Huge, painful BM - Bowel Disorders Message Board

ljturner · 09-27-2005, 06:25 AM

Sorry about the title but it's all I could think of to describe my problem. I just got off meds for diverticulitis last Thursday, and since then I have had two very large (like I have never seen before) bowel movements, both of which were painful to pass, it felt like a bowling ball was moving through my colon. I had one like this just prior to getting the diverticulitis diagnosis as well. Plus it came on very suddenly and it was a challenge to make it to the bathroom. These are new symptoms for me and I am wondering if it is a sign that the infection has not cleared up or there is some other issue with my sigmoid colon (which is where the pain is concentrated). Not to mention I still don't feel empty after the one this morning although I cannot imagine there could be anything left in me! Sorry to be so graphic!!

katkat · 09-27-2005, 09:32 AM

You know what I am going to say.......lots of fiber and lots of water. Narcotic pain relievers as well as other medications can cause this type of thing too.

ljturner · 09-27-2005, 10:21 AM

the water I always do, but I had been holding off on the fiber for the duration of the diverticulitis treatment, just started putting it back in my diet over the weekend but haven't done supplements yet because I wanted to be sure the diverticulitis was gone before I added that back in. I did get an appointment with the doctor for this afternoon because the pain was intense, I am concerned that there is still inflammation / infection going on. When I was on the meds I had constant diarrhea so at least that's gone!

katkat · 09-27-2005, 12:33 PM

can you at least use stool softeners? I don't know much about diverticulitis, sounds like it is no fun. Do you see a gastroentrologist for that?

ljturner · 09-28-2005, 06:50 AM

I went back to the gastroenterologist yesterday, they decided to put me on Cipro for 10 days and repeat the cat scan to see what's going on. They reviewed the colonoscopy results from March which did not indicate diverticula, which makes me wonder a bit about how long it takes for them to develop. In other words, is it possible for them to occur within 5 months after a colonoscopy? In the meantime I am very dizzy / nauseated with the cipro! UGH!!!!!!!