Time to make a change

[chainsaw]

I realized something this evening as my husband and I were bowling on our league. I had drank caffeine ALL day. And from the time we got to the bowling alley (about 7:30) to the time we left (about 10:15PM) I must have went to the bathroom at least 8-12 times. Would this be considered a FLARE-UP?

So I have been telling myself for the last 1/2 hour or so, that starting tomorrow (Saturday 10/2) I need to just make up my mind and CUT out the caffeine AND the foods that are listed on the "Foods to Avoid" list. Speaking of cutting out the foods and beverages, I was wondering, when you gave up this stuff from the list, did you give up just the items listed in the "MOST PROBLEMATIC" only, or "MOST PROBLEMATIC & MAY BE OK"?

I am also trying to get myself motivated into doing some exerciese. I signed up for some exercises from the Denise Austin website, for the mid section. So I get FREE exercises over the internet.

I am trying to tell myself, "you will be 46 on October 8th, time to do something and to better your health. Plus, when my husband made the remark to me last night while watching Survivor, he asked me "are you pregnant?" well, I think that did it.

I ask that everyone out there in IC country, please keep me in your prayers that I can and will start changing these things to better my health and to exercise more. If I have problems doing this, then I can always log on here for support. I wish there was someone who lived in the same town (New Oxford, PA) as I, I would love to know someone else who has the same problem and then maybe we could be support for each other.

Wish me luck!

Thank you all very much,
chainsaw (Kim)

[kadi]

I started out with eating only from the left-hand column of the ICN diet in the Patient Handbook Section of this website. I was in a lot of pain & desperate. I wasn't sure for a few weeks if it was working, til I had a half cup of decaf black tea & my pain went up dramatically 20 minutes later. I've stuck with the diet (mostly left hand column & a few things from the middle) for over a year now & it has helped (along with Elavil, Ditropan, Birth Control Pill (Necon 1/35) and DMSO cocktail treatments).

The great thing about the diet is it has no side effects (except for occasionally feeling left out of party food), it's not expensive, and it's helped me a lot!

Wishing you better days soon!

[Imustpee]

I too love coffee, BUT, we have to be careful..I have 1 cup of KAVA some mornings and sometimes I just drink water..Kava is not bad at all, might try some of that..

[Sarojini]

I think it's definitely time you try the diet. Most of us start by eating things ONLY from the "USUALLY OK" column. I did this for a few weeks until I noticed a difference in symptoms. Then, I started adding stuff from the "MAY BE OK" column one at a time. I'd eat it, wait a couple of days, and if there was no reaction then I knew I could eat it. Later, I even tried some things from the "USUALLY PROBLEMATIC" column -- many of those ARE problematic for me, but there are some on there that I can eat, surprisingly. It's very individual, really -- you will find your own personalized version of the IC diet by doing this. I know it takes a long time to figure it all out, but it's usually worth it in the end :)

At the very least, you should probably cut back on the caffeine!! It's a big no-no!!
I drink one cup of coffee every morning with 4 Prelief -- I've found that I can do that without causing any problems -- but I can't drink more than that or skip the Prelief or I'll be in the can all day. ;)

[tigger_gal]

hugs to you.. I too love my coffee.... try some coffee tammer. :)
wish you luck on the IC diet..
Brat

[Imustpee]

I have been using KAVA,,one cup a day with no trouble, and it tastes good.. :)

[vm]

Good luck with the diet. It sure helped me a BUNCH. Once you get in the swing of doing it it isn't all that awful. :)

[ICNDonna]

At the time I was diagnosed, not much thought had been given to a diet connection. I found on my own that when I ate certain foods and drank things like coffee and sodas, it made the pain much worse. It took me a long time to find my triggers --- and it turned out that my triggers are all listed as problem foods. Believe me when I say it's well worth the effort to try the diet.

Sending an encouraging hug,
Donna

[chainsaw]

what exactly is a coffee tamer? are you talking about preleif?
chainsaw (Kim)

[ICNDonna]

Coffee Tamer is a different product. I have tried it before, but prefer Prelief. Tamer is available in most supermarkets if you wish to try it.

Donna

[Imustpee]

Hi Donna,,,I live in Washington State..where do you find this product? Albertsons? Safeway? RedApple?

[sleepyangel30]

You can find them at walgreens

[Imustpee]

Walgreens? Thank you..and what do I do with Coffee tamers?

[sleepyangel30]

Oh.... I was talking about prelief. I don't know anything about tamers :(