Diverticuli

Has anyone with diverticulitis had problems taking an enema?

Advice please

I was diagnosed with divertikuli almost 30 years ago and never had a problem taking enemas. Anyway, you should avoid too much pressure, so my limit is 2 liters.

When you suffer from actual diverticulitis, the inflammation of them, it's better not to take any risk! But I am not a doctor, so better you go for professional advice!

I had a diverticulitis attack in October 2011 with confirmation via colonoscopy a year later. All was well except confirmation of diverticulosis.

Mainstream medical advice is avoid enemas. Period.

More finally tuned medical advice is avoid pressure if taking an enema. Keep the bag or can low. Use modest amounts of water. Evacuate before cramps. Essentially a gentle rinse. And never ever use during the active stage of diverticulitis.

I also enjoy suppositories using just glycerin and medication ones.

I asked my gastroenterologists' nurse if I should refrain from taking enemas due to my diverticlosis. She asked the doctor and got back to me with the answer I was hoping for, NO.

She then said that if I had anymore questions, not to hesitate to ask. As would be normal for anyone with a penchant toward enemas or anything in that region of the body, I wondered if that was just a general question or something more.

Diverticulosis, i.e. the mere presence of diverticula, is extremely common with the number per person increasing with age. Diverticula (singular diverticulum) may rarely become infected (diverticulitis) which is extremely painful and often requires hospitalization and antibiotics. I agree with those that believe avoiding larger volumes and anything approaching higher pressure enemas would be really smart! Of course, intestinal perforation can always be a complication of high volume/higher pressure enemas.

@Pollux is right on in his definitions. I would not mess around with enemas if I suspected diverticulitis. Localized belly pain, fever, feeling systemically bad: put the bag away and see a medical professional. In fact, in that situation I’d bypass urgent care or my doctor and just go straight to the emergency department, which is where you’d end up anyway with those symptoms.

I do have diverticulosis; once I found out I was more careful to cap my total enema volume at just over two liters and have stopped playing with colon tubes as I know I could more easily perforate my bowel. However, reasonable enema use helps me manage IBS-C and probably is beneficial in preventing more and bigger diverticula.

Sometimes I can see that an enema has released a little fecolith “pebble” or two that I suspect formed in one of the out-pouchings and am guessing a gentle cleaning is probably helpful in preventing the process that leads to infection.

A neighbor wound up in the hospital with extreme gut pains. In visiting him, he advised that the gastroenterologist advised him that his issue was due to inflammation of those diverticula. He also said that constipation was a factor and was told to avoid it at all costs. He was embarrassed that he also got an enema to cleanse his bowel.

Without admitting my own continuing enema use for various reasons, I acknowledged that my mom and grandma gave me plenty due to their own issues in overcoming those various digestive issues. I suggested that he needn't be embarrassed.

I have diverticulosis but do not hesitate to rectal douche. I do full enemas much less frequently, but I suspect the trick is to take it slow and easy so it's not to build up excessive pressure.

If you talk to a colonoscopy doc they will say small out-pouches in the lower colon are very common in people over 40. Low fiber diet, lack of exercise & chronic constipation are the usual suspects. The infection part becomes important and varies from mild left side pain for a couple days to much worse.

I've been lucky not to have this problem myself but do know someone who occasionally has the mild version. I've discussed the safe use of enemas with a couple of health care professionals and recommend forum users do too. It's always going to be an individual situation but there's good info out there & those who enjoy sharing it 😁

Having worked in Endoscopy for 7 years enemas are generally not recommended for routine home management of diverticulosis and should only be used if explicitly prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Understanding Enemas and Diverticulosis

• Diverticulosis involves small pouches (diverticula) forming in the wall of the colon.
• Routine home enemas or laxatives can irritate the colon, increase pressure, or potentially cause injury or perforation if inflammation is present. Perforation of the colon wall allows air, stool, and bacteria to leak into the abdominal cavity resulting in sepsis (fecal peritonitis). It is a life-threatening medical emergency requiring immediate surgery.
• Self-treatment with enemas for constipation related to diverticular disease should be avoided unless directed by a doctor (rarely directed).

Safer Management Strategies

• Dietary Fiber: Increase daily intake of high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to keep stools soft and bulky.
• Hydration: Drink plenty of fluids daily to help waste move smoothly through the digestive tract.
• Supplements: Consult a doctor about using gentle fiber supplements (like psyllium) if diet adjustments alone are not enough.