what shouldn't i eat ????? HELP

[lilmisspinochle]

:mad: I have just been diagnosed and I got the water thing. GEEZ it's brutal. But the food. What should I avoid. Plese help. I can't stand the pain anymore. I lay in bed at night and think about stabbing myself in the bladder so they will have to take it out and I will live the rest of my life with a bag on my belly. At least it will only hurt for a little while. I don't know if I can face the rest of my life like this. HELP

[kelly McC]

Hi,
Sorry you have IC but the good news is there treatments available!
Have you checked out the handbook http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/ there is helpful information on the diet and treatments. There is hope please dont give up!
prayers and huggs,
Kelly

[kadi]

HI lilmiss, :hi:

I'm sorry you're in so much pain. The good news is that now that you have a diagnosis, you can start to move forward to finding treatments & things that will help you feel better. There are many treatments available and it may take awhile to find the right combination, but most IC patients do find treatments that work & feel good most of the time.

Here is a link to help you get started answering your questions...

http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/

The IC diet link is

http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/diet.html

I started figuring out my diet by eating the blandest foods in the "usually okay" column. Chicken, rice (with a little butter & salt) & steamed veggies... Then once my pain level had dropped (which was quite dramatic), I added other foods one by one, crossing off those that caused me increased pain or frequency of urination. Within a few weeks, I had a personalized list to build my meals from AND my pain level had become much more manageable!

Has your doctor given you a plan for treating your IC? Diet is a good place to start; there are also many medicines that can help relieve symptoms and help you feel better.... You shouldn't have to live with pain as bad as you are describing... Please make sure your doctor really knows how bad it is, even if you need to call him/her, so they can help you!!

Please talk with your doctor about a treatment plan AND how to manage your pain in the meantime, and if your doctor doesn't have a plan for you that you understand and are comfortable with trying, seek a second opinion!!

Welcome to the boards & wishing you better days very soon!!! :grouphug:

[Dixiefireball]

:welcome: to the icn family im sorry you are having a hard time right now but please know there is help out there you just have to go threw try and error:( the IC diet does play a big role in our treatments.
Please don't give up there is always hope.
Please check out the link above these lovely ladies sent you its very helpful
sending you hugs and prayers and if you would like to talk please pm me
Rhonda

[ICNDonna]

You've been given some good advice about diet. Just remember that there are some things that irritate most IC bladders --- at the very top of the list is cranberry juice --- never, ever drink that. And citrus juices, sodas, coffee, tea, are irritants for most of us as well. Tomatoes and tomato products are high on the "bad" list, too.

It may take you a little while, but it's worth the effort to develop your own list of foods that are a problem for you. I know it's a challenge, but believe me when I tell you that it is time well spent.

Warm healing thoughts,
Donna

[blue]

I hope you find some relief soon!

[lilmisspinochle]

I have had this pain for years and no one seems to care. The doctors act like I am crazy and they act like they have never seen anyone like this before. I have finally found someone who thinks I have IC and she is doing a cysto with hydrodistention but in the meantime I must just wait. The only thing that I have found that I've noticed in the past is grapes and they seem to go right through me but when I told all my other doctors they looked at me like I was from another planet. Oh well, I'm glad I found all you guys. :kiss:

[SharonA]

:hi: :welcome:

We're glad you found us, too. :) As far as I know, there are no outer space aliens here on Earth. :D Good luck with the diet. It is well worth the effort. :kiss:

[VickiB]

I must have gone to the same Doctors that you did! Definitly had the feeling I could've been speaking Klingon or Vulcan to them and it would have all been the same! Glad you finally found a Uro to take you seriously!

Everyone's given you great advice. The only thing I wanted to add is that it's a good idea to get in the habit of reading ingredient labels on food products. Seems like they put citric acid and/or vinegar in most of the foods I liked!

Vicki

[kadi]

Just wanted to ditto what VickiB said & watch out for "metabisulfites" & "sorbic acid" too ---OUCH! Be sure to check labels even on the "safe" foods on the lists. I learned the hard way that the Philly cream cheese in the block form is okay, but has "acid" in the tub form.