Diverticulitis. This is getting scary.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2006
Diverticulitis. This is getting scary.
10
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 12:26pm

I posted a while back where I said my brother had an abcessed diveticuli (sp). The hospital put him on antibiotics and put a tube through his stomach to drain the infection. After a week, they sent him home with the drain. Then after a week, they took it out. After a few days, it began to drain again (with some blood), and he had pain, and wasn't eating. Back into the hospital, more antibiotics and back in with the drain. After a few days, they sent him home with the drain still in and orders they will operate in a couple of weeks. Today, he is back in the hospital. He has lost over 50 pounds and is terribly depressed. What is happening here? He has had every test imaginable - some even twice. I am extremely worried. I weigh more than he does. I guess they are talking surgery again.

How serious is this? Is it dangerous? The first time the surgeon saw him, he was very blase' about the whole thing - saying how common of a condition it is, bla bla bla. I don't think they are taking any of this very seriously. A man shouldn't weigh 121 pounds.

Any experiences or information to share?

Thanks.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Thu, 08-17-2006 - 5:37pm

Welcome again, I do remember your original post about your brother. Is your brother following orders? What are his feelings about all of this? If you both agree that his health isn't being taken seriously enough, you do have the right to get another opinion and doctor involved.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2006
Fri, 08-18-2006 - 1:56pm

Hi. I happened to be visiting him in the hospital today when his doctor came in. He stated that there was a second abcess and that they were going to have to put a drain in that one, too. So, he will have two drains. After the doctor finished talking, I asked if this was a new abcess or one they hadn't discovered, and he said it was one they missed. I suggested that perhaps a stronger antibiotic was necessary, and he said that would be up to the Infectious Disease doctor, who would be coming around (I guess). I mentioned the weight loss, and the doctor agreed that was a large weight loss, but that all the tests so far have shown no severe disease such as cancer (thank God). I personally do not feel they are treating this infection in an aggressive enough manner. He has had this infection for at least six weeks that we know of and probably longer before it was discovered.

His next test is a camera in a pill (???) that my brother will swallow, and it will send photos of his esophogus (sp). So far he has had four Cat Scans, a scan down the throat, tons of blood tests, x-rays, etc. etc. He follows the doctors orders. He is a very active person who still works and has five children and many grandchildren. The fact that he has no energy and no appetite and can't enjoy his usual life is probably the reason he is so depressed.

Anyone go through anything like this?

Thanks for your responses.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2004
Fri, 08-18-2006 - 11:28pm
The camera pill sounds like a great idea. It should be able to take pictures all the way through and may provide some more answers about what is going on with your brother.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2006
Sat, 08-19-2006 - 8:31pm

Hello, again. Thanks for your reply. My sister-in-law called me today and stated that they intended to do surgery on monday morning to remove the infected part of his colon. This is totally opposite of what the doctor said on friday when he said the surgeon didn't want to operate because he would have to do an colostopy (sp). So, now if the colon can be reconnected during surgery, it will be. Otherwise, they said they would reconnect it about four or five weeks down the road. Since this is major surgery, I am concerned about his weakened condition at present. Then, afterward, I assume he will be on a liquid diet again, which would only plummet his weight and strength even more.

I think the surgery is probably the best treatment, but it probably should have been done sooner. Why did it take them all those cat scans and tubes and antibiotics to find out nothing was changing? How did they miss that second abcyss?

I don't know if they are going to do the pill-camera thing now or not. One of his doctors said he is "golden" because of the type of health insurance he has. Makes me wonder.

Has anyone had surgery for diverticulitis?

Thanks for being here for me to lean on and thanks for your responses.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2004
Sat, 08-19-2006 - 8:44pm

I hope the surgery will be sucessful and that they'll be able to reconnect while on the table. I'm also glad to hear that surgery was not the first option, I'm always concerned when a doc wants to cut, cut and cut again.

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2006
Tue, 09-12-2006 - 3:47pm

Well....it's me, again. It's a few days short of a month since my brother had the surgery, and he is still in the hospital. Seems he is fighting one infection after another caused by the diverticulitis. They were going to send him home last sunday, but the surgeon decided that he wasn't eating enough on his own. Today, he got word that his white blood count is up again, so he will be having his 7th Cat Scan.

I find it hard to believe a hospital can't clear up an infection. Surely there must be some combination of antibiotic strong enough out there somewhere. Since he has the infection, he doesn't feel well, and he doesn't eat. He was walking some and sitting in a chair, but now is back in bed, weak, no appetite, and very depressed. He was on a feeding tube up until a week ago. Now, he lives on a half-can of Boost or Ensure a couple of times a day, and up until today, was eating a couple of forkfulls of a meal. He tried. He did the walking (with a walker), trying to eat, exercises, and they even sent a shrink in to see him. Now he is waiting for another Cat Scan.

I didn't know it, but a big hospital that has all kinds of specialists caring for a patient do not necessarily talk to one-another. They just write a few sentences on the chart (which is really a big book). I couldn't believe they don't all get together for a few minutes and discuss a strategy. Unbelievable! How do they share their knowledge and experience with one-another?

I'm so discouraged with the whole medical profession. I don't think they have a clue.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Wed, 09-13-2006 - 10:11pm

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2006
Thu, 09-14-2006 - 7:45am

Thanks so much for the sites. I found them quite informative. I don't know if the type of abcesses he has are from staph or what because they form in his colon. He has three different drains now. But, what you stated does raise questions. I will certainly ask the doctor if other visitors or I can be bringing these infections to him. I also wonder if perhaps we are at risk for catching any infections from him. He is in a private room, but they said that was because he had a reaction to an anti-nausea drug that made him have hallucinations, although that was only a few hour event.

I know it is time for us to confront these doctors and their higher ups. By now they have all had a chance to at least put a down payment on a new car or yacht. His bill must be in the hundreds of thousands.

The surgeon even suggested that he might not want to get well. This he said about a guy who loves his wife and five kids and seven grandchildren. He just wants to go home. When a doctor starts trying to shift the blame over to the patient, it makes me wonder if he is trying to cover his butt.

Sorry to sound like such a downer. I appreciate any and all help.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-04-2005
Thu, 09-14-2006 - 8:21am

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I will certainly ask the doctor if other visitors or I can be bringing these infections to him. I also wonder if perhaps we are at risk for catching any infections from him. He is in a private room,


I would definitely be most concerned about visitors that might be 'carrying' and sharing with others outside the hospital. Of course the risk of bringing in germs is very real too.


This private room...since they chose to move him, who is paying the difference? I know a room charge is not your biggest concern right now, but have your SIL checking her insurer to be sure. She might also want to speak with a supervisor (from their insurer)

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iVillage Member
Registered: 01-19-2006
Thu, 09-14-2006 - 2:17pm

Thanks, again. The hospital said they would pick up the difference if the insurance did not cover the entire cost for the private room. This is because the medication they gave him, that had him hallucinating, was not meant for people over fifty years old. Now, of course, this remains to be seen.

I visited him this morning. He was on his way to his 7th cat scan and to drain an abcess. Now the fluid is going off to the lab. We saw no doctors. My brother seemed to be in better spirits. He wanted to eat something, but the doctor didn't say it was ok to eat yet (because of the cat scan) so the nurse had a call in to him. This always takes a while.

I am going back tonight and see if they know what the scan and/or lab test learned. My brother said the doctor (or whoever did the test) said the fluid was acid (?). So, we still need to talk to somebody.

I asked a couple of different nurses if it was possible that I and other visitors might be bringing in germs or something to cause the infections, and they both stated that we were not, but to of course stay away if we had colds or such.

Thanks for all your support and information.