From my own experience, it is much better to go into the surgery when the infection is under control. From my first surgery (to drain a colon abscess) to the 2nd surgery (to remove the sigmoid section-resection), I had 8 weeks of heavy duty antibiodics. The surgeon told lme if I had the resection at the peak of infection I would have ended up with a permanent bag. The way it was, I never had a bag as she could make a direct connection. I was blessed.

The other thing she discussed in depth with me prior to the resection was pain management (I have many allergies, including morphine and demerol). She recommended a spinal block which was a life saver for me. I had it in for the first 5 days after surgery and can say I had zero pain. I went home from the hospital on the 7th day alternating tylenol and ibuprofen.

Another recommendation would be to ask alot of questions, and take notes!!

It has been 16 months since my surgery and I have no regrets (and better yet, no dietary restrictions). I have even eaten corn on the cob without problems!!

Thank you so much for your reply! I did see the Gastro - no colonoscopy - too risky. So just surgery. I am actually looking forward to the benefits of surgery. I am currently on Flagyl and Levoquin and feel like crap. I'm hoping to never take them again.

Does everyone need antibiotics after surgery??

I have not been on antibiodics once since my resection surgery...and if I every had to take Flagyl or Levoquin again it is will too soon! Thankful just to feel good and back to my "old" self!

Happy holidays to you, and may the healthier days be just around the corner!

After the surgery you may still have to watch what you eat. I had my surgery in 2007 and there are still some foods that bother me.

Thanks. Looking like early Feb.

Good luck and keep us posted. This place was a life saver for me and kept me sane during my ordeal. Reach Out anytime you feel the need.

If your diverticulosis is in one section, surgery is a great idea. I have had two partial colectomies. I burst the first time at 24 and had 6 inches taken out. A year and a half ago I had a total of half of my intestine taken out. I am now in the process of having a total colectomy (no bag, no pouch) and a hysterectomy. I felt great after my second surgery. Unfortunately, I have diverticulosis throughout my entire colon. My last attack was on the right side which is rare. So out it must go.
My best advise is to walk, walk, walk! As soon as you can!
I also went to see a dietician to try and see what foods are triggers. This might be an option for you. But as far as not eating corn, nuts, and such that has been found not be a problem.
Just know that even though they take out your problem intestine, you can develop more diverticulosis in the other "healthy" intestine.

Hi All,

I'm two weeks out of surgery and all went very well. Had not only the first 7 or so of the sigmiod cut out but also some small intestines and ascending colon as there was a fistula.

So far, so good. I have healed very well on the outside and the inside feels pretty good. I was in the hospital for a total of 4 nights. Been house-bound for 1.5 weeks. I see my dr. today and hope to get the green light to drive. I even started back to work (from home) a week after surgery. I didn't do much but I think it was good mentally.

I do know that I need to remain on a high fiber diet (will most likely be told to start to ramp up from the low residue, post surgery diet today). I'm all for it. Although all seems to have went very well for me, I don't want to have to go through any more of this.

And I did walk as much as possible in the hospital. Easier said than done. And I walked a lot at home (around the house from room to room) but now I know that being able to just get out and resume life will help to build my stamina back up.

When you talk to your doc see about physical therapy. Then find a place that does manual therapy. They help break up the adhesions while you are healing. I did that the second time I had surgery and it made a difference. Also, just having them help me build up my abdominal muscle strength was nice.

So I am now more than 2 months past surgery. BEST thing I ever did. I feel great. Everything works the way it should! No more antibiotics, no more pain and using the bathroom all day long. Don't need a follow up colonoscopy for 7 years unless something is wrong! High fiber all the way. I avoid nuts still as they never agreed with me. Love my surgeon! I wish I had it done sooner!

Just found out that I have diverticulitis. Went to the emergency room on Monday and was admitted to the hospital. They said I had a tear in the wall of my bowel. After being starved and on an IV for maybe 15 hrs. I left the hospital as I felt they were putting me on a fast track for surgery. Went to a gastro specialist on Thursday who now has me on heavy antibiotics. The thought of surgery scares me to death. Would like to know how many of you were helped with just antibiotics & change in diet.

Sorry to hear that you have diverticulitis!

When I had my ER visit last year, I tried the antibiotics at home and was so ill that I couldn't keep them down. I ended up back in the ER 2 days later with a perforated bowel. They decided to watch me rather than do surgery. I had NOTHING to drink for 7 days!!!! They hydrated me through an IV. It sucked. I was so thirsty. But by not putting anything through my gut, helped my bowel heal.

Glad you went to the Gastro. Yes, you should change to a very high fiber diet. However, I think that if you perforated the wall of your bowel, you will never feel well until you have that diseased part removed. But you can make those decisions once you are feeling better. I had no choice. My Gastro wouldn't even do a colonoscopy because she was afraid of breaking through the weakened diseased tissue that was my colon.

Like I said I had no choice but to do surgery. It went VERY well. I have no more symptoms, no more anything except feeling great. I'm surprised that the gastro didn't warn you that if you perforate again that surgery is a must. And that once you perforate, it's very likely that you will perforate again. Emergency surgery is much worst than planned surgery. If you have emergency surgery, you have a colostomy. With a planned surgery, chances are good no colostomy - and it's done laporoscopically.

Good luck to you!!

Hi - I'm new to the site and hope that my question gets out to the rest of the support group. I've suffered repeated bouts (4) of Diverticulitis over the last year and in each instance antibiotics (flagly/cipro/levo etc.) werere unable to fully clear the infection. Each time, within 60 days or so i was under full attack again. This past April after 2 weeks on flagyl/cipro a CT scan showed that I was actually worse! So they put in a pic line and my wife administered IV antibiotics for 2 weeks at which point I felt "mostly" better. unfortunately, 10 days later and I began to feel the symptoms, am back on antibiotics and I'm going to have the surgery on June 23rd. Can anyone please give me a run down on the recovery process from this as well as any long term side effects they've suffered? I'd have to imagine that not having a section of your colon must create some side effects but have no idea how much they impapct ones dfaily life. Thanks for any and all responses