I have recently been diagnosed with diverticulitis. Everything I have read so far, has
stated that most sufferers of this ailment are 60 or older. I have been a long sufferer
of migraines and took alot of aspirin proir to the developement of the new medications.
I also have an ulcer and wonder if there has ever been a connection made between the two
conditions? I will be undergoing a CT with contrast in a few days to reconfirm the diagnosis
and to determine what type of damage may have occured in the colon and the area of the suspected
ulcer. I am concerned about my future due to my age and the number of attacks I have had prior to
the diagnosis. Will I be more susceptible to future problems and conditions? I have read the
postings about diverticulitis, but I am intersted in any other information that anyone could
offer to me. ______
Dear Cheryl,
It would seem from your e-mail that you have two medical conditions- diverticulitis and an ulcer. Let us talk about both of these conditions.
Diverticulosis is a condition of the large intestine (colon) in which the lining of the colon protrudes through the muscle layer to form sacs or diverticula. The diverticula result from increased pressure in the colon associated with straining during defecation.
The predominant cause of this problem is an insufficient quantity of roughage (also called fiber) in the diet. This conclusion is based on the observation that diverticulosis is extremely common in countries in which diets tend to be low in fiber and is uncommon in parts of the world such as Africa and the Orient where diets are high in fiber.
Most patients with diverticulosis do not have any manifestations of this condition. A few patients, however, may present with problems such as inflammation or bleeding. These problems result when small pieces of stool block the opening to the diverticulum, causing a local inflammatory response.
It is estimated that in the United States as many as half of adults over the age of 60 have diverticulosis. However this disease may occur at a younger age. The diagnosis may not be clear, especially in a younger person. The CAT scan should help in determining if you have diverticulitis.
Most people with diverticulitis have infrequent problems and many have only one attack. Usually there are no long-term consequences.
Many experts advocate that after an attack of diverticulitis, it is good practice to have a colonoscopy. A colonoscopy is a procedure, where under sedation, a telescope is advanced through the rectum into the colon. This allows the physician to see the lining of the colon. This information would be very helpful in detecting diverticulosis and also ruling out any other medical condition, which may have mimicked diverticulitis.
To prevent the formation of diverticula you should eat a diet rich in fiber. Examples of foods rich in fiber are whole wheat bread, whole-wheat cereal and almost all fruits. Vegetables, especially green leafy vegetables such as lettuces are good sources of fiber too. Meat, chicken or fish do not provide much fiber. Also beware that processed foods are also lacking in fiber. You can also increase the amount of daily fiber intake by taking bulk forming agents such as Metamucil or a similar product at bedtime. Three teaspoons of Metamucil will add 10 grams of fiber to your diet.
In your e-mail you have mentioned that you have an ulcer. Am I right in assuming this ulcer is in your stomach or small intestine? If so, is this a proven diagnosis? Aspirin and other drugs such as Motrin etc. can cause ulcers. The risk increases as the amount of aspirin consumed increases. By the way, the CAT scan is not a good study to detect ulcers in the stomach or small bowel. It is unlikely that the CAT scan will help in either diagnosing or disproving the presence of ulcer disease.
To decrease the risk of aspirin induced ulcers another drug such as Tylenol should be used for pain relief. Tylenol does not carry the risk of ulcer disease like aspirin. If you do take aspirin-like drugs, consider adding a medication such as Cytotec or Prilosec to your daily medications because these drugs have been shown to prevent aspirin-induced ulcers. Also, there have been numerous advances in the prophylaxis and treatment of migraine headaches. By using a combined approach to your migraines you may be able to cut down your use of painkillers.
I do not think that there is any connection between ulcers and diverticulitis. The simultaneous manifestation of both these conditions is probably a coincidence.
This information is provided for informational purposes only. Always consult your physician for specific medical issues. HFHSM.D.-sg
*keywords: diverticulitis, ulcer
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