Kitchen

[missy mouse]

Medications are important also. Amitriptyline and hydroxyzine are 2 of the most common Rx 's. Amitriptyline helps with the spasms, hydroxyzine because they believe mast cells from allergies are present. Most people with Ic have many allergies

[Snowpuppy]

I've been diagnosed with IC within the last year.

I thought I had a UTI and kept meaning to make a dr's appt but I had a bottle of sparkling (carbonated) water that put me in such pain I doubled over, left work and went to the walk in clinic!

I had a very mild UTI which got treated and the PA I saw told me it was likely I had IC. He said the symptoms I had were far too severe for a mild UTI. My dr later confirmed IC. My dr said it happens more to women of peri/menopausal age because of lower estrogen.

When Lessman was on last weekend I was going to pick up his cranberry capsules. Wow! Good thing I did some reading on cranberry and IC before I spent the $ !!

[sydsgma1]

I suffered with ic for 10'years before I agreed to very drastic surgery to take care of it. Now I would only recommend this as an end of the line cure. The ica was very helpful to me. I do feel for all of you with this horrible condition. It amazes me that the drugs mentioned are the ones I took 20 years ago. By the way, I live a very full life...travel extensively, sang semi professionally and Had a wonderful job before I retired. (((((Hugs to all ))))

[tracy1122]

My daughter was finally diagnosed as having IC back when she was 17 years old. She is now 21. Over the years she has had nerve blockers to help her with the pain. She is having a major flare up now so bad that we received a phone call from her school to come and get her. Taking her to the Drs. Monday. After the last nerve blocker he said something about her needing surgery if the block does not work this time. He might of said the name of the surgery but I do not remember it off hand.

This has been a nightmare to deal with and unless you are one of the unfortunate ones to have this condition no one really knows how much this can and will effect your life.

Take care,

[JudiL]

Hello. Yes, I have had IC for 28 years - I was first diagnosed at a hospital when no doctors were diagnosing it. I've had a lot of help over the years with using herbals like uva ursi. I drink dandelion 'coffee'. I went on the IC diet and spent years on it. Then I went into remission about 20 years ago but I still have pain and sensitivity when I am severely stressed out or coming down with something. I have also learned that it is an autoimmune disease and I have 2 other ones, Hashimoto's and lyme. It all is apparently due to me having celiac disease and how eating gluten over 55 years of my life took a terrible toll.

Even if you don't have celiac, it is very beneficial to avoid gluten. I am doing the Autoimmune Protocol diet. Look it up. It works when you follow it, but it is hard. I cheat too much!

Good luck.

[Cardamom]

I cured myself of IC!!!! Yes, I did . I also have Vulvadynia which is actually worse and flairs up my IC. I believe Vulvadynia is the underlying cause of my IC. I battled flairs for years and years. I finally had one big one for about a year that would not go away. I went to all sorts of specialists. I learned from Google about OXALATES. I avoid them like the plague now and I am out of any kind of flair up. When I cut out oxalates (as much as possible) I was out of pain in 2 days! Not one specialist mentioned oxalates. A low oxalate diet is recommended for those with Vulvadynia.

I am not even on the IC diet anymore. I am enjoying all the foods I once did, like coffee. Prior to this diet I tried all the diets...gluten free, IC diet, no dairy, no acids and I tried all the ic meds like Elmiron, Amatriptaline, muscle relaxers, countless herbal pills to no avail. I don't know if it will be a cure for you but it is worth a try so I'd look into that. Good luck!

[Britbrit13]

I'm so excited to see so many posting, I am having a very hard night ill write tomorrow.

Hug's to all, Brittany

[Hearts4Me]

Good morning all...even though I was up 'peeing' all night - ugh. It's so awesome that Britbrit started this! I know I said that before, too! And, to see Shoekitty on here sharing our pain is amazing...I read your general posts all the time!! Who would've thought we shared the IC nightmare...

Curious as to whether anyone has had the bladder instillations (catheter) using that horrible smelling DMSO?? I had it twice years ago, and it was a true miracle for me. My current urologist didn't use it in January for my instillations, and I got zero relief from her drug mixture. I had 6 straight weeks of instillations with NO relief.

As Shoekitty said, those Urelle pills are so $$$$$$$$$$$ -- I didn't even get my script filled for them. Nutso cost even with my insurance. Don't know what to do.

I always describe IC as feeling as though you have BenGay cream spread all thru your bladder...make sense to anyone??

[Cardamom]

Well, I guess I didn't entirely cure myself. I still get up a couple times a night.

My IC syptoms are pressure on the bladder and constant need to pee. There were times I was going 5 times an hour. Also I would only be able to void small amounts and it would burn and hurt a lot!!

My vulvadynia symptoms were feeling like I was peeing shards of glass and the stabbing pains you know where!

I was never diagnosed for vulvadynia by a doctor. I believe I have it because as soon as I stared the diet for vulvadynia my problems went away. I am sure I know more about this than any of the doctors I saw.

I realize the low oxalate diet may not cure everyone but I am sure everyone posting has already tried everything. I normally don't share such personal information but if I can help one person get out of the he11 of IC I would be so happy. I know I am so lucky. It took 20 years but I have escaped it! I am fairly newly pain free. I just started the low oxalate back in Sept. I've been pain free since then.

[forrestwolf]

My mom dealt with this issue with a lot of her patients (Babies-GYN), and I myself went thru a bout for months, until I came up with the solution to my problems, and I have not had a bout in about 5 years.......... She would throw in natural choices, along with drug choices....I just finished reading the book The Healing Powers of Vinegar, for several different reasons, and it is recommended to treat IC........which I alredy knew.......and fermented foods are another good choice to make.......Here is the book........

IC is usually caused by a Candida, not a bacteria........vinegar will kill candida, and you can add to bath water for added assistance.......and garlic will also kill candida, and mom used to tell her patients to us a garlic clove, peeled, and "inserted" you can guess where, and leave for a bit........She would also prescribe the drug Levsin, very cheap, very old, to help stop the spasms in the bladder, and you can use either drops under the tongue, or the little pill under the tongue........it was a major help to me...........

I do feel for you all..........

http://www.naturalnews.com/041073_interstitial_cystitis_candida_bladder.html#