Organics and yeast-free diet

[sherrie]

I have been diagnosed for almost a year now, and I've done many changes that have helped me to start living again. YOGA! It helps loosen pelvic muscles to ease pain. Start yoga slowly, though. Can be painful if you try too much too fast. I've tried to eat nothing but organic food, especially fruits (the ones I could tolerate) and veggies. Meat and dairy, too. I have noticed that I can tolertate an organic tomato in moderation (only a few chunks) whereas a tomato bought at the grocery store will KILL my bladder. Also, I have read numerous connections between IC and yeast overgrowth in the body. Yeast overgrowth can cause allergic reactions in all areas of the body, especially digestive/elimanation organs. I have recently changed to a yeast-free diet. I'll keep you posted.
Also, another thing i did that helped me TREMENDOUSLY was going off birth control pills. I felt better within weeks when i quit birth control. All of this is relevant to your life and degree of pain you are in, but i wanted to share some suggestions for self-help that I'm looking into.
Good luck and i'm praying for everyone! I'm working toward getting my body back in balance, and i believe that many factors of my pain are linked to diet. I hope that everyone finds their links soon and will feel better fast.

:pray:

[sleepyangel30]

if you do have yeast and wanting to get rid of it you cannot eat anything like sugar, foods that contain yeast etc. yeast thrives in a acid body. It's better to start off with organic green leafy veggies and the right kind of supplements. I believe our bodies are made to heal itself.

[blue]

Sounds like it's worth a try!

[MeganAnne]

I have also started to eat organic for the past few months and have noticed gradual improvement, but it's hard to say whether it's from that or from not eating coffee, tomatoes, etc. I am curious about going off the birth control pills. Are there any links between the pill and ic? Very, very curious.

[sherrie]

Hey!
Birth Control pills... i am trying to be polite here, but i really think those were a MAJOR culprit for my IC troubles. I 'm not kidding when i say that I went off them and within one month I felt so much better. I am 27, and have been on and off them since i was 12, and i have had IC symptoms for years, and when i think back, BC pills may have correlated to the times i experienced pain. Also, one day while reading a women's magazine, I just happened to see an ad for a poplular birth control pill that i used. on the reverse side of the ad, there's a list of the side effects, etc. Down towards the bottom of the page, i found a section that reads (I am looking at the ad right now!) "The following adverse reactions have been reported in users of combination hormonal contraceptives and a cause and effect association has been neither confirmed nor refuted: Premenstrual Syndrome...CYSTITIS-LIKE SYNDROME..." So, this alone alerted me and I have told every woman I know to be careful. I don't know if quitting birth control pills is the answer for everyone, but i know that i am now off of them and will never look back.
good luck if you decide to quit birth control. please let us know how it works for you!
:angel:

[Jinny Jean]

Ok this makes perfect sense to me, quitting BC pill. I have to agree. The pill is one of the triggers for me that make my bladder go crazy! I have had IC like symptoms from November on, and tried everything in my power to get some reliefe. I did go on the anti candida diet, which I will be trying again here soon (I am just following the IC diet for now) and I also went OFF my birth control pill too.

This is something that I didnt want to do, as I dont want to have a baby yet, but it was definatley a trigger for my symptoms and I was not about to keep putting it in my body. I had been on the pill since I was 15 years old (I am now 24). I never realized that maby the pill was contributing to my IC or even helped cause it in the first place? Among other things I am sure ( like the tons of anti biotics I was placed on).... Now as soon as I went of the pill my symptoms immediatley improved. I did notice however that when I ovulated and the day before my period I would still flare up, but other than that! I felt pretty good!

I have been off of them for one month as of now ( I feel even better than I did last month when I was first off of them!) The other day I did try to start another pack of pills at a lower dose of estrogen (this seemed to be the biggest problem with the other pill I was on) so I figured maby it would help or not be as bad....... BAM as soon as I took ONE pill I flared up. Next day didnt take the following pill and just like that, back to normal. When I say normal I mean pretty damn close to normal too. ( I am sure we all remember what that felt like before this thing)...

I am wondering if the longer I stay off BC the better I will be, because I wont be putting fake hormones in my body, and perhaps letting it regulate normally.I also started Elmiron one month ago, so I am wondering if that is also contributing to my feelings of normalcy. Good thing my boyfriend is understanding, condoms kinda suck sometimes. Glad someone else has had luck with going off the pill too! Seems to make a big difference for some of us!:smile tee

[kadi]

Please be careful & do not stop any medicines, including birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy, without discussing it with your doctor. For me, my IC began when I stopped birth control pills - it got better when I restarted them, but didn't go away. My mom's IC began when she stopped her hormone replacement therapy.

For some of us, changing hormone levels can trigger IC - which means either starting or stopping hormone medicines can do it.

[Mothergoose]

We had 2 children and my IUD fell out. Becareful condoms may feel not great, but my youngest came along not much later.

There is a seven gap between my kids, we planned on having one more but probalby would have waited 10 years between.

He has been the joy of my life but if you want to plan when you have your kids, just becareful.

MG

[Jinny Jean]

ohh yeah im pretty careful haha the last thing id want right now is a baby! Did you have IC when you had your kids? Did you have trouble? That concerns me alot that when I get pregnant, I will suffer even more. I want 3 kids too! Even though I have no pain and mild discomfort im worried it will get worse...