I'm a 54 year old male and have been dealing with diverticulitis for 10 years now. Four years ago, after 5 acute attacks and 2 hospitalizations, I lost 8" of infected sigmoid colon to this insidious disease. I foolishly believed I was cured. Last summer, for the first time since my sigmoid resection, I had a recurrence of the diverticulitis. It recurred on the colon just above the site of the surgery and was a minor episode. Now, for the second time this year, I am in pain, taking Antibiotics and wondering if another resection or perhaps a colostomy is in my future.
I've never felt so helpless in my life. I've improved my intake of fiber and water, avoided ALL nuts, seeds, popcorn - you name it. Nothing seems to work on anything but a temporary basis. I believe this last attach occured simply because I wasn't quite as vigilant with my fiber intake because of the Thanksgiving holiday and family stress.
I'm not in any way a vegetarian, nor have I taken my diet to wild extremes to beat this disease. I've just tried to manage it by avoiding foods that trigger an episode and adding more fiber than can be found in the average person's diet. I know I should be eating even more fiber, but after a while it all tastes like so much sawdust. I feel like I'm eating a bale of hay a day already with all the bran, fiber supplements, etc.
This attack I'm going through now though really has me worried and about ready to try anything short of voodoo. I've been browsing some of the messages here and am encouraged by the intelligence and common sense displayed in the posts I've read. Right now I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the information here and the possibilities for treatment, but what really works? Any advice anyone can share concerning how to battle this malady will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.