A little over twelve years ago, I was diagnosed with diverticulosis. I was taught that it is called diverticulitis when I am having a flare-up and diverticulosis when not flaring up. And boy, did I have one heck of a flare-up recently! In fact, this last month has been a rough go in all areas of my life, including my health, my beloved family dog passing, my personal life, and my work. Some of it has been really great, and then the rest has been challenging, to say the least.
For example, being sent to the hospital for my recent flare-up was an extremely unpleasant and expensive incident. I am alive, though, and the ER doctor sent me home with a heavy-duty antibiotic and Mesalamine.
Mesalamine is prescribed for the treatment of a specific gastrointestinal condition known as ulcerative colitis (UC). It assists in alleviating symptoms associated with ulcerative colitis, which include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal discomfort. Mesalamine is categorized under a group of drugs referred to as aminosalicylates. Its mode of action involves reducing inflammation within the colon. I guess that’s why they prescribed it to me, as while I do not have UC, I had all of those same symptoms. I still need to ask my family doctor why that ER doctor did that, but I guess it doesn’t matter now as it helped, and I am on the mend and well again – at least for now.
Before we get into all those details, let’s get the difference between colitis and diverticulitis out of the way. Medical News Today explains the difference like this:
Diverticulitis is a condition where small pouches form in the intestinal lining and become inflamed whereas UC (ulcerative colitis) is a type of IBD (irritable bowel disease) where an overactive immune response causes inflammation and ulcers in the intestinal lining.
Symptoms for diverticulitis can include:
- abdominal pain on one side
- constipation
- diarrhea
- nausea
- vomiting
- fever
- chills
- rectal bleeding
UC symptoms could include:
- diarrhea
- an urgent need for bowel movements
- blood or mucus in stool
- abdominal pain and cramping
Complications for diverticulitis may include:
- pelvic abscess
- intestinal perforation
- fistulas
- peritonitis
- bowel obstruction
- sepsis
- rectal bleeding
Complications for UC might include:
- rectal bleeding
- iron deficiency anemia
- expansion or tears in the colon
- blood clots
- primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC)
- toxic megacolon
- intestinal perforation
What foods trigger diverticulitis?
When it comes to what type of diet works for my diverticulosis, it does not include nuts, seeds (including seeds from vegetables or pickles), popcorn, raw or instant oats (I can eat them cooked in my meatloaf family recipe, though!), granola, super grainy or seeded rye bread, stewed tomatoes, etc. I also found that I am very sensitive to garlic, raw onion, and red meat.
Back to my recent acute flare-up: My two teenage sons and I went to a family wedding in Outer Banks, NC. Even though we were not in the wedding party, we were invited to the rehearsal dinner as we are close cousins. Plus, we had not seen each other in a while, and we drove the furthest distance to get there. It was an absolutely gorgeous setting along the bay of the Atlantic Ocean on the island of Swansboro. They had a buffet with shrimp gumbo, teriyaki glazed fresh-caught Atlantic salmon, grits, southern macaroni and cheese, greens, rice pilaf, and a salad. Everything was delicious! It was so good I went up for seconds for the salmon. When I sat back down and looked at my plate, I noticed there were sesame seeds all over the salmon. How did I miss that? I asked my cousin if there was sesame on all the salmon, and unfortunately, the answer was yes. Uh oh.
Well, I said a quick prayer while my cousin and I tried to rationalize the situation by saying I would have seen it or felt it, and in the end, I agreed. So, I forgot about it. The next day was the wedding, and we left the morning after that to head back to Michigan. We drove until about Ohio when I asked my son to take over driving so I could lay in the back with my family dogs and stare at my phone while my two boys sit up front together (and hopefully don’t kill each other!).
About an hour into Ohio, I asked my son to pull over so I could use the restroom. As we got closer to our stop, my stomach began to gurgle and cramp. Suddenly, I remembered the sesame salmon! Let’s just say I spent about an hour in the bathroom. Excuse the grossness, but we are talking about digestive issues…it was coming out both ends. I was shaky, clammy, and sweating in a public restroom; it was awful. About an hour after that, I had to stop and use the restroom again. The same thing happened. When we finally got home hours after we should have, I ran into the house and had to go again. This time, it wasn’t coming out both ends; it was just straight blood coming out of my rectum, and the cramps were severe. Ladies who have had children, the cramps feel like labor pains, except without the sweet little baby as a reward. Needless to say, that’s what landed me in the hospital and why I was sent home with Mesalamine and a heavy-duty antibiotic.
So, when I read some medical journals and articles that say that seeds and nuts are good for people with diverticulosis, I want to scream! Because that is clearly not so in my case, and I do have evidence to prove that to be so.
The Cleveland Clinic suggests avoiding the following common foods that cause digestive issues:
- Eggs
- Fish
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Tree nuts, like pecans, almonds and walnuts
- Wheat
Other foods and ingredients can cause issues, too. Some other intolerances and sensitivities include:
- Alcohol
- Corn
- Histamines, naturally occurring chemicals in foods like cheese, pineapples, bananas, avocados and chocolate
- Gluten, a protein food in wheat, rye and barley
- Fish and shellfish
- Fructose, a sugar in fruits and some vegetables
- Lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products
- Nightshades, foods, and spices containing chemical compounds called alkaloids
- Some food additives, like monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Sulfites, compounds in red wine and beer that are also added to certain foods
Difference between colitis and diverticulitis
In the end, I really have to watch and pay attention to what I eat. And if you are like I am with diverticulosis, then maybe you do too. Good luck and be well friends!