Help for my Mom

[crervin]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is staying healthy! I have a question about my mom. She recently took penicillin for a bladder infection. She has been battling it since November of last year, so she has taken several antibiotics since that time. Since the antibiotics, she is extremely constipated and is having bouts of cramping and throwing up episodes. She has always been on the constipated side of things. She is 72 years of age and was diagnosed with diverticulitis several years back. She has never had a problem with it before except for having constipation. She recently stopped taking benedryl due to having high blood pressure. Her blood pressure has finally went back to normal. She took it every night for probably 40 years as a sleeping pill. She has now noticed having histamine problems with foods, like gas cramping. She also has flushing of the face too. I feel like she might have colitis but with constipation.

She is trying to find a specialist in our area. From my experience, she will not have any luck finding one that will help.

Do you guys have any suggestions on how to help with extreme constipation? Does anyone know the common symptoms with diverticulitis? I have told her to eat lots of fruit, but that along with laxatives isn't helping much. I told her to stay away from dairy. She is taking magnesium and vitamin d3. I have no experience with constipation whatsoever. I so appreciate any advice you can give!

I hope everyone takes care and stays well! Thanks again!

[tex]

Hi Martha,

Diverticulitis causes left-sided pain in the Sigmoid section of the colon, which is in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen, above the rectum. In some cases, the pain can really get severe sometimes during an acute attack. I believe it can sometimes cause bleeding, but I never had any bleeding (at least I wasn't aware of any). Mine caused a stenosis that finally became so narrow that it created a blockage that had to be surgically removed as an emergency surgery. But I believe this only happens in a relatively small percentage of cases. Has she tried a stool softener, such as Miralax?

Tex

[crervin]

Thank you so for your response Tex!

She has not tried miralax. She uses a stool softener pill and has used probiotics. She believes the probiotics are causing her more cramping. Oddly, most of her pain is on the right side. She does have it on her left side as well, but not as much. She has always had constipation, but would eventually go after eating several days of fibrous foods. Now she only goes to the bathroom when she takes a stool softener. Most of the time, it takes several pills before she can get relief.

She has had diverticulitis for about 10 years. Her father died of colon cancer. She has never had any polyps.

I appreciate your help!

[tex]

You know, now that you mention it, my pain was usually worse on my right side also, but the doctors all insisted that it should be worse on the left side. I attributed that discrepancy to MC, but maybe it happens often with diverticulitis, despite the official medical opinion.

Tex

[crervin]

thanks so much Tex. I always thought it should be left also. But that really helps! She is going to get some miralax and start using it. I told her she needs to get to the dr if she believes there is a blockage.

Stay well!