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.
Do you ever get a burning sensation in your throat or chest? If you do, it’s likely that you are suffering from acid reflux. People may also refer to acid reflux as ‘heartburn’ or ‘indigestion’.
So what is acid reflux? Well, in our stomach, there is a very strong acid. This acid is important for killing bad bacteria and for helping us to break down our food as a part of digestion. The stomach has a special lining to prevent this acid from damaging the walls of the stomach. However, if the acid happens to leave the stomach and move up the oesophagus (US: esophagus) then we may feel the acid burning in our throat or chest.
What are the symptoms of acid reflux?
There are a number of symptoms that people experience. For example, some people get a burning in their throat or chest, other get quite bad chest pains. Acid reflux can even wake us up in the night. In fact, a lot of sufferers find the symptoms of acid reflux worse when they lay down. Some people also experience nausea or a bitter taste in their mouth due to acid reflux
What are the causes of acid reflux?
There are many causes of acid reflux and so this list is not exhaustive, but here are a few of the most common causes.
Overindulgence – eating too much or food that is too rich in fat or sugar can cause acid reflux.
Poor eating habits – eating too large an amount, eating large bites without sufficient chewing, Eating too quickly, swallowing air while eating, eating too late at night. Find out more, here.
Too many antacids – taking too many antacids can make acid reflux even worse by over neutralizing stomach acid
Upset stomach – stomach bugs or eating something that doesn’t agree with us can cause reflux
Overproduction of acid – The overproduction of acid can mean that it travels up the oesophagus
Gastritis – inflammation of the stomach can mean that it produces excess acid or travels up the
Hiatus hernia – this may prevent food passing properly and can make it more difficult for acid to stay down in the stomach
Diseases of the digestive system – For reasons not always understood, bowel conditions such as Diverticular Disease and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) such as Crohn’s and Ulcerative colitis can be linked to acid reflux.
Gallbladder problems or removal – Dysfunction or removal of the gallbladder can cause excess bile which can lead to acid reflux. If you have severe reflux immediately after gallbladder removal, speak with the surgeon.
IBS – Irritable bowel syndrome can affect the transit of food and cause cramping which may lead to acid reflux.
Stomach/Gastric ulcer – stomach ulcers can cause excess acid production
H. Pylori infection – A overgrowth of a bacteria called H. Pylori in the stomach can lead to poor digestion and acid reflux as a result.
Antibiotics/Certain medications – Antibiotics often kill both bad and good bacteria and so a lack of good bacteria that aid digestion can cause some acid reflux, also, some other medications may affect digestion or stomach acid production
Obesity – the excess pressure on the body caused by excess weight can make acid travel up into the oesophagus, causing reflux.
Gastroparesis/Delayed gastric emptying – acid reflux can occur when food stays in the stomach for too long.
Stress/Anxiety – digestion slows down when we experience stress and anxiety, because of this, food tends to stick around in the stomach a little longer and so we can experience acid reflux.
Bariatric surgery – weight loss surgeries can increase the chance of reflux due to the tiny size of the stomach pouch. If this happens, you need to speak with your surgeon to find a solution; this may include medication or further surgery.
How can I prevent acid reflux?
Good eating habits – adopting good eating habits will help prevent reflux. This means eating small meals, taking small bites, chewing well and eating slowly. It also involves not eating late at night. You can read my post on good digestion habitsto find out more.
Avoiding acidic foods – fruit juices, tomatoes, citrus fruits, alcohol, vinegar, coffee are all acidic foods that we eat. Some people can stop their reflux by simple cutting down on acidic foods or removing them from their diet.
Avoiding trigger foods – Some people are triggered by different foods, common triggers may involve nuts, cheese, carbonated drinks, etc. By using a food and symptom diary to identify trigger foods, you can cut these out of your diet.
Avoid smoking and alcohol – smoking and drinking alcohol are both thought to increase the chance of acid reflux since they are both harsh on the stomach. Smoking can also increase the chances of stomach ulcers, so if you suffer with reflux, it’s a good idea to try to quit.
Avoid taking a lot of painkillers unless told to by your doctor – taking too many painkillers can lead to stomach ulcers and excess acid production
Make sure when taking medications to follow the instructions (such as taking with food) – taking medicine on an empty stomach can be bad for the stomach, so be sure to
Avoid stressful situations – Trying our best to not get too stressed out or anxious can help prevent acid reflux.
How can I treat acid reflux?
If this is just a one-off episode of acid reflux, you can take a simple over the counter medication such as an antacid. Branded examples include Gaviscon, Pepto-Bismol, Rennie and Zantac (ranitidine). Take the lowest recommended dose and give it some time to work. This is important because if you take too much of these medicines, they can actually make the reflux worse by causing your stomach to produce even more acid.
If you are experiencing reflux regularly, have a look at if there is something specific that you are eating or doing to cause it. For example, does it only happen after a glass of wine? Or perhaps it happens after you eat tomatoes or drink coffee… The best way to investigate this is to keep a food and symptom diary, you can download a tracker from here. If you do find a trigger, consider cutting this out of your diet.
Sometimes alcohol triggers acid reflux – in some cases it’s best to just avoid it completely…
If you can’t find a specific trigger but you’re a smoker, consider quitting smoking to see if it makes a difference.
Now, if the acid reflux is happens regularly and you are unable to find relief by changing your diets or habits, then it is time to visit your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about any other symptoms you are experiencing, for example, abdominal pains or cramps, a change in bowel habits, nausea or vomiting, excessive belching/burping or passing gas and any disruptions to your sleep. If you have been keeping a food and symptom diary, take this along to your appointment. It will really help the doctor to understand your symptoms and provide an accurate diagnosis.
Your doctor may prescribe you a medication to take regularly in order to reduce the amount of acid your stomach produces such as ppis (proton pump inhibitors) such as Omeprazole. However, it is important to find the cause of the reflux rather than only treating the symptoms. To diagnose problems, a doctor may suggest you take a breath test for H. Pylori (a bacteria that can survive in the stomach’s acidic conditions) or undergo an endoscopy/gastroscopy where a camera inserted into the stomach. This allows a doctor to identify problems such as ulcers or inflammation. They can also take tissue biopsies during the endoscopy to test for further problems.
Why you shouldn’t ignore acid reflux…
If you get acid reflux regularly, it’s very important to not ignore it and make sure to get it treated because long-term acid reflux can cause bigger problems. For example, regular acid reflux can cause tooth decay/and tooth acid erosion. It can also cause stomach ulcers, and can even increase your risk of stomach and oesophageal (US: esophageal) cancer in the future.
Do you suffer with acid reflux? Do you have a trigger food or drink? How do you deal with it?
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Get some fresh air – Go and sit in the garden or on the balcony, or even open a window or door
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.
Sometimes when we have problems with our stomach or digestive system, we may be asked by our doctors to stick to a clear liquid diet for a couple of days.
So, what can we have while on a clear liquid diet? Well, that depends a little bit on why you’re following it. For example, if you are preparing for surgery or a colonoscopy, you may have extra restrictions in place.
Generally, though, clear liquid diets involve anything that is a clear liquid at room temperature. Examples of acceptable foods and drinks on a clear liquid diet are:
Water
chicken, beef or vegetable broth (strained to remove any pieces)
Black coffee/tea (no milks or creamers)
Herbal/green teas
clear soda drinks (e.g. Sprite/7up)
Jelly/Jello (US)
Clear fruit juices without pulp (e.g. clear apple juice)
Clear ice lollies/popsicles
drinks made from powdered sachets (e.g. Kool Aid, Bolero, etc.)
It’s a good idea to avoid any clear foods or drinks that have red or purple dyes. These can stain the inside of the bowel, making it look inflamed or can cause alarm if vomiting.
Are there any side effects of a clear liquid diet?
Well, this
diet is not intended to be followed long term since it cannot provide all of
the nutrients you need. You may notice while on a clear liquid diet that you
feel hungry, maybe a little nausea at times and you may feel weak or tired.
This is quite normal.
DISCLAIMER: If you are diabetic, please seek advice from your doctor before undertaking a clear liquid diet.
Have you been on a clear liquid diet before? How did it go? Let me know in the comments.
Tummy Trouble 