Colon Spasm and Diverticulosis

[Larry Sands]

Subject: Colon Spasms and Diverticulosis.

How can I stop the spasms which will hopefully stop the pouches from developing?

I am currently experiencing colon spasms and developing pouches, especially in the ascending colon. My GI specialist has prescribed several anti-spasm medicines, but to no avail. Herebal fiber and oatmeal are a part of my diet. I've been fighting this battle for over 7 years. I stay away from nuts and other foods that are harmful. I've noticed that shortly after eating a meal the pain begins in the ascending colon(right side) and sometimes in the descending colon (left side).  

[dazman67]

first off all,id like to clear something up with regards bleeding from the anus,significant obvious bleeding is rarely a sign of cancer,,its normally occult[not visible]  and nearly always piles /fissure/tear..thats why they have screening tests at 60 in the uk,.. [over 60s being the highest percentage rate of 80 per cent of all cases of colon cancer] ..also colon cancer is quite rare under 50,,with a population of 65 million in the uk,and somewhere of 22million under 50,,there are 2000 cases every year under 50,,so rare as a disease in that age group,,your chances are getting colon cancer under 50 is 25000 to 1...  after 50 it 1000 to 1.,,,,, two  final comments,,colon cancer is more likely to present itself with change in bowel habit,alternating from loose stools to constipation,,so if you have this for more than 6 weeks,get it checked by a doctor,,also narrow stools are not a definitive sign of colon cancer,this is mainly caused by consistency of stool,and how relaxed your your anal splinter is..

sources[check out video]
http://www.channel4embarrassingillnesses.com/conditions/bowel-cancer/

http://www.haveigotbowelcancer.com/Information.aspx?id=108

[CalGal]

Mjg, were you diagnosed with diverticulitis? If you were just diagnosed with the 'itis' form of the problem, call your doc. You may need to be put on antibiotics. Also ask the doc if you need to make dietary changes, such as following a liquid or soft diet.

[mjg1227]

Ok this is the first for me with the spasm. they are intense and i feel i have to use the restroom, but nothing and if i sit i cramp from their, i feel scared cause i just went to dr"s on fri, by after noon the spasms started and its sat and i am still in pain in the lower mid of my stomach, i stand up cause i feel i have to go but its hard, it wont come.... what can this be, nver had this

[Youneke2]

Bro this sounds like coliac. Live a gluton free life. Stay far from oats. What is happening is your immune system hates grains so it attacks your intestines everytime you eat grain. Have lots of faith in God because ultimately he is the only one that can cure you fully. God bless

[patient915]

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[Parmamike]

I have been diagnosed with Colon spasms as well.  My episode started with pain in the lower-left side of the back and the lovwer-left front side below my belt, then I noticed blood in my stools.  My Doctor diagnosed me with diverticulosis.  I had a colonoscopy and had a few polyps (no Cancer - Thank God!!!).  However, I have been haunted by this for over 2 years now and am going in for another Colonoscopy.  My Doctor claims I have Colon Spasms, but I also get feverish a lot and get the chills ofter.  That sounds like something is infected,  Does anyone else feels feverish that has been diagnosed with Colon Spasms???

[abe511]

Sure sounds like celiac... sounds like me pre-diagnosis.
darker beers have less gluten in them.
grainy foods set you off.
i'd go gluten free for a couple of weeks, see what happens.

[craighs]

I am 30 and been admitted to ICU more than 30 times in the last 8 years for profuse vomiting. I have the same pain as all of you almost constantly. Iv had the problem since an early age and has progressively been worse year after year. I find that grainy foods and things that seem hard to digest make it worse. The biggest problem is stress. The more stress the worse it is. I take milk of magnesia every night and if I'm not cleaned out and eating constantly and being active I'm in pain. Oatmeal hurts. Smoking obviously is the dumbest thing to do, it hurts. And alcohol puts me in the hospital. Darker beers seem more tollerable.good vodka and wine seem to not bother me badly either. But drunk = sick,very sick. Two drink max. I've seen way too many Dr.s to count and had who knows how many colonoscopies. And they all say the same thing, not much and spastic colon ibs take more fiber and all these pills that do nothing. I don't ever get a legitimate answer. But the stress seems to be key. I like the heating pad, camomile tea and thc helps dramatically.consuming tons of fiber seems to make it worse. Fruits are good but apples not so much. I am a carpenter so this problem is a very life debilitating thing. I'm working on it and my own research has seemed more helpful then my $50000+ medical debt. Good luck people. Maybe some one will have an answer.

[msdee45355]

First to say I have anxiety, and irritable bowel syndrome, also I had my gallbladder removed over 15 years ago. I have noticed since my gallbladder was removed, if I get upset, very happy, nervous ect...all of the sudden I will have a pain out of this world, sometimes I think I'm going to die, and I start gripping and everything to hold on and then it just stops. This only happens when I show emotions, My mental therapist says it is caused by anxious emotion, the Gastro Dr. says it's my IBS, oh yeah I also have Degenerative Disc Disease, and that Dr. says it's back related, all of these damn dr's, and not one of them has helped. I have asked for a MRI several times and due to I had one 10 years ago, they won't give me another( go figure) and yes it is true, because you see a mental therapist you are pushed off,  you know it's all in our head, my therapist actually told me when you first go to the Dr. don't even tell them your mental situation  ( that's a shame). Also I have some dull pain in my lower left side that no one has told me what that is either, but they can give you all of these prescriptions for you to spend money that does not help. All I want is to know what is causing pain when I show emotion, and what is the pain on my lower left side. This has been going on for years I use to get a colonoscopy and endoscopy almost every 5 years but that Dr is now retired. I even had to have a hysterectomy to remove the left ovary because they thought it was part of the problem, that did not help either.  I recently went to another Gastro Dr. he had me take fiber one and metamucil then said come back in 4 mo and we will test for colon cancer I was ticked off   in 4 months I could be dead. I'm to see him in few days is it even worth it. Scared cancer runs heavy on both sides of my family, I just want answers they fail to realize how this does effect your mental state of mind to be in pain off and on one way and a contstant dull pain everyday and have no clue what is wrong with your body and no one has helped. I can say however I finally won my disability suit because of all of this and that took 5 years. I wish all of you out there could see how many prescriptions I have you all would be floored.   God Bless  I wish you all the best.

[AG9201]

All this is very interesting.  I have two questions.  1.  My spasms are painfree but can be very intense.  What is going on?  2.  What gives with the need for alot of fiber today?  What changed in our diet or activity or ? to create the need for fiber supplementation?  Thanks for your ideas.

[ahtn]

I have IBS, which is the diagnoses when no reason is found. I have constipation when sometimes the stools are soft. I have general anxiety disorder too. If I take Prilosec and Valium I live a normal life. I exercise and function. Twice in 12 yrs I couldn't get a dr to give me valium and I went from dr to dr (35 2 yrs) and er to er (25 2 yrs). My 1st doctor of 8 yrs and I tried EVERYTHING and this is what works (he retired). Now new dr's want to start all over again. It's 4 mos. to see a Pysch Dr and I move a lot. GAD is my only mental disorder. Over 50,000 dollars has been spent because I can't get a $15 5mg 3x day valium prescription. My last Dr moved 6 mos ago and without the valium i have been in bed for 6 mos and now my health is very poor and now i have diverticulolsis. I have never used alcohol or street drugs and have a Master's degree. When I tell new dr I have tried everything, what worked and what didn't, i get treated like a drug addict. And I can't get 60 records for them, now I fall in as a Risk Management problem and my only advice is to move out of town and away from my 71 yr old mother- my only family. I am a screenwriter with two screenplays optioned. Help!!!!!

[differencemaker]

Just saw a rectal doc last week for spasms.  I've had 3 colonoscopies in 4 yrs. which showed no substiantial problems.  His suggestion; more fiber.  30 grams of fiber, (most countries recommend 30-60grams), Remember, there is no such thing as too much fiber!  Bran cereals, oats with grapenuts, Mueslix, ck labels for grams of fiber.  Bran muffins, whole wheat bagel, bowl of sald, other fiber foods; peas, apples, potato skin,  Drink fiber, water, may use stool softeners, whole grain bread, grapes, fruits & veggies in general. Kiwi fruit has 5gr fiber, if you eat the skin, its 10 gr of fiber!  If you aren't getting enough fiber, add Konsyl, metamucil, metacucil makes wafers, If you must use an elaxative; Miralax one capful to 8oz water two times a day....as always... drink 8-8oz water, if you drink anything else...be sure to drink your daily intake of water also!  Just remember  to regain your life back....stay in close contact with your Dr and get checked as often as needed.  They have really good suggestions, meds for spasms and are always game for the new questions we have!  Best of luck to you all!

[little57]

You are never too young to have a colonoscopy. My mom died at the age of 53 of cancer, but by the time they found it, it was throughout her whole body. I believe it started in the colon. My daughter was having problems and had a colonoscopy in her 20's. So don't let them put you off. Even if they don't find anything, it will at least put your mind at ease. They might find something simple that can be fixed with no problem. Better to have it checked now. Teeny25, you should go see a GI doc. It's always better to have things checked out. Good luck to both of you.

[teeny25]

I am a 25year old female and 4 days ago i started getting the most painful abdominal pains i have ever expericenced. I went to my doctor and he said my colon felt blocked and my stomache looked swollen he gave me laxitivs and a medicine called buscopan 10mg. Tht was yesterday and although the pain did finally become bearable so i could get a nights sleep for the first time in 4 days the pain has returned and i am worried as i can not go to the toliet as the laxitivs did not work and i havent been able to eat anything more then a slice of toast 4 4 days which i paid 4 dearly with servere cramps. I have never had anything like this in my life and i am really worried. Please help.

[brialexander23]

I am only 23 years old and I am a female..My father passed away with colon cancer at the age of 51..so this subject and the problems I'm having are a main concern for me. I am always constipated and I have really painful colon spasms..I went to our family GI doctor and he told me that colon spasms is wat I am having and that with my age and me being a female my risk are low. and that it being strictly up to me I could have a coloscopy done but he would be very surprised if when doing this proceeder if he found anything. so I put it off. I had to take laxative today because the pains were so bad this past weekend I was up half the nite crying and couldnt use the bathroom..it almost feels like trapped gas and constipation..wat do you suggest?

[Rebecca429]

i am 23, and for a long as i can remember i have had severe intestinal pain. when i was younger, my doctors (pediatricians) didn't believe that i was in as much pain as i actually was. all they did was prescribe me glycolax (now miralax).  i have been taking that for about 7-8 years.  in 2007 i was rushed to the hospital for what was thought to be appendicitis.  it ended up being a huge blockage in my large intestine.  that summer i went to see a gastroentrologist and had a colonoscopy.  the results were sever IBS w/constipation and a tortuous colon.  he put me on Amitiza. an hour after taking my first pill i had a severe allergic reaction to the med.  the doctor said there was nothing else he could do for me.  i stopped seeing him.

after i graduated from college i found a new primary care physician.  told him my problems and he started me on Librax as well as Omeprizole and an iron supplement bc i am anemic.  (i had an upper GI and they found an hyatail (sp?) hernia.)  i was on that for about 3 months and then i went back for a checkup.  after telling him that the pain was still as bad he took me off the omeprizole and put me on kapidex as well as increasing my librax to 3x a day.  i have only been on the kapidex for 5 days but since starting i have had severe pain and frequent bathroom trips everyday.  i feel like my doc. is reluctant to send me to a specialist because he thinks i just have IBS...i am at my wits end...any suggestions?

[Dundie]

I to suffer from what you both have, the medication I have been given only worked a few times. Now the spasms are so bad its takes my breath away! The only difference mine happens between 3 and 5 in the am!! I have no idea what I am supposed to do. Any suggestions.

Daisey

[rellimc2]

One more note, Larry:  If you're in pain right now, don't eat any fiber.  You need to drink liquids like broth and low-fiber foods for a day or three until it passes.  As soon as the episode is passed start easing into the Metamucil supplement and you'll be golden...

[rellimc2]

Larry, I have a solution for you:

I too suffered from this affliction for many years.  I first had the spasms, for which my doctor offered similarly ineffective medicines.  Most recently, as I continued to have problems I had a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with diverticulosis (the pouches you were referring to).  When it inflames it is incredibly painful, and will put you down for 3-4 days.

The solution:  Metamucil (or some other form of psyllium husk).

Why?:  It rocks!!  I haven't had an episode in over a year!  Nice, smooth deposits everytime...  Start out slow, taking just half a teaspoon (of the sugar-free type) with each meal so that your bacteria in your gut can adjust to the new material.  This is important to prevent gas.

Gradually increase it to the recommended maintenance amount of 1 tsp with each meal.  I'm a pro, so I adjust it depending on the meal type (for greasy pizza maybe a little more ;-)

Just be sure to drink lots of water, and don't bother with the cheaper brands - They taste like ****.  I'm super cheap, and I still buy Metamucil brand, so that should tell you something...

Best of luck with this - I hope you can bring your life back under control like I did with the wonders of the ground psyllium husk.  Please let me know if it helps - I wish I had known about the importance of fiber years ago!

Thanks,
Craig
***@****

[lizziecee]

Hi Larry, you may want your doctor to look into IBD. There is a simple, non-invasive, non-specific test for inflammation in the intestines, called a calprotectin test which will show any inflammation. It is easy and cheap to do, all you need to do is give a stool sample. If the calprotectin level is out of range, then other invasive tests can be done i.e. upper endoscopy and colonoscopy.
Liz.