So, you’ve just discovered that you’ve got Diverticulitis/Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis. Like with any diagnosis there is a lot to learn, but we’ve got the basics covered right here in one short, sweet article.

What is it?
Diverticulosis – the condition of having diverticula (small pouches) in the wall of the bowel/large intestine.
Diverticular Disease (DD) – When you have regular symptoms arising from the diverticula in the bowel. E.g. pain/discomfort, diarrhea, bleeding, etc.
Diverticulitis (also known as a flare up) – a bacterial infection that happens in one or more diverticula. This can cause severe inflammation of the bowel. It is often painful and makes the sufferer feel quite unwell. It can also have more severe consequences if left untreated.

Typical Symptoms of Diverticulitis (a flare up) – NOTE: you may not have all of these symptoms
– strong abdominal pain at area of diverticula (most often in lower left abdomen but less frequently occurs on the right side, too)
– a fever/high temperature
– lack of appetite/nausea
– diarrhea/watery stool
– generally feeling unwell
– constipation

General rules to follow:

• Stay hydrated – drink lots of water each day around 2-3 litres or 70-100 oz across the whole day.
• Avoid NSAIDs (painkillers that include aspirin/ibuprofen in their ingredients) – if you really need pain relief, it’s best to stick to paracetamol/Tylenol-based painkillers. So discuss this with your doctor before taking them for any reason. NSAIDs have been shown in some studies to increase the risk of bleeding and perforation of the bowel.*1
• If you have discomfort in your bowel, consider switching over to a clear liquid diet.
• Keep a food diary/tracker (You can download one here)
• Try to minimize stress in your daily life.
• Don’t rush or gulp down your food – digestion is easier when we take small bites and take our time. Chew each mouthful until it is a paste, try not to eat too fast.

What to do if you think you’ve got diverticulitis:

• Switch to a clear liquid diet right away
• monitor temperature, pain and any other symptoms
• monitor any bowel movements
• seek medical advice/assistance – don’t wait too long
• DON’T take any NSAIDs or anti diarrhea medications such as loperamide unless instructed to do so by your doctor

Tips for how to support yourself:

• Make sure a family member or close friend knows about your diagnosis and help them find out more by sending them an article to read or even a link to a blog such as this one.
• Join a support group on social media to ask questions and get helpful tips. I have my own group on Facebook that you’re free to join here, or there is another UK-based one here. Make sure to answer the questions before submitting your request to join.
• Keep a dairy/journal – if you’re creative, consider a bullet journal with space to record food, medication, symptoms and mood.

*1 NSAIDs and diverticulitis study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21320500/

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