Question: My Father is 89 1/2 years old. He has a LOT of LLQ pain (I'm in the Biz myelf but am at my wit's end!) Also, has a lot of nausea. He is known to have multiple fishmouth diverticuli by colonoscopy last year, but no history of bleeding, peritonitis fever high WBC or etc. Maybe SUDD?? He sometimes complains every five minutes or so and I am the sole caregiver. He's a "Gomer" too but is walking, talking and continent. Meds are bentyl BID prn, Asacol (my idea) BID-TID prn, pepcid, BID, zofran TID for the nausea, currently on cipro/flagyl for one week as per urgent care. Also takes Benemid and I put him back on Exelon patch 4.6 for his memory (probably doesn't DO squat, I know. I can take it up to 9.8 OR D/C it if you feel it's making the GI stuff worse) He has a history of IBS and hemicolectomy for colon cancer almost twenty years ago. I have not advanced his fiber except for Benefiber in the AM and veggie chopped liver on bread for lunch, because it just seems to constipate him. His social history BTW is rare EtOH, quit cigars in 1989, and he used to eat oatmeal for breakfast frequently, had a piece of fruit and peanuts with lunch and salads with dinner. He has not had this for awhile. Also, he had a pretty bad case of shingles lasting from February 2014 through April and still has the neuralgia. This put him on his back and seemed to have triggered the Diverticulosis.

HELP!!

Thanx,
XXXXXXX

Thank you for your detailed reply. I'm in the Business myself but to have me is to have a Fool for a patient (and more relevantly, a Doctor ((-;)

I give the Bentyl only BID prn-It probably also increases the confusion. Dad repeats himself a LOT, especially when he does not feel good. That makes life hard for Me as the sole caretaker. He does have a Geriatrician. He was on Adderall for alertness also, but the Geriatrician had me Discontinue this, as he is somewhat underweight at 5"9" and 150 lbs (he used to be 190 lbs two years ago.) The Geriatrician prescribed namenda, but I have kept him off this, at least until he feels better. A Neurologist we stopped going to believes in Exelon, so I put him back on the 4.6mg, and am contemplating increasing to 9.8 tomorrow, unless you think that will ruin his digestion more. I know all to well these meds have limited effectiveness. I make him fried eggbeaters for dinner when he is feeling unwell. I could fry it in coconut oil and a bit of cumin-seriously-those things may Help or at least prevent mental deterioration in some folks. I just gave him a small piece of "medicated" cake with marijuana. I think I saved his Life with hash brownies a year ago when the Diverticulosis symptoms became difficult to manage. Other than tylenol, I guess we are limited in what to do for the pain. Narcotics constipate, steroids and NSAIDs could burst the diveriticulae. Any advice you have about that would be most welcome, as he is holding his llq and saying "it hurts!" I have used a heating blanket on the area in the daytime. Don't know if I mentioned that.The Benemid is for the usual reason of a remote (40+ years ago) attack of gout in the Great toe. If he were off the med and this were to happen again, he would be fit to be Tied! I also have made chia seed gel to put in his jello and yogurt. He doesn't currently Like the all liquid broth jello etc diet. He was eating mashed potato flakes in chicken broth and drinking hot tea when I first came to take care of him a year and a half ago. Poor appetite at the time, but did not have the classic type belly pain then.

Again, Thank you for your advice.

PSS:

His GI last year who did the colonoscopy (and endoscopy) had him on lactulose syrup. I still have some, but the Benefiber AM and Miralax PM seems to control the constipation. If I could only find liquid Beano around here I could give him broccoli, etc. The GI warned about foods that provoke Gas.