Any supplements for urgency?

[Nal]

There seems to be a lot of supplements and herbs out that claim to be healthy for those of us with IC. most that I have found at health food stores contain cranberry and other "no- no" ingredients for us. What is a good supplement that helps that urge of always having to pee??

[fairydust]

let me know when you find out nal because i am really confused too.i agree that a lot of them have cranberry in them.i am sick of reading that with cystitis problems,one must take cranberry tablets.good luck with it all and i hope you get the answers you are looking for.take care.:confused:

[tfleisher]

to fairydust

Have you tried Elavil for pain it really seems to help me, I am taking it with Elmiron.:dance:

[fairydust]

hi.no i have not tried elavil.my problem is that everything i hear about on this forum when it comes to medication,it is all in american names.i have never seen most of them here in australia.my body is immune to pain killers now after 25 years of high codeine use due to my chronic migraines and headaches.
i wish i knew what the australian version of some of the medications for bladder problems was called.i have tried looking it up and talking to people here but no one seems to be able to help me.it also costs a lot to get it sent over here to australia.i asked the people here on this forum.thanks again.take care.:shake:

[Brightside]

Hi fairydust,

Elavil also goes by the generic name Amitriptyline. Maybe you can see if they offer it under that name there. It is really cheap here in the US. It is like 11 dollars for 30 10mg pills, and that is without insurance. I am on it and it seems to be doing a world of good for me so far. Thank god I now have health insurance and it has really good prescription coverage. I got my meds yesterday and they were a little over a dollar a piece. You can't beat that!

[Brightside]

P.S. Elavil or Amitriptyline is used for pain, but it is actually an anti-deppressant in nature so maybe your body won't be so immune to it since it is a little different than other pain meds. It does need to build up in your system though to really start to see results. It doesn't really give the instant pain relief that regular pain meds can give you.

[Nal]

I tried elavil. It did help but for me I could not tolerate some of the side effects. There are several anti depressants that drs will Prescribe for the bladder. Can you simply ask a dr you trust in Australia about an anti depressant or even an anti seizure medication you can try that may help with the nerves of your bladder?

[fairydust]

hi brightside and nal.first of all,thank you for caring about my situation.that is very supportive and kind of you both.i am already taking a antidepressant drug for my chronic headaches and migraines.next time i talk to a doctor,i will ask about the medication you have mentioned.at this stage of my life,i am desperate for any type of pain relief for my bladder.
the health insurance that most of you seem to have in amercia seems really good.it must be great to get cheap script medication.that makes it so much easier for people.i am on a disability pension due to my health issues which means i can get script medications for $5.80 per box.not all of the script medications are that cheap for me though.america seems to be so far in advance in some areas.thanks again guys.take care.:dance:

[chyna]

hi.no i have not tried elavil.my problem is that everything i hear about on this forum when it comes to medication,it is all in american names.i have never seen most of them here in australia.my body is immune to pain killers now after 25 years of high codeine use due to my chronic migraines and headaches.
i wish i knew what the australian version of some of the medications for bladder problems was called.i have tried looking it up and talking to people here but no one seems to be able to help me.it also costs a lot to get it sent over here to australia.i asked the people here on this forum.thanks again.take care.:shake:

That makes no sense. You have developed a high tolerance for codeine, but there are dozens other pain-killer substances out there. Why don't you see a pain doctor?

[fairydust]

i have seen a pain specialist and even he could not help me.in australia,no one will give you anything stronger than panadeine forte.i can only take what i can get over the counter at the chemist(drug store).every doctor says no.i don't understand it either.my twin sister is the same,severe migraines and headaches and every specialist will not give her any strong pain relief.it really sux.;)

[Nal]

You need to move to America 😃. I'm sorry things are so tough with your medical insurance issues. What did the pain dr try on you? Has anything ever helped in the past? Even in a very minor way?

[fairydust]

hi nal.there has been no pain relief for my ic pain for the past 3 years.i struggle everyday to deal with that on top of my chronic migraines and headaches.most days i just want to cry my eyes out because no one can stop the neverending pain.
at the moment i feel like my bladder and pubic area is going to explode.it hurts so much but there is no infection there.
i tried a pain specialist for my headaches but he could not help me after months of painful injections into my neck and a spinal block in my neck which did nothing.
i have seen 4 neurologists and tried so many different drugs and treatments but nothing has helped.my pain issues have stopped me from working for 12 years which has put so much pressure on my family.i should be out there bringing home a pay packet and i can't.
it is hard but i have learned that you just have to except pain.it has taken me 25 years to accept that i will always be in terrible pain with my chronic migraines and headaches and i guess it will take some time to accept that my bladder and pelvic floor muscles are always going to give me pain everyday.
some days i wished that i lived in america just to get some much needed help from doctors who know what they are doing.
sorry i have whinged,i am just in so much pain down there and the thought of having a cathiter put in tommorrow morning is not pleasant.
how are you today nal?well i hope.take care.

[Brightside]

Hi fairydust,

I am so sorry that you are in so much pain all of time. I feel so bad for you. N one should have to live like that. Is is so unfair. Is ther anything that you can do to find some relief? My heart gows out to you :)

[fairydust]

hi brightside.thanks for the kind words of support.i feel like i should not be whinging on this forum.like most people,i have my bad and good days.
lately just seems to be a really bad run of bad days.i am trying to be put on a long waiting lists to see a pain clinic.not sure if they will accept me.have changed to vesicare so hopefully will see something positive come out of that.
seeing the pelvic floor physio next week for first time so hopefully,in time,things might improve with that problem too.just have to deal with all the pain.am very sore after dsmo treatment this morning and i wreak of garlic.scares the family off every time.how have you been today?well i hope.take care.:flower::angel::smile tee:bunny::hi:

[smilesplease]

I have been in remission with my IC for a few months, but I am struggling with extreme urgency. Does anyone know of a food or nut that would cause this? I started eating a lot of flaxseed lately.... maybe that's it....
Does anyone know of a suplement to try to stop the urgency? I am following the IC diet and it really helps.
Thanks for any help.:flower:

[fairydust]

hi smilesplease.just curious to see what things you have stopped eating and drinking on the ic diet?this is a very confusing subject for me so i am trying to get as much information as possible.
as for your frequency issues,are you drinking more water than normal lately?has it been cold where you live?i find when it is colder,i tend to pee a whole lot more.it could be certain things you have eaten lately.i would not have thought that eating any foods could cause more frequency issues.
i hope you get it sorted soon.maybe you need to see your local doctor and see what he has to say.good luck.let us know how you get on.take care.:flower::smile tee:angel::):hi::bunny::cat:

[smilesplease]

Thanks for your reply. I have not had any coffee or tea, no lemonade or punch. I basically only drink water, milk, and roastaroma (made by celestial seasonings). I do not cheat on my diet. No tomatoes, lemons, oranges. I eat plain meat and plain vegetables. I also eat plain whole grain pasta, rice or potatoes or eggs. I cook everything in olive oil, salt and pepper. No dressing on salads. The diet is easy for me, now because the alternative is PAIN. I decided not to make food the highlight of my life, like so many people do. I eat to stay alive, not to satisfy my taste! For sweets I eat coconut and vanilla natural ice cream or I make a homemade cake with coconut and vanilla.
It gets boring, but it has saved my life. I was in agony with pain. I have wonderful doctors that helped prescribe the right things for me. The diet is the KEY!!
I also had to DE-STRESS! I hope my remission stays for a while. Thanks again and good luck with your process, I hope you find something that works for you soon!:pray:

[fairydust]

hi smilesplease.glad things are going well with you.there must be other foods you can try as well to add a bit of variety to your meals.glad you are in remission.that is fantastic.keep it up.well done.take care.:smile tee

[Nal]

Many foods can cause this symptom. It's my worst symptom. Alcohol and citrus seems to flare mine the worst. However I found that talki g gluten out of my diet it has helped me some with the urgency

[fairydust]

hi nal.is gluten in every food?i would not know where to start.glad it has helped you though.take care.:smile tee

[pp901]

Have you ordered the aloe made for IC?-- There is one on this site and I ordered the icaloe.com and my pain left except at night when I wake up needing to go really badly. These are not normal aloe- specific aloe-its made differently.

[fairydust]

what upsets me is the fact that i have searched everywhere in australia for the all the natural products all you guys in america use and there is none available.i am very frustrated over it.i even mentioned to the nurse at the hospital i go for my dmso treatments about valium suppositories and she said there is no such thing.she looked it up on her computer at the hospital and she could not find anything mentioned about it.
all these sorts of things cost too much to import from america and i don't like the thought of bringing drugs into the country anyway.i even checked with heaps of chemists(drug stores) to see if i could get some urine dipsticks to check for an infection instead of racing off to the doctors every five mins for bladder infection symptons but always negative.no one sells those either over here.
oh at times i wished i lived in america.:cussing:

[pp901]

I'd like to private msg you. Don't know how on my phone. Pm me please

[Melissa Croft]

Hi, I know this thread is a little old, but I wanted to offer some advice on two things that saved my bacon.

Cutting out food with MSG and high-fructose-corn syrup. I never realized how bad HFCS or MSG made me flare and have urgency until I got really careful about cutting it out of my diet. The difference is insae. If I slip up and have a sports drink with HFCS in it, instant flare. I can get away with Gatorade in certain colors (blue/purple). The G2 series seems to be OK with my IC. Poweraide has HFCS, so I avoid it.

Also, an herb that has put the breaks on those super-flares that you just can't get to quit is uva ursi. I took a tablespoon of it, crunched it up a little, steeped it in 8oz. hot water for about a half hour, then drink (not the leaves tho). You do this for about five days in a row. You just have to be careful with this, as you can't use it in this manner more than 4 or 5 times a year or it can start effecting your kidneys. So every three months or so. It doesn't taste too awful, either.

Still have way more frequency than I would like, but Santura XR (overactive bladder medication) has saved my life. Just have to be careful when it's hot out, as it can effect your ability to thermo-regulate, so you tend to overheat way easier than you would without it. Still, you adjust and it's just listening to your body.

Hope you can find some things to work for you!

[icnmgrjill]

MSG kills me... and I try to avoid HFCS whenever possible. Did you notice that the new gatorades don't use it anymore?? I think that's great though they can still irritate my bladder a bit, especially the red gatorades. I do much better with the clear tropical punch flavor.

Jill :)

[Tina2]

what upsets me is the fact that i have searched everywhere in australia for the all the natural products all you guys in america use and there is none available.i am very frustrated over it.i even mentioned to the nurse at the hospital i go for my dmso treatments about valium suppositories and she said there is no such thing.she looked it up on her computer at the hospital and she could not find anything mentioned about it.
all these sorts of things cost too much to import from america and i don't like the thought of bringing drugs into the country anyway.i even checked with heaps of chemists(drug stores) to see if i could get some urine dipsticks to check for an infection instead of racing off to the doctors every five mins for bladder infection symptons but always negative.no one sells those either over here.
oh at times i wished i lived in america.:cussing:

Hi Fairy Dust i am in Australia as well ! i know the problem of bringing in from the US, Only thing i brought in up to a couple of months ago was Buffer PH it really helps with the frequency. I brought in Prostaprotek, very very expencive to bring in but it helped, then the cystoprotek came back into stock so i brought in 3 bottles but oh dear only taken 4 and had to stop as it brought on the worst flare ever.
I cant even find a doctor here in Aus who really understands this rotten IC. Tried to see a urologist at the public hospital - 4 year wait list ! Seeing a gynocologist at the hospital as well but what he gave me seems to also be upsetting the IC as i said doctors here just dont understand it. If i win lotto i am off to the US to get some help !

[Nal]

I'm ok. Nothing really changes in my health anymore. I have the bladder issue, fibromyalgia, chronic Lyme disease, stomach problems, and a lower back injury. Sometimes I just want to give up going to drs and deal with it. It sucks though

[Leela11]

Hi there,

The first thing I found that started helping me with urgency was eCal, it's just calcium carbonate. And I've been avoiding MSG and high fructose corn syrup for many many years, and now I've been avoiding fruit, acids, alcohol and carbonated drinks and soda water and mineral water for almost one year. I'm still eating chocolate and still getting headaches. perhaps one day I'll have the capacity to try the elimination diet. my arthritis has been really bad lately.
dear fairydust - I hope you are feeling better. here is the link for eCal http://www.alkalife.co.uk/acatalog/e-Cal.html

[Blazer]

I don't know if this will help and of course, it is temporary at best, but I brew chamomile tea for urgency. Make a cup and sip it thru out the day. I have also heard several people say to eat fennel seed or drink a steeped cup of a herb called ashwagandha. But I haven't found any of that herb to try.

FYI: I asked my dr. what was the difference between urgency and frequency. I know this question sounded dumb, but I wanted to idenify what I was experienceing.
His answer was: urgency is a persistent feeling of having to void and frequency is voiding small amounts of urine continuously through out the day and night due to not being able to empty the bladder completely at one sitting.

I follow the IC diet faithfully, too. That is why it is so frustrating to still have urgency. I have been reading and reading everything I could get my hands on to identify why I have this consistent urgency. I am contemplating going to see a Physical Theapist for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. There seems to be a lot of good information about why urgency could be caused by the tension in the pelvic muscle. It makes sense to me. When ever you have a sprained or injuried muscle, you get cramps and soreness. So why shouldn't spasm in the bladder be due to tense muscles in the pelvic area. I am going to give it a try. It certainly could'nt hurt.

Hope you get other post on this question. We would all benefit from other ICers answers on how they calm down the urgency.

[smilesplease]

what upsets me is the fact that i have searched everywhere in australia for the all the natural products all you guys in america use and there is none available.i am very frustrated over it.i even mentioned to the nurse at the hospital i go for my dmso treatments about valium suppositories and she said there is no such thing.she looked it up on her computer at the hospital and she could not find anything mentioned about it.
all these sorts of things cost too much to import from america and i don't like the thought of bringing drugs into the country anyway.i even checked with heaps of chemists(drug stores) to see if i could get some urine dipsticks to check for an infection instead of racing off to the doctors every five mins for bladder infection symptons but always negative.no one sells those either over here.
oh at times i wished i lived in america.:cussing:
The uti dip sticks are made by AZZO. I bet they don't cost that much to be ordered on line. I use them and they are very reliable. Valium suppositories have to be made by a apothecary pharmacist ( one that mixes his own drugs). I hate to say but have you ever checked with a Chinese herbalist. Your urologist doctor would have to write a prescription for you to submit to the apothecary or herbalist. Have you ever ordered cysta-q or queratin on line? They are not drugs. And they really do help. Prelief is very good too. Try to order on line. Good luck!

[smilesplease]

Thanks so much for all your suggestions. I will try them for two weeks and see if it helps. I definitely have urgency from your doctors description. I have had physical therapy on my pelvic floor and it really helped. I went for 8 months!! It got very expensive but it made a world of difference. I highly suggest going.

[ICNDonna]

If you go to http://www.ic-network.com/glossary/ you'll find what many medications are called in other countries. I hope that helps.

Donna

[Nal]

Thanks Donna. Forgot about that website! I'm continuing with pelvic floor therapy. I've also found that if I have regular bowel movements, it helps a lot! My pt found some very nasty trigger point on the lower part of my uterine area right by my buttox. I will definately continue with therapy for now.

[Daz1234]

Try JUST water with a high PH level...cut out all other drinks and see how that goes

[Leela11]

Agree,
I was drinking Evian water but now I am trying alkaline water from the Health Food store (they have one of those alkaline water machines). It's less expensive. I set the dial to a pH of 8.5. This also why the eCal works for me.
Athletes also use bicarb loading.
I think it is a real shame that so many of us have to suffer from these types of chronic inflammatory disorders. I believe that environment has a large part to play in this. Research also states that people who were exposed to emotional abuse and people women who have PTSD have chemical changes in their system.