Questions about Diet! Please help!!!

[tommygal]

I haven't been diagnosed with IC yet, but I'm looking into it. I'm going to see a Urologist as soon as I'm done with my schooling, right now I'm just extremely sick, (have endometriosis, and think I might have the flu or something right now, and I'm also busy finishing up so I can graduate.
I don't feel good enough to sit here and do a ton of research and seraching, so I was hoping you guys could help me. I'm looking into trying to change my diet, I already eat quite healthy, but if I have IC it looks like even a lot of healthy food could still make me sick! I'm really confused about the diet though, and how to go about it. I read some of the articles in the patient handbook, but am just confusing myself, and too sick to sit here forever and read them all. It looks like most fruits are bad for you! And I love fruit! I try not to eat sugars, so fruits are my desserts! It says melons are ok but I don't live in a place that most fruits arn't available year long, and many not at all! Also I read something about certain vitamins can make us sick? Wel I take a lot of vitamins for different things, I need them! How can I tell what makes me sick and what doesn't? Well I guess that is it for now, gotta go lay down, I feel like I'm dying! Any advice is welcomed!

[ICNDonna]

The simplest way to start the IC diet is to work from the list of potential trigger foods and avoid them entirely at first. That would include most fruit, other than pears and blueberries, all soda pop, fruit juices, coffee, tea -- basically anything with acid.

The best way to really find your own personal triggers is to keep a food diary, comparing what you have eaten to symptoms --- that can be time consuming so you might be better to just not try fruits, etc., until you have a little more time.

And remember that it's important to get enough water to drink. If you live in an area with a lot of clorine in the drinking water, you might try bottled spring water to drink.

Warm healing thoughts,
Donna

[grace 2]

Hi, sorry to hear you're feeling so bad:( I have endo. too. Another "biggie" to avoid would be tomatoes and any tomato products. Good luck to you! Hugs and prayers Grace

[Donna L]

So sorry you are feeling so badly....I too love fruit, and am having problems eating only pears.....Potassium is a problem for us IC'ers. I caused some really bad flares before I found out about that. Bananna's were my quick lunch and snack.No More!! IC Donna is right on, you need to keep a food diary, as not everone reacts to the same triggers. Sorry I can't be more helpful when you are so stressed, but it really does vary from person to person. Good Luck to you....Donna L

[ICNDonna]

While there are some foods, such as oranges and bananas, that contain lots of potassium and are bladder irritants, it is not the potassium that's the problem.

I think this idea comes from the fact that potassium instilled into the bladder causes pain in an IC patient. I think of it like I would salt. If I have a raw spot on my skin, I wouldn't rub salt in it --- it would be painful --- but if I put that same salt on food and eat it, it doesn't cause pain.

It is absolutely essential to good health to have an adequate amount of potassium in your diet. Potassium deficiency can have some pretty serious consequences. I actually take a potassium supplement because of a deficiency --- and even the supplement does not bother my bladder.

Donna

[Donna L]

Thanks Donna for the correction. Guess I need to double check what I say before I post. I knew that bananna's were the trigger because of the elimination diet, and just "assumed" it was because they are high in potassium. It's a comfort to know that this site is checked for accuracy.Sorry for the mislead...Donna L