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    Discharge Instructions for Diverticulitis

    You have been diagnosed with diverticulitis. This is a condition in which small pouches form in your colon (large intestine) and become inflamed or infected. Follow the guidelines below for home care.

    As you recover

    Tips for recovery include:

    • Eat a low-fiber diet at first while you recover. Your healthcare provider may advise a liquid diet. This gives your bowel a chance to rest so that it can recover.

    • Include these foods: flake cereal, mashed potatoes, pancakes, waffles, pasta, white bread, rice, applesauce, bananas, eggs, fish, poultry, tofu, and well-cooked vegetables.

    • Take your medicines as directed. Don't stop taking the medicines, even if you feel better.

    • Monitor your temperature and report any rise in temperature to your healthcare provider.

    • Take any prescribed antibiotics exactly as directed. Don't miss any and keep taking them even if you feel better. 

    • Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water every day, unless told otherwise.

    • Use a heating pad or hot water bottle to reduce abdominal cramping or pain.

    Preventing diverticulitis in the future

    Tips for prevention include:

    • Eat a high-fiber diet. Fiber adds bulk to the stool so that it passes through the large intestine more easily.

    • Keep drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water every day, unless told otherwise.

    • Start an exercise program. Ask your healthcare provider how to get started. You can benefit from simple activities such as walking or gardening.

    • Treat diarrhea with a bland diet. Start with liquids only, then slowly add fiber over time.

    • Watch for changes in your bowel movements (constipation to diarrhea).

    • Prevent constipation with fiber and add a stool softener if needed. 

    • Get plenty of rest and sleep.

    • If possible, don't take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen. They increase the risk of diverticulitis.

    Follow-up care

    Make a follow-up appointment, or as advised. You may need a colonoscopy or other imaging test of your colon.

    When to call your healthcare provider

    Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these:

    • Fever of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher, or as advised by your provider

    • Chills

    • Severe cramps in your belly, most often the lower left side

    • Soreness in your belly, most often the lower left side

    • Nausea and vomiting

    • Bleeding from your rectum

    Online Medical Reviewer: Jen Lehrer MD
    Online Medical Reviewer: Raymond Kent Turley BSN MSN RN
    Online Medical Reviewer: Rita Sather RN
    Date Last Reviewed: 2/1/2022
    © 2000-2024 The StayWell Company, LLC. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.
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    Southern New Mexico
    Surgery Center

    2301 Indian Wells Rd. Suite B
    Alamogordo, NM 88310
    www.snmsc.org

    Phone: 575.437.0890
    Fax: 575.437.0905
    Email: info@snmsc.org

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