More questions from a newbie...Please help.

[Agape]

:pray: I am trying to stick to the diet for at least two weeks or until I feel better, but there seems to be so little I can find to eat. I thought I could at least eat canned chicken noodle soup, but I see it has monosodium glutamate in it as well as it's in a lot of other things. Does this bother some on this board?

Also I am just learning the word "flare", but still don't know exactly what everyone means by this. How often do they occur and how long do they last?

The meds I now take say they can cause constipation. Due to past surgeries for prolapse, I CANNOT be constipated, so what do you do to prevent this and still be able to take the meds??

Thanks for help with these questions.

[GriffsMommy]

A flare just pretty much means that you have an increase in your symptoms whatever they may be for you. A flare for me ususally means an increase in my pain and I can also have an increase in frequency and urgency but not always. Sometimes it's just an increase in frequency and no more pain. It's just different for everybody. It really depends on what is causing the flare as to how long it will last. Hormones or stress to flare me the longest and they can last for days.

As for the diet it's yet again different for everybody but if someone is really diet sensetive them any preservatives can flare them. The only things I really have to stay away from are green tea and spicy food, most other things I can get away with. The only way you're going to know for sure is to try something and see if it changes your symptoms.

[leelee88]

Hello,
As Christine mentioned a flare usually is an increased symptom of IC.. When I have a severe flare like last week I have all the symptoms of a UTI. Pain, frequency, burning, the urge feeling and my whole lower half of my body seems swollen..
As far as foods I have to stay away from all the bad foods on the IC diet and away from MSG..
Now for contipation, I always eat a bowl oatmeal a day or a bowl of fiber cereal..That always seems to do the trick... but if you cant eat that there is a laxitive called Miralax It sems to be very IC safe, but as anything ask your dr first, but my URO is the one who told me about it and you can get it over the counter... Hope this helps....If you need anything else, just ask:angel:

[ICNDonna]

One thing I have found is that I have to do more cooking from scratch. Lots of prepared foods have MSG, which I avoid.

Donna

[Agape]

A flare just pretty much means that you have an increase in your symptoms whatever they may be for you. A flare for me ususally means an increase in my pain and I can also have an increase in frequency and urgency but not always. Sometimes it's just an increase in frequency and no more pain. It's just different for everybody. It really depends on what is causing the flare as to how long it will last. Hormones or stress to flare me the longest and they can last for days.

As for the diet it's yet again different for everybody but if someone is really diet sensetive them any preservatives can flare them. The only things I really have to stay away from are green tea and spicy food, most other things I can get away with. The only way you're going to know for sure is to try something and see if it changes your symptoms.

I'm glad you mentioned the greentea. I'm thinking that may be bad for me too, because right prior to this flare, I was drinking a lot of it thinking it was going to help. Also taking cranberry tablets. I'm still scared to start trying some foods, but at the same time hoping that none of them will cause a thing so I can go back to a "normal" life.

[mom_in_ma]

I'm with Donna. I find that it's easier if I cook food from scratch rather than prepared food because then I know exactly what's in it! In fact, tonight we had pizza (homemade dough) with fresh mozz, basil from the garden, and grilled chicken. Mine had olive oil but the boys in the house had tomato sauce. It was quite delicious and completely organic with no preservatives.

I also have a bread maker that I use every day. We have all discovered a love for potato bread (real mashed potatoes, not flakes as they have preservatives.) A foreman grill is also handing for quick things like grilled chicken and fish. Neither is required...just makes things easier.

Kadi has an amazing list of foods that you can eat from trader joes and safeway. You could pm her for the list. She has also posted some great recipes.

It takes time, but you do get used to it and quite honestly we're eating a lot healthier in our house these days.