Tag: digestive health

Diverticular Disease/ Diverticulosis Vs Diverticulitis

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , 6 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?

Traveller’s tummy

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Traveller’s tummy or ‘Holiday tummy’ is something lots of people experience when they go on holiday. Some people get diarrhoea and others find they become constipated or experience nausea. Now, I have blog posts that deal with all three of these issues, but wanted to make a specific post about how to deal with this while on holiday. Whether this is because of the nerves from the flight, new food or water, we can’t be sure. Whatever the cause of your holiday tummy, there are some steps you can take to make sure you’re prepared for every scenario and can kick back and enjoy yourself.

Symptoms of ‘Traveller’s tummy’ can include:

However, if any of these symptoms are severe or do not improve at all within a couple of days, you should seek professional medical advice. You may be able to ask a pharmacist, or speak with a doctor or visit a clinic or hospital if necessary. Remember to take your travel insurance documents and your ID with you when visiting health centres. This will avoid large medical bills.

Drink lots of bottled water

Yes it is more costly and can contribute to plastic waste, but it is definitely the safest bet for something with a sensitive stomach. I opt for bottled water even in regions where I’m assured the tap water is safe to drink. Even just a slight change in mineral content or fluoridation can upset a sensitive stomach and have you heading for the toilet more frequently than you would like. Just be sure to recycle your plastic bottles when you’re done!

Avoiding the local water can be difficult, remember that fruits and salads may be washed in tap water and that the ice cubes used in your drinks may be made from tap water. You can easily ask for drinks with no ice, or if the ice comes from bottled water. You may even wish to use bottled water, to brush your teeth!

Eat sensibly

While I’m sure there are lots of delicious foods to try on your holiday, being cautious while you are experiencing any diarrhoea or stomach problems is a good idea. You can stick to plain foods such as white bread or white rice. Avoid spices and heavily-flavoured foods while your stomach is still unsettled.

After a day or two, your stomach is likely to be a little better and you can be a little more adventurous when sampling the local culinary delights.

Anti-Diarrhoea medication

Anti-diarrhoea medication is very useful to take on holiday with you, but beware, it isn’t recommended for everyone. Those with a stomach bug, food poisoning and diverticular disease/diverticulosis should not take anti-diarrhoea medication unless instructed to by a medical professional. If you’re not sure whether you should be taking it, speak to your doctor or pharmacist before your trip.

Stool softeners

Should you get constipated and find it difficult to eliminate stool, you should try a stool softener. These are often taken in the evening so that they work overnight, meaning by the morning, you are able to have a bowel movement. Common stool softeners include lactulose, milk of magnesia and ;axatives such as Dulcolax or Senna.

However, if you don’t fancy trying medication, up your water and fibre (US: fiber) intake and try get some gentle exercise to get the bowel moving again. You can also eat prunes, figs, Weetabix, licorice and drink prune juice or black coffee. You can also read my post about constipation if you need more information.

Rehydration sachets

As I mentioned in my post about diarrhoea, re-hydration sachets can be extremely helpful when recovering from diarrhoea and re-hydrating your body. During this time, you should definitely avoid alcohol since that can cause further dehydration. This is especially important when visiting a destination with a hotter climate and swimming in the sea.

Have you experienced traveller’s tummy before? How did you deal with it?

Preparing for a colonoscopy

Posted in digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Hospital, IBD, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave 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?

5 Ways to reduce nausea

Posted in Diet, digestive health, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Gallbladder, General health, IBD, IBS, UncategorizedTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

It is quite common for people with digestive problems to suffer with nausea. This can be because of food choices, poor eating habits, stress, gastritis, medication or could even be unexplained. If this isn’t something you suffer with frequently, you don’t need to worry because everyone feels nauseous from time-to-time. However, if you are feeling nauseous on a regular basis, you should mention it to your GP/PCP or gastroenterologist.

Nausea isn’t always followed by vomiting and there are things you can do to reduce nausea without relying on drugs.

  1. Drink water – Drinking a little water can help to settle your stomach, but take small slow sips and drink water from the cold tap rather than chilled water from the refrigerator.
  2. Take your mind off it – Thinking about how you feel sick can make you feel even worse. Try to take deep breaths and think about something else. For example, put on a TV show or a movie that you enjoy.
  3. Try some ginger – sipping on ginger tea, eating a ginger biscuit or chewing on a little crystallized ginger can really help to reduce nausea. You could also try sipping ginger ale – but again, slowly and small sips.
  4. Get some fresh air – Go and sit in the garden or on the balcony, or even open a window or door
  5. Sniff a perfume – put a spray of fragrance on a wrist and sniff it. Avoid food smells and stick to fragrances you enjoy. Having a little sniff of your wrist can help. If you don’t have a perfume or fragrance, an essential oil or even vapour rub can help alleviate nausea.

If none of the above work, then it’s time to consider a nausea medication. The best idea is to speak to your doctor or your local pharmacist about which product is the best for you!

Do you suffer with nausea? How do you cope with it? Let me know in the comments.

Diverticular Disease Tracker

Posted in Diet, Diverticular Disease/Diverticulosis/Diverticulitis, Hospital, IBS, Medical examinationsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 6 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

Preview of the DD Tracker
Instuctions and examples

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?