The End of the (Intestinal) Line

[cjlasky7]

Well, I guess it was inevitable.

My wife suffered yet another bout of diverticulitis pain, and her gastroenterologist finally called it: she needs surgery. You can only go so long with antibiotics before you have to address the source of the damage.

Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be that much damage. We were afraid that a few feet of colon had to be removed; but apparently, there's only a ten inch section of scarred tissue that's the problem. She'll have laproscopic surgery in late March; it'll take three weeks for a full recovery.

We're all a little nervous; but I hope it'll be better for her in the long run.

Comments

[cactuswatcher]

Best wishes for a good outcome.

[cjlasky7]

🤞

[atpo_onm]

hope it'll be better for her in the long run.

Very likely. I had surgery for diverticulitis about 12 years ago, although mine wasn't laproscopic, possibly because mine came on more acutely. Most of the descending colon was removed, which I understand is the default operation. (The condition primarily affects the last few inches of the colon.) Recovery was several weeks, like you mentioned.

On the positive side? I had suffered from IBS for most of my life, and after the surgery it got far less frequent, and is very rare now, usually if I don't watch my diet properly. I had joked with my GP a few months after the surgery that apparently my colon was just too long.

Best wishes for similar or better improvements for your wife!

[cjlasky7]

Thank you. It's comforting to hear from someone who went through the process and came out better.

If I may ask, what adjustments did you make in your diet? What, generally, can or can't you eat? She's going to have to make the same adjustments after the surgery.

[atpo_onm]

The things that aggravate diverticulosis, it is my understanding, are the usual things that frequent the average American diet-- excessive fats, sugars, lack of fiber, high meat to veggie ratio, etc. I had already been somewhat ramping down on such items for most of my late forties, but you can't always undo the damage that the prior habits fomented. I am sure my IBS was related to such, although in my partial defense, my diet was pretty typical for someone from my era.

I had apparently been experiencing the effects of the diverticulosis for some time, but it was so "normal" for me to have digestive issues that I tended to ignore the occasional pains. Then one morning about 10 minutes after a bowel movement, I had this excruciating pain in my lower abdomen. I had never felt anything like it, and knew almost instantly something was very wrong. The pain faded just a little, then came back again. I called for an ambulance, and was in the ER 20 minutes later.

They took a CT, and verified that the diverticular sac I didn't know I had had ruptured. Won't go into the details after that, but I was lucky I had the sense to go for help right away, or acute peritonitis would have been the next step.

So, I just became even more careful about my diet after that, and more so again as to carbs / sugars five years ago with the Type II diabetes diagnosis. I was able to get off diabetes meds in about three months, by being extra careful and making my exercise walks daily if possible.

It can be tough at first to change habits, but eventually if you persist it becomes far easier. Still, I have to summon great courage when there's Turkey Hill ice cream on sale at the supermarket. Good quality ice cream is like dairy heroin to me, unfortunately, and Lancaster County is also famous for its multiplicity of old-fashioned baked goods!

Oi!

Again, best wishes!

-- the other CJ

[cjlasky7]

We will need to sit down and have a nice, long talk about diet and how we should be eating (as a family) from this point on. (It will not be easy, but it will necessary.) Thank you for your suggestions.

-- the other CJ

[jesuswasbatman]

Hope everything goes well.