bowel – Tummy Trouble

How to enjoy Thanksgiving with a digestive disorder

November 19, 2021November 20, 2021Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBS, SupportTagged bowel, Diet, digestive health, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, festive, food, health, healthy, IBS, thanksgivingLeave a comment

It’s that time of the year again when you gather with friends and family to celebrate thanksgiving. Maybe you can’t wait to get stuck into your thanksgiving feast or perhaps the idea of it fills you with dread. Read our 7 tips for surviving Thanksgiving with a digestive disorder.

Don’t over-eat! – Stick to small portions. Eating large portions puts you at risk of stomach ache, nausea, bloating, indigestion and cramps.
Don’t eat too quickly – It may be the most delicious meal you’ll eat all year, but that’s all the more reason to savor each bite. Enjoy it! Take small bites and chew them well before swallowing. This will also help you to not over eat.
Stay hydrated – you may be wanting to enjoy an extra large glass of wine with dinner or even rustle up an early egg nog, but remember, your body needs water to work at it’s best and keep you hydrated. Alcohol has a diuretic effect which means it causes your body to lose water. That’s why if you’re having an alcoholic drink this Thanksgiving, be sure to drink some extra water. Not to mention that a well hydrated bowel works better meaning a lower chance of constipation or of developing infections such as diverticulitis.
If you get pain – switch to clear liquids only right away. It’s not worth taking chances. Pains are your body’s way of warning you that something isn’t right. Let your bowel and stomach rest by not giving them any more food.
Be prepared – Make sure you are stocked up on any medicines or products you use to ease your digestive disorder or the symptoms it causes. You don’t want to have to rush out on Thanksgiving to find somewhere to find your favourite antacid. If you’re dining at someone else’s place, take everything you need to feel comfortable. You can even make yourself a little emergency pack with some essentials: For example; any medications you usually take for your stomach e.g. for reflux, cramps etc., painkillers, wet wipes, spare underwear if needed, etc.
Avoid very fatty or rich foods – don’t go overboard with your helping of mac n cheese or your dollop of cream on your slice of pie. Also, go easy on the candied yams and glazed carrots. These foods can cause indigestion, acid reflux, nausea, IBS symptoms, diarrhea and problems if you have gallstones or have had your gallbladder removed. You can reduce fat in your meal by taking the skin off your turkey and only eating the light meat. Another idea is to only use a small amount of gravy on your food.
Keep it simple: – Only eat foods you know you are usually okay with. It may be tempting to fill up on candied yams, but will it be worth it tomorrow when you’re doubled over in pain or stuck in the bathroom all day? One suggestion is: A small plate with some roast turkey (light meat), some potatoes a little gravy and a small piece of cornbread. But remember, we are all different. What you can eat without a problem, may cause someone else a lot of pain and discomfort. You can choose foods that are safe for you and just eat a little amount. Remember: while green beans and sprouts may seem like a healthy addition to your meal, it’s best not to risk it if you haven’t eaten these foods recently or you’re recovering from diverticulitis, a flare up of IBS, Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.

By following this simple tips, you can avoid digestive problems and concentrate on celebrating with your loved ones. What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year and what do you plan to eat? Let me know in the comments.

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Diagnosing Diverticulitis

October 3, 2019October 2, 2019Posted in digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Hospital, Medical examinations, UncategorizedTagged bowel, colon, CRP, digestive health, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, doctor, health, healthy, Hospital, infection1 Comment

When diagnosing diverticulitis, the first thing that doctors usually do is carry out a blood test followed by other tests such as CT scans, X-rays and even ultrasounds.

Full Blood Count

The full blood count can tell doctors a lot about your current health. The number of red blood cells can tell doctors if you’re anaemic and perhaps losing blood. But one of the most important markers in a blood test when trying to check for diverticulitis is the white blood cell count.

White blood cells are a part of the immune system and are responsible for fighting diseases and illnesses. When a pathogen (harmful bacteria or virus) enters the body, it is identified by the immune system which then increases the number of white blood cells. An amount of white blood cells higher than the normal range could be considered to be a sign of infection. However, it is possible to have diverticulitis but not have a measurable increase in white blood cells. So a normal blood result doesn’t necessarily mean that you don’t have an infection or inflammation in the bowel.

CRP (C-Reative Protein)

CRP is known as an inflammation marker – it is a protein released by human tissues when they are inflamed. The higher the amount of CRP in the blood, the more inflammation there is. Having elevated CRP in addition to abdominal pain and other symptoms is a good indicator of diverticulitis. However, your doctor should also check carry out an abdominal examination too just in case the inflammation is coming from somewhere else.

An abdominal exam can help doctors find out if there is anything strange going on…

Abdominal Examination

It’s likely your doctor may carry our an abdominal examination. This is where the doctor will press on your abdomen to discover where the pain originates and if it is the bowel that is inflamed. It’s important to be very honest about the pain you are feeling at this point so that the doctor can rules out any other issues or sources of inflammation.

CT scan

This is usually the most effective way to diagnose diverticulitis. A CT scan can be done with or without contrast, but contrast certainly helps when interpreting the results. The two main types of contrast are oral and intravenous (IV). The oral contrast is often a liquid mixed with water that you drink before the scan. It helps to highlight the digestive tract on your scan. The IV contrast is injected into a vein and reaches the tissues and helps them show up better on the scan. Some hospitals may choose to have their patients take both types of contrast. However, it is important than you let the doctor know of any allergies you have before you receive any contrast agents.

A CT scan is painless and just requires the patient to hold their breath for short periods. Let the technician or doctor performing the scan know if you suffer from asthma or COPD or any problem that makes you find it difficult to hold your breath.

After the scan, your results will not be ready immediately since they will need to be looked at by a doctor and a thorough report written. See my post on CT scans for more information.

X-rays

Some doctors may choose to send their patients for X-rays. This is to check for perforations in the bowel since X-rays can easily pick up excess gas in the abdomen that may be leaking out from the bowel. The results of an X-ray are much more immediate which is why this test might be chosen particularly if the patient is in a lot of pain or has a history of perforations and sepsis.

Ultrasound

Again, some doctors may want to send their patients for an ultrasound. This is very common during first time diagnoses when patients are doctors don’t know that the patient even has diverticular disease yet. An ultrasound may also show an abscess or cyst as a result of diverticulitis. It may also be able to detect excess air of material in the abdomen. However, it is not as clear as a CT scan, but the results are more immediate.

Why don’t doctors use colonoscopies to diagnose diverticulitis?

It’s very rare that a doctor would use a colonoscopy to diagnose diverticulitis because while a patient has an infection, it would be very painful and a little dangerous to insert an endoscope. There is a chance that the colonoscopy during an infection could make it even worse or could even cause damage to the colon.

Have you been diagnosed with diverticulitis? Which methods did the doctors use to diagnose you?

What does your poo say about you?

September 11, 2019September 1, 2019Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBSTagged bowel, bowel health, bowel movement, constipation, diarrhea, diarrhoea, Diet, digestive health, food, health, hemorrhoids, piles, poo, poop, stool, toiletLeave a comment

A lot of people don’t like to talk toilet, but it’s a natural function of the human body. We all need to eliminate waste from our body and are doing so all the time. For example, we eliminate carbon dioxide by breathing it out, we eliminate broken down proteins and excess water by producing urine, and finally, we eliminate unwanted food and fibre by producing solid faeces (stools/poo/poop).

So, why should we pay attention to the waste we produce?
Because it can tell us a lot about the current state of our health.

There are different characteristics we can look for to judge a healthy bowel movement. Of course, the ideal bowel movement would be easy to pass (without straining or pain) and would be soft but formed and brown in colour. However, for people with stomach problems, we can see a lot of different characteristics so keep reading to find out what your poo could be saying about you.

Where does it fit on the Bristol stool chart?

Ideally, you want a Type 4 stool, but a type 3 can happen frequently too.

If you find you are type 1 or 2, you need to read Coping with Constipation. if you have type 5 you may try adding a little extra fibre to your diet, for example with fresh fruit and vegetables or by switching your white bread, rice and pasta with brown alternatives. If however, your stools are type 6 or 7 regularly or over a period of time, you may wish to speak to doctor to figure out what the problem is. If you have type 7, you can look at my post about Dealing with Diarrhoea for tips.

What colour is it?

Stool is most often brown, but sometimes people find that it is other colours. This can be an indication that something isn’t right. So, look below and see if any of the following could be the problem. Please make sure to record any out of character bowel movements and mention it to your doctor.

Are there any of the following?

Now, you’ve looked at the type and the colour. What about anything not mentioned so far?

Undigested food – Sometimes we see pieces of undigested food in our stool. One good example of this is corn. It may appear undigested because it has an outer coating of cellulose. A substance that humans can’t break down easily. Because of this some foods, especially plant-based foods that contain cellulose may appear undigested in our stools. If this happens from time-to-time, it’s no cause for concern. However, if you are finding that a lot of your food is being passed through undigested, it’s worth mentioning to your doctor.

Red blood – seeing a little blood in the stool could be due to various reasons, perhaps haemorrhoids, or a damaged anus. Or it could be bleeding from the lower digestive tract. If this hasn’t happened before, or is a lot of blood or is happening on a regular basis, see a doctor to get checked out.

Mucus – our stool always has mucus in or on it, but often it’s such a small amount that it isn’t visible to us. However, if your bowel movement is accompanied by mucus, it could be a sign of constipation or of inflammation in the bowel. Mucus can vary in colour and appear clear, yellow or even white and can look stringy. Again, if this is happening on a regular basis, it’s important to discuss it with your doctor.

Remember if you have any change in bowel habits, report them to your doctor since they can be a sign of an underlying health issue. Don’t be embarrassed, doctors are trained to discuss bowel habits and reporting yours could change your life or even save your life!

Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis – What can I eat?

September 8, 2019September 11, 2019Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, General health, IBS, UncategorizedTagged bowel, Diet, digestive health, diverticular disease, diverticulosis, eat, fibre, food, health, healthy, IBS, water1 Comment

This article is for people wanting to know about foods to eat if they have diverticular disease/diverticulosis NOT diverticulitis. If you aren’t sure what the difference is or what you have, click here to find out.

One of the most common questions people have when they are diagnosed with Diverticular disease (DD) /Diverticulosis is ‘What can I eat?’. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question. As an active member of various Facebook support groups, I see people all the time asking can I eat this or that. And the answer to the question is as follows.

There is no answer. Based on the latest medical research, there are no disallowed foods for diverticular disease/diverticulosis. This means, anything you ate before diagnosis, should be safe afterwards. Since you ate them just fine before you discovered the diverticula/pouches in the bowel. However, it is largely believed that eating a diet high in fibre is beneficial for those who have diverticular disease since it keeps the bowels moving and prevents stool causing the diverticula to become inflamed or infected. So perhaps upon discovering you have diverticular disease, you may choose to adopt a higher-fibre diet or a healthier one. This could include swapping white bread, rice and pasta for their healthier brown alternatives, eating more fresh fruit and veg or perhaps eating a high-fibre cereal for breakfast. However, there are cases where a high-fibre diet doesnt work out for various reasons and so, you may be advised to adopt a low-fibre diet instead.

Some doctors will advise their patients that they shouldn’t eat seeds, nuts, popcorn, sweetcorn, etc due to the chance of them being lodged in the diverticula/pouches. Although, current research shows this not to be the case. However, some people do have problems with these foods and if it makes you feel better to avoid them, then that’s fine, too.

A lot of discovering what you can eat, is about trial and error. Everyone is different. Many people with diverticular disease/diverticulosis also suffer with other digestive problems such as IBS that can cause symptoms in response to particular foods. So my advice is that if you are feeling unwell, you can try an elimination diet, or you can simply go day by day and keep track of your food intake by keeping a food diary. I’d recommend for those newly diagnosed especially, keeping track of your food and water intake, your symptoms and your bowel movements. You can do this easily using the Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Tracker which you can find here and download for free. It includes instructions for how to fill it out. You can even take your completed tracker pages to the doctor or nutritionist so that they can help you look at what foods may or may not work well with you and your needs.

Some advice I can give to ALL sufferers of Diverticular Disease/Divertiulosis is to drink LOTS of water. Two to three litres (4 – 6 pints/70-100 fl. oz) per day. This will help keep you hydrated, healthy and prevent constipation. Also chew your food well and avoid large portions. In fact, simply following my Tips for Good Digestion may help you avoid digestive discomfort.

How to deal with a diverticulitis flare up

September 4, 2019November 21, 2021Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Hospital, UncategorizedTagged antibiotics, bowel, bowel health, colon, digestive health, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, infection2 Comments

If you’ve got diverticular disease (DD)/Diverticulosis, you may be unlucky enough to experience diverticulitis. Don’t know the difference? Check out my post on Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Vs Diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is an inflammation or infection of one or more of the diverticula (pouches) in your bowel. Diverticulitis can vary in severity and can go from being a mild flare up, to an infection so severe that it can carry life-threatening complications. So, what can you do if you suspect you may be getting a flare up?

For a start, symptoms of a flare up can include:

abdominal pain/discomfort
high temperature/fever
painful bowel movements
generally feeling poorly (nausea, headache, stomachache)
diarrhoea/constipation
loss of appetite
Change to stools (excessive mucus, blood, huge change is regularity or stool type)

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms above, it’s a good idea to prepare for a flare up by doing the following things:

DO:

drink lots of water – 2-3 litres a day will help flush your system and keep you hydrated. It may also help relieve constipation.
Try a clear liquid diet – eliminating solid foods and dairy from your diet for a day is the best way to rest the bowel and give time for the inflammation to go down on its own.
Keep track of your temperature – on a notepad, note down your temperature every couple of hours so you can monitor any changes. Please note that diverticulitis does NOT always cause high temperature/fever.
Rest – Take time to relax and rest as well as removing yourself as best you can from stressful situations. Sometimes a duvet day and a few extra hours sleep can help the body heal.
Listen to your body – Remember that our body usually knows what is best for it. For example, if you’re tired and want to sleep, do it. If you have no appetite, don’t eat just because it’s dinner time and someone has said you ‘should eat something’.
Take paracetamol-based pain killers to relieve the pain if necessary. This include brands such as Panadol in the UK or Tylenol in the US.
Track your day using a Diverticular Disease tracker.
Seek advice from a medical professional – If you are in a lot of pain, have a very high temperature or feel very unwell, it’s a good idea to seek medical advice from a professional. This may include booking an appointment with your GP/PCP, Gastroenterologist/GI doctor or even visiting the local A&E/ER.

If you suspect you may be experiencing a flare up, there are a few things you should avoid doing in order to not make things worse.

DON’T:

eat high-fibre foods – If you suspect a flare up, it’s best to go for a clear liquid diet, but if you want to try solid food, you should stick to low-fibre/low residue foods such as white bread, chicken breast, white pasta or rice.
Take NSAIDs without approval from a medical professional – NSAIDs are not recommended for people with diverticular disease because they can increase the chance of bleeding from the diverticula or increase the risk of perforation.
Take Codeine-based painkillers without approval from a medical professional – codeine is known for causing constipation and so can worsen the infection if stools are not passed through the bowel.
Eat large portions – if you decide to eat, stick to small portions that won’t overwhelm the system.
Take anti-diarrhoea medication without approval from a medical professional – stopping diarrhoea can be a bad thing since you may be keeping infected waste inside your bowel and allowing the infection to become more severe.

These tips and tricks may be able to help you rest the bowel before medical treatment is required. However, if your symptoms become worse or do not subside, it’s important to seek advice from a medical professional.

If it turns out antibiotics are required, there are a number of things you could be prescribed. For example, common antibiotics include: Ciproxin, Flagyl (metro), Co-amoxiclav, Augmentin and several others. However, Ciproxin and Flagyl are the ones most suitable for those with a penicillin allergy. Please note that some of these antibiotics have some significant side-effects and you should make yourself aware of these by reading the leaflet or discussing it with your doctor before you take them.

In a more severe situation, you may even be admitted to hospital to receive treatment for diverticulitis. Here, they will usually give you antibiotics, fluids and pain relief intravenously. You can read about what I like to pack in my hospital bag here.

What symptoms do you experience before a flare up? Have you managed to treat a flare up without antibiotics? How did you do it?

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Diverticular Disease/ Diverticulosis Vs Diverticulitis

September 1, 2019October 15, 2021Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged bowel, colon, DD, digestive health, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, IBS, illness, infection, lifestyle6 Comments

Is there a difference between diverticular disease/ diverticulosis and diverticulitis?

Yes, quite an important one, too and here’s what it is…

DIVERTICULAR DISEASE/DIVERTICULOSIS

The condition of having diverticula or ‘pouches’ along the wall of the large intestine.

This disease is thought by most medical professionals to be symptom-free. However, lots of Diverticular disease (DD)/Diverticulosis sufferers will tell you differently. The truth, really is that it’s not a condition that is very well known and the symptoms of it appear difficult to record and monitor since they vary so much from person to person and can be confused with other digestive tract problems such as IBS.

Generally, it is thought that those who have a diet lacking in fibre or who live an unhealthy lifestyle are more likely to develop diverticula in their bowel over time. However, there are suggestions involving a genetic predisposition to develop them, too.

DIVERTICULITIS

When one or more diverticula becomes infected and/or inflamed.

A lot of medical terms or parts of them come from either Greek or latin origins and diverticulitis is an example of this. The –itis suffix comes from greek and means inflammation or infection. We see this with lots of other words too, for example, tonsillitis, arthritis, etc.

Diverticulitis is an infection or inflammation of one or more diverticula in the bowel. The reason for diverticulitis is not well understood, but it is thought that living a healthy lifestyle and keeping stress to a minimum can reduce the likelihood of it taking place. However, there is no guaranteed magical fix-it that will work to keep you free of infection. It is often detected by the use of blood tests and CT scans. However, some doctors use X-rays as a fast way to check for perforations of the bowel, too.

Diverticulitis can vary from being mild to severe with complications. For the very mildest episodes a clear liquid and low residue diet will help you get through. However, for other cases antibiotics may be required or even in some cases hospitalisation and even surgery.

It’s worth mentioning that the overwhelming majority of those with diverticular disease/diverticulosis never get diverticulitis! And, out of those who do get it, only a few get repeated episodes and/or surgery.

So, remember, the diverticular disease/diverticulosis is the presence of diverticula or pouches in the intestine whereas diverticulitis is an infection or inflammation of one or more diverticula. It’s important to know whether a diagnosis of diverticular disease/diverticulosis or diverticulitis is given to know how best to deal with it is.

Do you have Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis? Have you ever had diverticulitis?

Dealing with Diarrhoea

August 25, 2019August 13, 2019Posted in Diet, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, IBS, UncategorizedTagged bowel, diarrhea, diarrhoea, Diet, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, health, healthy, IBS, poop, sick, stomach, toilet3 Comments

We all get diarrhoea (US: Diarrhea) from time to time. Diarrhoea can be for a variety of reasons; an upset stomach, a stomach bug, food poisoning, IBS, diverticulitis and other bowel diseases or even nerves and stress. Diarrhoea is also quite common in those who have had their gallbladder removed.

Diarrhoea happens because not enough water is absorbed in the bowel leaving your faeces too watery. In the case of an upset stomach, stomach bug or food poisoning, having diarrhoea is beneficial since it helps our body to get rid of the bacteria causing the problem.
I personally only try to stop diarrhoea in situations where I don’t have free or easy access to a bathroom, such as, at work, while travelling, out shopping, etc.

If you do have diarrhoea, here are some handy tips to help you deal with it effectively.

Stay hydrated

Drink lots of water. Staying hydrated is very important because our body needs water to work. If we become dehydrated, we are likely to feel even worse. For example, dehydration can cause dizziness, headaches, confusion and nausea. Drinking lots of water will replace that being lost when we have diarrhea and help our body to work efficiently.

Rehydration sachets

If you have bad diarrhoea, re-hydrating with water may not be enough since you also loose salts and electrolytes. For these occasions, you can use rehydration sachets, one well known brand is Dioralyte. This is mixed with water and available in different fruit flavours such as blackcurrant, strawberry and orange.

BRAT diet

Now, if you have diarrhoea due to a stomach bug or food poisoning, I wouldn’t recommend eating at all until the diarrhea has stopped. However, if you have diarrhoea because of IBS or gallbladder, you could try the BRAT diet. This is eating small portions of B – bananas, R – rice, A – applesauce and T – toast. The bananas are especially useful since they can replenish any potassium that the body has lost.

Anti-diarrhoea medication

Taking medication for diarrhoea is not recommended in all cases and shouldn’t be done regularly unless instructed to do so by a medical professional. For example, in the case of diverticulitis, some doctors warn their patients away from anti-diarrhoea medication because it

There are a number of medications that can help stop diarrhoea. One of the most common is loperamide hydrochloride (often sold in the UK under the brand name, Imodium). However, many supermarket and pharmacy chains sell their own version of this medicine, which is the same and often cheaper.

Complications and when to seek help

You can click here for advice on diarrhoea and vomiting or here to see guidelines for when you should consider visiting your doctor.

NOTE: If you are diabetic, please take steps to ensure your blood sugar is well-controlled. You may want to speak to your diabetes nurse or consultant about what to do in this case.

Are these helpful tips? Do you do anything differently to deal with diarrhoea? Let us know in the comments.

Preparing for a colonoscopy

August 21, 2019September 3, 2019Posted in digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Hospital, IBD, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged bowel, colon, colonoscopy, digestive health, digestive system, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, endoscopy, health, Hospital, IBD, IBS, medical, medical exam, screening test, testLeave a comment

So, you’re going for a colonoscopy…don’t worry. It’s not as bad as you might think! A lot of people say that the preparation is worse than the procedure, so let’s look at how we can make it as smooth a ride as possible.

Two days before the colonoscopy

Reduce the amount of fibre in your diet and adopt a low residue/low fibre diet. Cut out fruit and vegetables and eat plain foods such as chicken without a sauce, white rice, white bread, and clear soups. This makes the preparation much easier on your body. Also eat lightly, try not to eat too much, have small portions and drink lots of water. You may feel quite hungry, but, this will certainly reduce the amount of toilet trips when you take your preparation agent.

Preparation day – On the day before the colonoscopy

I prefer to book a morning appointment for my colonoscopy and not eat anything on the day before my colonoscopy. However, if you have booked a later afternoon or evening appointment, your doctor should give you a schedule for when to take your preparation agent and stop eating and stick to a clear liquid diet.

NOTE: You MUST tell the colonoscopy team or your doctor before doing the preparation if you are diabetic.

When I had my colonoscopy, my doctor gave me Citrafleet to use. It was in two sachets each of which were to be mixed in one glass of water. The Citrafleet tasted like lemon and was definitely fine to drink without too much trouble.

The preparation agent my doctor prescribed for me.

Some doctors give their patients different preparation agents, these can come in large bottles, sachets and some are difficult to drink. Tips for making these drinks more palatable include: keeping it cool, using a straw, adding a flavour or chasing it with a clear drink you enjoy.

REMEMBER: Avoid eating or drinking anything that is red, pink or purple in colour. This can stain the lining of the bowel and can affect the results of the colonoscopy.

Prep day kit!

prep agent
drinks – I had green tea, water, iced tea, Sprite
Vaseline
baby wipes
A show or set of movies that you know well and love to watch.
Someone to hang out with
hobby (crochet, reading, etc)
paint your nails, do a face mask, do your hair, etc.

The urge to go can be sudden and come from nowhere…be ready to spring up and run to the bathroom! Be careful of cables, yarn, being in a position or chair you find it difficult to get out of. Make sure your route to the bathroom remains clear. And that other family members or friends if possible can use a different bathroom if you’ve got your stuff set up in the most convenient one.

Ouch it burns!

Like with any time we get diarrhea, it can burn. So, to solve this, be proactive. Before you go for the first time, apply Vaseline or Sudocrem thickly. This will act as somewhat of a barrier and will protect your skin. Then after going to the bathroom, avoid wiping multiple times with toilet paper. If you suspect it is messy, consider using a bidet or using water to clean your bottom. Alternatively, I would recommend using baby wipes for sensitive skin. These can help you clean up without too much repeated wiping and are gentle on the skin. (the more you wipe over the same area, the more likely it is to become sore). When you’re clean, apply a new thick layer of Vaseline or Sudocrem ready to protect you the next time. This helped me so much!

NOTE: We love the environment so please don’t flush your baby wipes away. Of course it would be better not to use them at all, but it’s better to dispose of them in a bin rather than flushing them down the toilet where they can block drains or enter our waterways.

How do I know whether I’m empty and ready for the procedure?

In theory, by the end of the preparation, your bowel movements should be totally liquid, pretty much see-through and possibly yellow in colour.
If you are still passing loose stool with pieces in it or thick and not at all see-through, you should contact your doctor or a member of staff at the place where the colonoscopy is taking place.
Some places will do an enema if the bowel requires a little cleaning, but others would rather reschedule the colonoscopy and prescribe a different preparation agent.

Good luck for the procedure!

If you have any more questions about preparing for a colonoscopy, please ask them in the comments below and I’ll try to answer them or even add additional information to the blog post. How did your colonoscopy prep go and do you have any helpful tips?

Coping with constipation

August 18, 2019August 13, 2019Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged bathroom, bowel, bowel movement, constipation, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, faeces, IBD, IBS, poo, poop, stool, toilet4 Comments

Getting constipated is something that happens to everyone from time to time and there are many different reasons for why we get constipated. These could include, stress, holding off going to the toilet, a diet lacking fibre, a bowel complaint such as irritable bowel syndrome, poor gut motility, surgery, certain medications including pain killers such as codeine, etc, dehydration or even a sedentary lifestyle.

Whatever reason you are dealing with constipation, here are some helpful ways to deal with it.

Drink plenty of water

The job of the large intestine/bowel is to absorb water from our waste back into our body so that we don’t become dehydrated. However, if we don’t drink enough water, this can make our faeces (US: feces) too dried out and hard, meaning that it doesn’t move as easily in the bowel and is hard to eliminate.
Drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated and mean that not too much water is absorbed from the faeces in the large intestine, keeping your bowel movements smooth and soft.

Exercise

Staying active is very important. The body needs to get up and move in order for the muscles to be exercised well and to work properly. This includes your intestines. Spending too much time being inactive can make it more difficult for the bowel to work effectively.
Gentle exercise each day can really help to keep you regular. For example, a small walk to the shop, going up and down the stairs, or even doing some gardening or housework are all good ways of keeping your body moving.

Prune juice, raisins and figs

When a lot of people are constipated, the first things people recommend are prune juice, raisins and figs. These can all help shift stubborn waste and help us to go to the bathroom. It’s always worth keeping these handy snacks and drinks in your home if constipation is something you suffer from frequently.
NOTE: Those with diabetes should be aware that these snacks can be high in sugar and should only consume them if it is recommended to do so.

Glycerine suppositories

Sometimes people with constipation strain and push when trying to go to the bathroom. This isn’t good because straining is linked with the formation of haemorrhoids and hernias. If you want a drug-free method that works quickly to help get things moving and make going to the bathroom less hard work, you can try a glycerine suppository. They are available at pharmacies and are like a small jelly bullet. Your pharmacist can tell you more about the product such as if it is safe for you and can help tell you about how to use it. You can even get ones suitable for children and infants.

Stool softeners

Milk of Magnesia, senna, Laxido, Lactulose and Movicol are all common stool softeners. These medicines, prevent the bowel from absorbing so much water from the waste and so help it to stay soft and easy to pass. However, near in mind that these medicines can take time to work and that it’s important to be patient before taking the next dose. You can discuss with your doctor or pharmacist which stool softener is the right one for you.

Increase fibre in your diet

Since constipation can be caused by a lack of dietary fibre (US: fiber), it’s important to make sure that your diet includes lots of high-fibre foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain cereal and crackers, brown bread, pasta and rice.
Bear in mind, though, some people with bowel problems such as IBS and diverticular disease/diverticulitis may experience discomfort after high-fibre foods. For these situations, you should speak to your doctor about if a soluble fibre supplement might be more suitable for you.

Complications

If constipation is something that you are experiencing frequently, it’s important to discuss this with your doctor because sometimes, getting constipated can be an indication of a problem. For more guidance and tips of constipation in children and babies or indications of when you should visit a doctor with constipation, click here.

What tips do you have for those suffering with constipation? Let us know in the comments.

Diverticular Disease Tracker

August 10, 2019November 15, 2021Posted in Diet, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Hospital, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged bowel, colon, Diet, digestive health, diverticular disease, diverticulitis, doctor, food, food diary, health, health tracker, journal, medical, medicine, pain, symptoms6 Comments

Keeping your food, symptom and stool diary

Keeping a diary isn’t always easy, but…it can come in very handy, especially if you are still learning to manage a health condition. If you are someone that already keeps a daily diary or journal, it may be easy to add this information in to your entries. However, if you’re not someone used to keeping a diary, then you can find other ways to do it, for example, you can use the downloadable attachment here, and complete that each day before filing it away, or you can create your own version that applies more specifically for you. Not only will this help you identify trigger foods or patterns in your symptoms but it could also be a great tool to help your doctors monitor and manage your health.

NOTES:

Be honest! Write what you really ate and drank….snacks, junk and alcohol included…you need to see the whole picture, exactly as it is.

Take it to doctor’s appointments with you even if you don’t need to use it. You never know when the info could come in handy.

If you have a bullet journal, you can get really creative with this. I’ve given you guys a free downloadable and printable version of what I use. Now, unfortunately you do need to print it to get the best use out of it. I would recommend filing them each day in a binder to keep a continuous diary. How much additional information you record is totally up to you. However women may benefit also by tracking their menstrual cycle, too.

DD Tracker Printable

I’ve put together a little Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis Tracker. You can use this to monitor what you eat, how you feel and even keep tabs on your bowel movements. I hope this proves to be helpful. The file even has it’s very own instructions that show you exactly how to use it. Just click on the download button below for FREE and you can print it out right away.
Support the creator and buy her a coffee by making a donation here: paypal.me/haylaki

DD-TrackerDownload

Food Diary: The food sections allow space for you to write about what you ate and drank for the day.

Water Intake: You can cross out or tick the glass of water to show how much you drink each day.

Bowel Movements: The stool section provides boxes for you to keep a record of your bowel movements. There is space to write a time and or comment and a number that corresponds to the Bristol stool chart.

Symptoms/other notes: here you can mention any other feelings or symptoms you experience even if you feel they aren’t relevant. For example, headache, joint pain, nausea, delicate mood, etc. or even record that you took pain medication or anything that you don’t usually take. In addition, you could note anything else there you wish.

Medication: It’s always worth making a note of any medication you had to take, whether it seems related or not. But taking medication such as painkillers or antacids is a good way to keep a record of how often your symptoms bother you enough to reach for the medicine cupboard.

Tracker Previews

Let me know what you think and even share with me what you record in your diary to help you…do you do anything differently?