Hello -- any feedback will be greatly appreciated.

A few months ago, my mother was diagnosed with pneumonia. After a round of antibiotics and breathing treatments, she was pronounced well. Since being cured of the pneumonia, she developed diverticultis. This was quite a surprise. Mom is very healthy -- she is 70 and takes care of everyone else. She is very diligent about eating yogurt and taking her probiotics, often scolding others to do the same, especially while on antibiotics.

Last week, Mom just started feeling bad, very tired, and felt like she could not empty her bowels. She started taking stool softeners with laxative, they worked a little, but not completely. Throughout the week, she felt worse. On Friday, I took her to the ER, they did some lab and a CT scan, determined it was diverticultis, admitted her for two days and administered IV Leavaquin and something else, along with a clear liquid diet.

Mom came home with me Sunday, just until she could get her "sea legs" back. She is on a bland diet, lots of scrambled eggs and dry toast, plain baked potatoes, cottage cheese, etc., and taking Leavaquin and Flagyl -- BUT, she is feeling just a badly as she did even before being admitted to the hospital.

How long does it take to feel better ... and long does it take to recover from diverticultis? Mom figured after being on the IV antibiotics for 2 days she would be feeling much better. Not feeling better is very discouraging.

Could the antibiotics be the culprit for her feeling bad? She started a seven day supply of oral medication today.

Just wondering! Thank you in advance for any input, advice, encouragement ... Thanks.

Sorry to hear about your moms problems with diverticulitis. My husband had a really bad flare up of diver last fall. He too was hospitalized for 2 days. He took flagyl and cipro. I do believe flagyl is the culprit. I've heard it described as the nastiest drug ever. He was very tired and run down while on it and had no appetite. Partly because everything he tried to eat tasted like metal, which is one thing that comes from taking flagyl. It will take time to totally recover so be patient. It was probably at least 6 weeks before he was completely back to normal. Good luck to your mom, it will get better!

The antibiotics do make you feel sick, almost worse than the actual attack. I had to be on them for 10 days, and I felt awful the entire 10 days. It got to when I'd feel an attack coming on, I'd just switch to a liquid diet and rest because I didn't want to go back on those awful antibiotics!

The pain from the attack subsides in a few days, but the nausea, fatigue, etc. will last the whole course of antibiotics. Please make sure she does complete the course, though, even though it's tempting to cut it short because of how awful they make you feel!

Good luck to your mother, and hope she feels better soon.

Like Redneon says, make sure your Mom completes the course of antibiotics. The Flagyl is awful stuff....but specific for colon bacteria. The antibiotics will cause nausea. Made me dizzy, too.

I stuck the Flagyl in a teaspoon of yogurt to get it down.....worked great. It leaves an awful aftertaste.

A large majority of the population have diverticular disease....it's part of the aging process. That same majority never experiences an infection. Your Mom sounds as though she takes good care of herself and, hopefully, this will be her one and only battle with diverticulitis.

Best wishes,
Linda

There is an alternative for Flagyl, but I can't remember the name. Zofran is also excellent to take with the harsh antibioitcs to ease the nausea.

Yes I am having the same problems after a taking Levaquin and Flagyl for colitis. I did finish both but I am still not feeling great yet. My husband had the same infection as your mother two years ago and did not have any problems with the antibiotics at all, but I surely did.

Molly