Is it really diverticulitis

[AlohaNettie]

My GP sent me for an abdominal CT scan.  The result were negative with the exception of diverticulosis up high in the large intestine,where my pain is (upper left side).  I've had the pain for almost a month. It came on abruptly and the pain was intense and unbearable after I ate.  I soon figured out not eating made it feel better.  Two weeks of the pain going up and down, i finally went to see my Dr.  This is when he sent me for the CT scan.  He put me on 7 days of Avalox and a clear liquid diet which I just completed today.  I have lost over 17 pounds in a little over 3 weeks.  Tonight i tried to eat a small amount of white rice and one small piece of chicken; as usual the pain came back.   My question is, why is she treating me for diverticulitis when the ct scan did not indicate it.  He seems to think the two weeks of intense pain was diverticulitis and the pain I'm still in is "left over".  Is this possible or could there be something else?
Thanks

[Kevin64]

I have had lower left stomach pain for over 3 weeks..I took augmentin for 8 days it seemed to do the trick. But it came right back..went to ER and had a CT scan with contrast and white blood count was normal..doc said CT looked OK..I'm confused and still very sick even have pain in my groin and down my leg..it's never bee. This bad. Cipro and flagyl do not work well for me. So they are trying augmentin again for 2 weeks. Been taking it for 3 days not much difference. Can someone help me here!!!!

[storrks]

Hi, all.  I have read your comments and Alohanettie, I think I am going through most of this that you went through last year.  I have had the pain for years, and through xrays and ct scans, have not found anything. Bloodwork has been great, nothing but the pain in the left side. I think for the past month, it has gotten worse.  When I eat, especially beef, it does get apparently worse, so I have cut down and am eating more veggies and fruit.  I will adhere to the advice given to you above, with the soft diet and all, until my upcoming visit to my GI.  I received a MRI of the left spot on my upper abdomen a month ago, but they found nothing.  But I am feeling relatively worse, and even though I eat less, a certain part of my stomach looks like it's getting bigger, and I am not losing any weight.

I would like to know what your diagnosis was after you went to the surgeon. I lose a lot of sleep with the pain, and I get very tired suddenly but its hard to sleep when my body is hurting. I do hope that you will get this message somehow, and I will be looking for your response.  

[AlohaNettie]

I have been referred to a surgeon for further evaluation!  Will see what happens.  Am feeling much better with the exception of being unable to eat very much.  Have stopped losing the rapid weight since I'm able to eat more now.  Still have the left sided pain and worsens if I'm not careful about eating too much, but overall much better.  I was so sick of a liquid diet.  We'll see.

[AlohaNettie]

Thanks, as stated in prior post, am a bit better, albeit, more tired.  Just hanging in there till I can get some answers on Monday!  Will keep you posted! I appreciate the advice!

[AlohaNettie]

Ok, thanks, I'll ask about that test.  I know my WBC was a little bit elevated and I've been running a low grade fever.  I'm feeling a bit better today after only clear liquids the last couple of days.  I can tell I'm more tired than usual, but I'm sure thats from not eating properly for several weeks.  I got some protein supplments to drink for my meals to try.  Thanks again for the help!

[ggreg]

I also have another thought, too.  I think I was actually incorrect when I said a CT scan might miss diverticulitis irritation or an abscess.  While it is not as obvious as diverticulosis pouches, it should still be seen properly by a good radiologist.  I don't know what i was thinking when I said that.  Anyhow, what I wanted to say was could be there is indeed something else going on in that left part of your large bowel, especially if it keeps bothering you past the weekend.  Hope your doc can figure out what's going on.  GG

[distrought]

Just another thought, ask him if did a blood test CRP, which shows inflammatory process going in in the body and is usually elevated with Diverticulitis, as well as other things, but is a good indicator.also, I would ask for a referral to a GI specialist ASAP. No need to continue to hurt and not be able to tolerate food, or not much anyway. They are the docs to see and prescribe the correct and necessary tests. Get it handled so you don't have to suffer with multiple hospitalizations and unecessary discomfort.the longer it goes on if it is Diverticulitis, the worse it will be for you down the road, trust me, I am at the end of the road! Feel better soon! From distrought

[AlohaNettie]

Ok, a lot of what you say also makes sense to me, which is sort of the angle I think the Dr. was getting at. I am going to continue to take it easy on the diet this weekend as mentioned in the previous post and also discuss this post with my PCP and get more info from him.  Perhaps the chicken was just too much.  I do also agree with you regarding the gas.  I think the other pains I feel in my stomach, except the constant left sided pain, is just that! Thanks so much for the comments, I do appreciate it!  After reading both replies, I think I just need to be more aggressive with my questions to the Doc.  I will ask for a second opinion if things don't get better soon.

[AlohaNettie]

Thanks very much for your comments.  I see my Dr. Monday and if I stay on a clear liquid diet, I think I can make the weekend.  I'm going to bring up your remark about the Diverticulitis vs diverticulosis.  I know he was going to order an upper GI if I wasn't a lot better.  Also, he ran a bunch of blood tests for stuff which were all negative.  Again, thanks for the prompt advice as I am at my wits end.  Have a Happy Weekend!

[ggreg]

P.S.  My post came up just moments after the other post, and so I want to say i agree with that poster, that visiting a new doc for a second opinion may be a good idea in the end.  Also, an alternate to a small amount of oatmeal is cream of wheat, also with Acidophilus milk (and of course sugar).

[ggreg]

I'm thinking the doctor has it right, and I'll tell you why.  CT scan shows diverticulosis, which as you know are bump-out places in the large bowel, these protrusions can be seen pretty easily.  Now, those pouches usually are just there and don't act up.  But when waste gets stuck in there, an infection develops from the clog, it gets all irritated, and that hurts, and that is called diverticulitis, which "itis" means irritation, sickly.  So, the antibiotic Avalox the doc gave you clears the infection, and liquid diet gives the irritated place a chance to heal over.  An infection might not necessarily be picked up on a CT scan, you see, but pain and a couple other signs will tell, like a slight fever.

My guess about the pain now is that place or places together in your bowel are still trying to get straight, altho the cause of the irritation should be gone now, but still it's gonna be sore, which is I think what the doc meant when he said it was "left over" pain, which is it's still in the healing process.  Also, since you haven't had anything solid in there for a while, gas WILL develop, and when it moves thru the bowel, that can hurt a lot.  Generally, as relates to the infection you had, it's kind of like if you cut your finger and run water over it, it stings, so you put meds on it and wrap it in a bandage and avoid getting it in the water when you wash your hands.  Finally you feel like it's healed pretty good, it's closed up, but still reddish, so if you touch something with that finger or sometimes even just water running over it, and this will make it hurt some.

My suggestion to make this less painful right now is, while rice and chicken are easy to digest, you'd do better to (1) switch to a soft food diet, (2) get "probiotics" in you, (3) slowly introduce fiber, and (4) drink extra water.  The soft food would be things like mashed potatoes, applesauce, bananas, onion soup or broth or cream soups, and pudding.  Also continuing liquids is fine.  The fiber would be strictly about a half portion of oatmeal.  Probiotics would be putting Acidophilus milk on your oatmeal, or eating Activia yogurt or any yogurt that says "live cultures" or "probiotics" on the label, both items are in the regular grocery store.  This will help break down waste easier.  And you MUST drink extra water, maybe five glasses a day.  Eat this way until the pain diminishes.  

If the pain diminishes for you, then you're good to go.  You can gradually go over to a solid diet, and your protein can be scrambled eggs, but avoid meats a little longer becuz many are hard to digest and will just sit in the intestines and create gas.  Gas hurts.  If the pain does not go away, then could be you have a more serious problem, which might be perhaps an abscess formed there and burst thru the bowel wall, which a CT scan MIGHT miss, or maybe a twisted colon, and a few other minor things, and so your doc will need to examine you again, check your body temperature, possibly do a small scope to look at the area, or try an MRI.  Treatment varies for these things.  Hope this helps, it's all I know about it.

[distrought]

If you truly have Diverticulitis, it will show on the ct scan.obviously, they are missing something.sounds like you need additional tests, perhaps stool tests.thathat is a lot of weight to be listing a short amount of time. Call and notify her you are still in pain, if they don't listen, either go to the er, or talk to your primary, but in any case, you need immediate assistance.find another gi specialispecialist who will listen and start doing something for you.sounds like they need to find problem, hospitalize you for fluids and meds and pain control..could be many things.please get help.I hope you feel better soon.