Diverticulitis

I have had crohns for about ten years. Luckily, my symptoms have been tolerable and I seem to stay in remission with a few small flares here and there. A month ago I had terrible abdominal pain and did a ct scan. They found acute diverticulitis. Went on cipro and flagyl for ten days. Pain subsided. After about a week of being on the antibiotics my bowel habits changed. They were solid when I was diagnosed with diverticulitis but after a week on the antibiotics I started to get a lot of cramping. Now every morning I get up I immediately have to have a bowel movement. Solid but small chunks. about 15 minutes to a half hour later I will get cramps again and am forced to the bathroom. The spasms force me to strain to go and the second and third time it is just more pieces that come out. After a few hours it stops and I will be alright for the afternoon and night and then the next morning it starts all over again. I now have an external hemeroid and that is causing some bleeding. I have read that antibiotics can get rid of all the good bacteria. Do you think that could be it? I am now on a good probiotic. Does it sound like proctitis? I have had that before and used cortifoam. I am trying that now and it does not seem to help. I have a call into my gastro and I am sure he will want to do a colonoscopy. The last one I had they found nothing and I still had similar symptoms but they did not last as long. Any help or advise on this would be great.

Ramman,

I'm sorry you have this horrible illness in addition to Crohn's. I recently went through my first flare with Diverticulitis and was put on the same antibiotics you are taking and my bowell movements were much the same. The horrible cramping in the morning followed by pressure to push and small stools was horrible and led to severe constipation. My GI told me to take 3 capfuls of Miralax a day morning/noon/before bed and while my stools were runny I was able to have relief with the cramping and constipation. Maybe try a capful of it before bed to help with your stools in the morning? If it still cramps go up to two capfuls a day. Hope this helps and you feel better soon!