Diverticulitis

[EcclesCake]

Can any of you describe the type of pain associated with diverticulitis?

[RATTER15]

Symptoms of diverticulitis are:
Severe, cramping abdominal pain that is usually worse on the left side.
Nausea.
Chills or fever.
Constipation, thin stools, or diarrhoea.
Pain in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen that increases when the area is touched.
Rectal bleeding (rare)

[Sqad]

There is no particular pain diagnostic of diverticulitis.
It may be painless.
The pain may well be colicky (waking you up at night)associated with vomiting, it may be a "pressure " pain it may be a distressing pain.
It may be in the lower abdomen, upper abdomen or left or right side of the body.

There is no characteristic pain associated with acur diverticulitis.

[EDDIE51]

Often difficult to tell it from appendicitis , my Mum used to suffer from it.

[EcclesCake]

Hmmm, inconclusive then :-(

I just know I have the mother and father of something akin to period pain and I do have diverticula.

As an aside, what is colic and what is a colicky pain? I know it is commonly associated with babies but I've never known what it actually is!

[Mamyalynne]

Colicky pain is sharp usually, comes in waves and makes you want to bring your knees up to your abdomen.

If you are diagnosed already with diverticular disease it may well be diverticulitis.

[Sqad]

A colicky pain is one that starts mild, works up to a crescendo within a short time and then disappears in the same manner. After a period of painlessness, it returns after a short period of time in the same manner.

As far as you are concerned, not enough information is given, particularly how long your pain has been present, any diarrhea, water work symptoms and what part of your menstrual cycle are you in?

[EcclesCake]

Thanks to Saad and Mamya for the explanation of colic, I've long wondered what it was.

Sqad, bowels fairly normal, water works no bother at all, haven't had a period for 18 months. Pain began midweek and has slowly escalated, today it is severe. No temperature but mild nausea.

[Sqad]

OK...then a medically qualified person needs to put a hand on your "tummy."

As GP's at the weekend are a rare commodity at the weekend, I would pop into A&E.

[dannyk13]

Eccles, pain is a bit like appendicitis but on the left side.

[Sqad]

danny...;-0 but what is the pain of appendicitis like?

[dannyk13]

Sharp stabbing pain.

[Sqad]

O.K ^^

[EcclesCake]

I can get a GP appointment for Monday so I'll book that today rather than going to A&E unless I develop a temperature.

It will do me good to exercise my pain tolerance :-(

[Sqad]

;-)

[ethandron]

Eccles, I've had two bouts of this and the pain is just as colicky pain is described... comes over in waves, reaches a peak and then fades. Every time I turned over or changed position, wind would be released too. Motions were hard small walnut sized which slithered out covered in mucous.
I did what the nhs site suggests, took paracetamol regularly and didn't eat anything, just made sure I drank plenty of water/other fluids for two days.
Initial symptoms eased after a few days without needing a GP visit but it took over a week to feel anywhere near normal.
I believe it's different for everyone though, and it may indeed not even be diverticulitis....
Best of luck x