be a bit difficult go pass on occasion, they were twice daily, normal in appearance, for years) and only occasional diarrhea (mostly food related), like maybe once or twice a month (at most, some months none at all.) OK so the Gastro Dr. told me I could eat anything, high fiber diet not really necessary, hydration (drink extra water, something I was not doing), keep bowels moving normally. But FIRST Gastro Dr. told me to take fiber supplement (could NOT tolerate it and it has Aspartame in it, forget that) and increase whole wheat products. "Fiber Menace" claims fiber is "death", especially to the "elderly" (and he says everyone over 50 is elderly so that means me LOL). WHAT TO DO????

I must say that I don't much like whole wheat pasta, same rectal pressure is felt from Metamucil. I've been eating a small bowl of shredded wheat in the AM but really this stuff is for HORSES. What about probiotics? Should I take them? What KIND? Where do you get these? Should I eliminate most carbohydrates as Mr. M says? What do I eat instead? OY!!! I'm so CONFUSED. I need some advice and direction from someone/or many who know what they're doing because I'll tell you THE DOCTORS DON'T OFFER ANY. And my Vulcan mindmeld skills are rusty.