Diverticulitis AGAIN

I was hopeful that my diverticulitis attack back in July would be my one and only.

Well, a girl can dream.

I got that familiar painful sensation in my lower left abdomen.  I was hopeful I was just ovulating, but the pain lasted too long.  So ... thankfully the NP at my GI doc's office told me that if I can call her during business hours, she can call in a STAT CT for me at an imaging center to determine whether or not I have diverticulitis ... and if so, she can all in an RX for the antibiotics.

So, that is exactly what I did!    Sure enough ... diverticulitis again.  ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

She told me she'd check with the doc to see if he wants to do another colonoscopy again in six weeks (after my colon has healed).  I sure hope he says no.   Not in the mood for another dang colonoscopy.

I have joined a Diverticulitis support group on Facebook and wow ... some of the stories I've read are horrifying.  Some people perforations and / or abcesses and then their intestianl fluid leaks out of their intestines into their body - OMG.  There are stories of emergency surgeries, colostomy bags, sepsis, nearly dying, etc.

Nobody knows for certain how to prevent diverticulitis.  I've been told high fiber diet by my doc ... other docs say LOW fiber.  My doc said to stay away from seeds, nuts and popcorn ... and then there is research that shows seeds, nuts and popcorn have never been proven to cause diverticulitis.  

I am learning that there are different triggers for everybody.    And what I can say with certainty is that a couple of days before my first attack in July, I had eaten movie theater popcorn.   And a couple of days before this attack, I drank a chia seed drink.

But I have been eating popcorn and drinking chia seed drinks for YEARS.   So ... who knows.

All I know is is that I am ever-so-grateful that my attacks have been seemingly mild and quickly resolved.  

And I gotta say ... I'm VERY nervous about when an attack of diverticulitis will strike next.  Ugh.