Just diagnosed

[christy32]

I was diagnosed today. It was kind of a relief to know I wasn't crazy but at the same time I feel scared because its one more thing to deal with. I had a hysterectomy and bladder surgery in July because I was diagnosed with endimetriosis and I thought that would end the pain but it didn't. I went today to have testing and found out I have IC. Is it hard to follow the diet or easy? :hmm: Is the medication helpful? Just a few of the questions I have.

[shennan]

it takes while to get familial with the diet, yes. you have to test foods to see what bothers you and what does not. some meds work for some and some don't work for others.

have you found a good uro who knows ic?

hang in there....

shenna :)
:dizzy:

[christy32]

no, I am going to my gyn right now.

Christy

[VickiB]

Hi Christy,

Welcome to ICN. I'm sorry you have IC, but now that you know what you're dealing with, you're one step closer to getting it under some degree of control!

The diet is a good place to start. While it doesn't work for everyone, some have found the improvements to be dramatic. It may seem hard, confusing and/or restricting at first, but if you're one of the people it works for, it's well worth it!

Like Shenna said, some meds work for some but not others. It's a bit of trial & error sometimes until one finds the right combination, but most of us do get to a point where we're way better off than we used to be!

Hope you find your treatments soon!

Vicki

[Myli]

:welcome: You've come to the right place for lots of information about every aspect of IC and it's impact on life. In addition to being an invaluable resource for information, these boards form a caring group of folks who know what you are going through.

I'm sorry that you have IC, but most of us do get help and improve our lives immensely. It does take time for that to happen, though. There is a patient handbook online on this website that has a gold mine of information including the diet. The diet may look hard, but once you work through it and check out the recipes, you will find it quite livable. It does take time to figure out what foods you can and can't eat, but there are some things you can do to help when some food causes problems.

Some quick tips from what works for me. Drink lots of fluids, water is best. I drink a gallon a day of liquids. Take Tums or Prelief before meals and as needed between. You can take as many as you need, as often as you need. You won't overdose. Use heat or cold or both for pain. For me, my ice bag is my friend. :lmao: Mostly, I sit on it at the first sign of pain or increased frequency and usually get relief in about half an hour. It took me a while to figure that out and everyone is different as far as what works best.

Wear loose fitting clothes and consider not wearing underpants when in pain. That seemed very strange to me, but I am thinking of it as eliminating the dreaded panty line phenomenon. ;)

I also use Uristat/Pyridium when needed for pain. I've learned to be proactive with that. If I think something will result in pain or I feel any pain at all, I take it to supplement my regular medications. It has taken me a year to become truly proactive, I no longer wait to see if the pain is more than momentary. Ok, so I am a slow, stubborn learner.... :lmao:

Find a doctor who knows IC and how to treat it. Be proactive in getting the medical attention you need from a doctor that you can trust. Makes a world of difference, although many of us can't pick and choose.

Lastly, call on this community for help and you will be surrounded by caring, helpful people. Glad you found us!!

:grouphug:
Myli

[kelly McC]

Hi and welcome, For me the diet took awhile to adjust too but it did in the long run help me some. My meds help when I need them. I use my heating pad alot,heating patches for on the go and sometimes ice packs help too.

Huggs,
Kelly