What is Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis is a common disease of the bowel, in particular the large intestine. Diverticulitis develops from diverticulosis, which involves the formation of pouches (diverticul...
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Infection Advice Needed
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I havent really seen my new and only GI doc yet except for she was consulted when I went into the ER last month and then a couple of weeks after the ER visit, for a moment, b-4 and after colonoscopy and official diagnosis with diverticulosis, ulcerated lesion and internal hemmerroids. She never prescribed any pain meds nor antibiotics. She told the ER doc that infection would go away on its own..... I was doing okay except for bloody discharge.. and then a couple of days after the colonoscopy I forgot to take the laxative for one darn day and spent 5 days attempting to recover. Now, today, infection discharge is back which is what got me to the ER in the 1st place 4 wks ago, after a 2 days of pain from the "ulcerated lesion" in my intestine, after the 5 days of trouble from forgting the laxative. Do I go to the ER?? I am a chronic Pain Patient and have serious severe pain in my lower back almost in the same place this diverticulosis lesion is at and this is partially why I was not diagnosed properly for many years with the diverticulosis. The pain med dose is high but it is suppose to be..... I think she may think I am on enough pain meds and shouldn't need any more not understanding that my dose is high because of severe chronic pain and the 7 yrs my body has had getting used to the doses... etc. etc. Anyways... It has not been a sufficient dose for both problrms and now the infection is back.... anywho... what do all of you do when there is infection symptoms and extra pain from it??? Is it a reason for ER visit, or can I wait till monday and call doc??
Sincerely tired of this already and we've only just begun even tho it's been there for about 3 yrs undiagnosed!!!!!...........and a little worried, TerrieAnn/Ralop Posted on 10/04/09, 02:10 am |
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Hello Ralop,
Fever, focused hot spot pain, and high white count are the "normal" signs of a diverticulitis infection. Diverticulosis is no big deal, most everybody has it. Most people can ignore it. The blood and the pain is a warning of bad things. Your situation is complex. The ER is the place to go. Go to a large hosptial that will have CT scanner and possible an on-call gastro doc. You have enough going on to demand some answers. A raging untreated infection will kill in a few days. You are in real trouble when you get the shaking violent chills, terrible burning throughout your abdomen, and loss of mental focus. That means the infection has opened up you colon and the contents have spilled into your abdomen. There is a 50/50 chance of death even with prompt medical attention at that point. I am being clear since pain is no longer part of your normal warning system. Let us know how you make out. Good Luck, John 
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John,
Thanks so much for the suggestions... I am someone who sruggs off pain and illness thinking it's no big deal and then have had the docs do the same thing too the past decade and it's becoming dangerous to do so, but I still don't want to make big deals where there may not be any.... My pain isn't gone by any means of what most might think... even with the doses I am on, however, I do worry meds may be masking something I should be paying attention to, especially since the lower back injuries are just a hare to the left of this ulcerated lesion.... I think I know which pain is which but I suppose I could be wrong!!!! So I am trying to keep a medical journal and will call the docs office now to see what the on-call doc says.... I may even go to ER anyway if I feel I am not really being listened to .... that happens way too often in my case.... they look at the pain meds dose and send me down the river w/out a paddle and I am having to be really persistent to get them to look past it and on to what may be really going on!! It's sad but it is my reality. Thanks again I need people to be very clear with what they think when I ask cause I waffle back and forth till I'm in trouble. Trying to trust my gut and experiences yet still let the docs do their job and seems every experience is a different place for the line to be drawn. Wish there were some consistency but there ain't none. TerrieAnn
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Your doctor said that you didn't need antibiotics!!! I find that shocking because when I went to the hospital the doctor told me that I need to take the antibiotics no exceptions.No matter how unpleasant the antibiotics are but you need them to clear up that infection.Please go see a different doctor.
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Thanks Rachellem,
I've been debating the doc I have now.... I just am so tired of finding another doc I try not to do it unless I have to. I have been wondering about her and the practice of not giving the antibiotics and now that it's back again in such a short time... it is about 2 wks post colonoscopy and I wonder if that helped it come back or if the infection was just never really gone. Thanks again for all of you and all of your thoughts, experiences, and suggestions. TerrieAnn/ralop
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Ralop,
You had an attack 4 weeks ago with an ulcerated lesion and then had a colonoscopy 2 weeks later? I believe that is too soon. My GI doctor advised me to wait 2 or more months after the attack to have a colonoscopy to let the colon heal first. Beth
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I had my first attack the end of May, 2009. I had a colonoscopy on July 2, 2009, and was hospitalized with an "abscess" which required surgery on July 26, 2009. I also wondered if the colonoscopy irritated the diverticuli and helped add to the severity of my condition. I was in the hospital 7 days. Hope you get to feeling better.
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