Interstitial Cystitis Remedies

Multiple Remedies

Fri, 14 Jun 13 13:45:31 -0500

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] Sunny from South Gate, Ca writes: "So this is for Interstitial Cystitis ( IC). I belive this is what helped my. I am way better now. But I also did Dr. Hulda Clarks Parasite Cleanse so it might have also been that or a mix of both. So try them one by one. Oh and I also took probiotics. All separete. First the probitics. Finished my 30 days wort , then I did the tea 30 days, then I did then the Parasite Cleanse like 50 days. I do not know which on helped me. I also did some emotional release I had been keeping feeling and secrets to my self and I told someone and I felt a big weight lift of my very soul. (I really do feel that negative feelings contibute to bad health). The tea is by Lagg\'s Kidney tea. It has 30 bags and I got it at Superior Grocers Market for like 3 dollars its good because all ingredients needed are there, but I suppose you can make your own. The herbs are: shave grass, corn silk, Uva ursi, Juliana adstringen, boldo, Hibiscus flower, (I have to warn of the hibiscus flower, as some one IC person said it cause flairs, orange blossom, like I said you can make ur own and take out the hibiscus flower. I took the tea, cool in the morning before eating anything. (no sugar). Tea has no caffeine says so on box. As caffeine is acidic. Probiotics took as directed. Parasite cleanse look it up its a bit more complex. Consists mainly of clove, green black walnut, wormwood. (your supposed to poo*p out the parasites, I did not. I was kind of disappointed I did not. But maybe the herbs just helped me another way. I had no negative side effects :). My Cc has gotten a lot better. I would say like I\'m like 85% good now and can tolerate a lot more food :). Also I feel that IC has to do with the intestines (imbalance of floras/ balanced) floras also in vagina. I always had constipation problems and now I po*p a lot more. :)Good bc pressure of po*p hurts bladder. I think it\'s obvious on the things that u have to change forever more for this condition and overall health. I drink mostly water and natural coconut juice. Sometimes! 100% juice. Nothing else. Too many fake stuff and bad toxins. I try to eat very well not so easy but at least try to make the best choices! I do not really eat red meat. And fast food. I try nt to get stressed (killer/ acid forming). Exercise (walk, stretch, yoga) (I know for some of u u have to wait to get better to work out) Why I am writing this. Well IC is horrible to the point were I felt subhuman and did not want to live anymore. I hope this helps another person. If it does help you I want you to pass this forward. Also, to promise to be a better /more compassinate person. Having been thru ic if you are not a better person you have learned nothing!!! Western Medicine gave me no hope and just told me to live with it. I decided to start by trying the cheapest, safest, most natural means one by one. I have tried other things and they did not help( marshmallow root pills, alovera pills, activated charcoal, etc. But I could not give up, I research and researched , and research, and research and reseached! And try! Try! Try! Tyr!!!!! I only cared about finding something!! I also want you to not give up what works for one might not work for another, but do not give up and share you findings. Love to you AND LET\'S START THIS FOOD REVOLUTION, !!! Email you companies and tell them hey do not add fake color , artificial ingridients, persevatives, perservative, corn suryp. you have ic , other people have other illnesses that are horrible too! ( cron\'s disease, cancer, asma, )and guess what they all stem from the stuff they put in our food we have common ground here ppl! we need to join and say hey enough is enough! stop posoning our food/things!!!!!!!!! . and if you do not change we will not buy your things!!!!!!! ( purchasing power) support those that do!! health food stores etc. let\'s change our world by changing with in our choices ( ex. food we serve at a party). nature! nature! nature our only and true source. thank you you ec for this site that i always utilice and try to contribute too.ted you are inspirational and one day i would love to meet you, (i kind of want to be like you) help you. keep up your beautiful purpose <3 "

Distilled Water, Potassium Iodide, DMSA

Wed, 15 May 13 07:10:01 -0500

[YEA] Lisa from San Diego, Ca writes: "Interstitial Cystitis: Hi everybody! I have suffered terribly like so many of you with yeast infections and urinary problems. I found a solution after many hours of research. What works for me is 2 T of distilled water, 10 drops of potassium iodide and 10 drops of dmso in a small glass or ceramic bowl. I swirl it to mix and lay a tampon in it to absorb. I insert the tampon for 30-60 mins and all pain and inflammation is gone! Now when I feel a flare coming on, ( which I suspect it is from some kind of food), I treat myself. It works every time! I hope this helps! "

Dieary Changes

Sat, 26 Jan 13 18:59:45 -0600

Hannah from Paris, France writes: "Hi, I\'m just wondering if anyone else with Interstitial Cystitis, that has been treating themselves primarily through diet and nutrition changes, has experienced mood swings as a symptom? "

General Feedback

Sat, 15 Dec 12 19:13:25 -0600

Hannah from Paris, France writes: "Has anyone tried oil pulling for IC? If so... Any results? "

General Feedback

Sat, 15 Dec 12 19:16:49 -0600

Hannah from Paris, France writes: "Hello all, So, for the longest time I\'ve been battling with the just how much of my physical state is psychosomatic and how much is purely physical. I think it\'s probably a good mix of the two... I do find it condescending when people try to tell me it\'s all in my head, and I was borderline furious when the pharmacist asked me if I had abandonment issues when I asked for a medication for recurring UTIs because she had gone to a forum where they discussed UTIs as being the result of abandoment issues. I have never been abandoned and have an extremely loving family, and when the customer behind me said (a man), said \"yep, it\'s totally psychological. UTIs are related to abandoment issues\" I was pretty disgusted. HOWEVER... I recently spoke to my mom, and she informed me (many years too late in my opinion), that my first UTI happened when I was 3 years old... She says it was after I was sexually abused for the first time... although I don\'t know how she can know since I didn\'t tell her I was abused until years later... Anyway, I do remember having one other UTI when I was younger, independent of sexual factors as far as I can remember... but the problems started again once I became sexually active, so I can only help but wonder. Sexual assault has been a part of my life since I was 3 and I was wondering if such a trauma could have any link with the symptoms I\'ve developed over time... I guess I\'m just curious if anyone else has a history like this... Has worked through it emotionally/psychologically etc. And had symptoms ameliorate/stay the same/nothing etc.... ???? "

Dietary Changes

Fri, 14 Dec 12 09:12:23 -0600

[YEA] Hannah from Paris, France writes: "Hello all, I have what seems to be IC, and have had vaginal burning/itching/discomfort, pretty much everywhere and in every situation for the past two or three years. I just recently eliminated acidic foods from my diet, since I\'m trying to treat the IC, and I noticed the vaginal itching and burning has been gone completely since. When I first started having vaginal pain, I did notice that certain foods, like chocolate would trigger almost immediate burning. This was before I developed IC symptoms. Now, I notice the only time I\'ve had burning or itching has been during or right before and/or after my period. I started taking coconut oil regularly (1 tsp in the morning and 1 at night) and I haven\'t had any burning or discomfort this cycle expect for the one day that I didn\'t take the coconut oil! Everyone\'s body is different, and perhaps this isn\'t a solution for everyone... but for those of us that have really sensitive bodies (prone to IBS/vulvodynia etc) like me, I have a feeling that diet plays a really important role. I wonder if trying to eliminate acidic foods for a while would help relieve the symptoms for other vulvodynia sufferers? I would recommend starting with the IC diet and then adding in foods little by little to find the real culprits... I was surprised when I realized I could eat dairy, which I thought was a big no no, but not oranges! I guess what I realized was that food was playing a huge role in my suffering, maybe for some it has nothing to do with acid at all, but the burning is a symptom of another food sensitivity that could easily be eliminated. I hope this is helpful to someone! "

Diet, Turmeric, Exercise

Tue, 13 Nov 12 09:37:59 -0600

[BETTER BUT NOT CURED] Mary from Oakville, On, Ca writes: "I am so thankful I found this site. I thought I was going insane with all the negative tests and fine kidneys from the hospital... Until one smart doctor, tonight, told me I most likely have IC. I couldn\'t have more similar symptoms. I have had 5 years of recurrent UTIS and am 20 years old. It is, indeed, an awfully painful disease... However, diet and tumeric are crucial to this matter. I\'m surprised, however, a lot of you are disabled, yes, but, we all are well aware that exercise couldn\'t be more important. In order to strengthen the linings, we must strengthen the muscles... So, do your best! I find leg lifts reduce my pains, as well as running, more than any other exercise... Simply because running is generally beneficial cardio and leg lifts target the pelvic muscles. I also did some research based on my past experiences and cranberry juice can very well make IC matters worsen, as well as D-Mannose. D-Mannose and cranberry juice are for milder urinary tract issues, but for severe matters, they can cause severe damage. If the case is severe, D-Mannose is known to stick to the bacterias, yes, but it can stick to the walls of our organs, obstructing practically every option of ridding/treating IC. Regardless, stay away from acidic and fatty foods, equally. As for the flares, I have it right now as I\'m typing, but walking truly does help, as working out reproduces healthy cells and bacteria. ALSO... VERY IMPORTANT. If you have a lot of stress, be sure to see the doctor. Anxiety is a major cause of my increased symptom pains, and if you are unaware of your psychology stability, it could very well be the underlying reason for your IC and many other illnesses. If you meditate with faith that your body is healing, then it will do just that, and the pain will reduce immediately. I have severe anxiety, so it\'ll work on anyone if you try and do it right. Just breathe and do your best to keep the symptoms down... Never stop researching... never stop believing and always remember it could be much, much worse! Much love and best regards to you all. "

Remedies Needed

Sat, 03 Nov 12 17:30:32 -0500

Shelly10 from New Haven, Ct writes: "I have had IC for 12 years, I am 31 yrs old. I had a cystto/hydro to diagnose after I had symptoms of urgency that came on suddenly and antibiotics were doing nothing. The cysto/hydro ended up being very therapeutic and I was in remission for 10 years, not even one flare. Then I was given an Antibiotic for Bacterial vaginosis and went into a huge flare that lasted a few months. I was given a prescription antihistimine and they did another cysto/hydro and I returned to normal once again. I felt good for about a year when I got a series of UTI\'s. I would take a round of antibiotics, feel good and within a week or so the UTI was back. After my third round of antibiotics my urine came back clean but I still felt like I had an infection. They did another cysto/hydro and a dilation of my urethra but it was not successful in helping like in the past. My dr also said that my bladder looked pretty good, no lesions or hemorraging was present like the last time so she didnt seem to think it was my IC. I was given a few more rounds of antibiotics in case it was urethritis, but that didnt help either. Now ive been put on Elavil. Been on it for a few weeks and just increased my dose to 20mg, no relief yet. I also take dmannose and a probiotic to prevent any other infections. I went to a naturopath who has given me cran buchu, 4 caps 3x a day. Thats been a week with no help. He also does light therapy but I have only done one session of that. He believes it is inflammation that can be treated. I dont know what to do. I have never been diet sensitive even tho I am trying to stick to the diet now in case that helps. Is it possible there is still an infection that the drs just cant see? I dont understand why this is happening. It has been 6 months of clean cultures and I am so scared that this is my \"new normal. \" I am praying something works soon I am sick of trying things and having them not work, this is the longest flare I have ever experienced. Is there something else I should try? Thanks. "

Pumpkin Seed Oil

Mon, 08 Oct 12 08:27:00 -0500

[YEA] Linda from Allentown, Pennsylvania writes: "Hi All, Ive been reading over these postings because I was curious about Cayenne pepper as a Tx for I. C. I really empathize with you all and desire to share my Tx remedy. I suffered with mild I. C. for years while having my children (5, total). After my fifth, the I. C. really flared up and I just couldn\'t get more that 45 min. of sleep at a time. In addition, activities involving impact of any kind (ie. Running, household chores, intimacy) were out of the question. My husband did some research and started me on a two week regimen of Cornsilk extract (20 drops in 1/4 cup water 2-3 times per day) followed by 2x daily dosing of Pumpkin Seed oil everyday. I have maintained the oil at 1 tablespoon in am and 1 tablespoon in pm, preferrably with food or drink, for about 2 years now. It has made all the difference in the world. If I maintain this dosage I have no symptoms except for mild ones during ovulation and the first two days of my period. I up my dose by another tablespoon sometime in the middle of the day during these times. If I run out of oil, pumpkin seeds (in any form, roasted, raw etc. ) will suffice until I can restock but they add a lot fiber to my diet since I need to eat almost 3/4 cup of them per day to achieve the desired effect. I also stay away from Tannic Acid whenever possible and have greatly reduced the gluten in my diet. I am otherwise a healthy 38 year old mother of five. I don\'t get back here very often at all so I may not be available to answer any questions but I truly hope that this helps as many people here as possible! "

General Feedback

Fri, 14 Sep 12 09:00:39 -0500

Markus from Rowlett, Texas, USA writes: "I have been suffering with IC irritation since I was 18. I was just diagnosed by my urologist a month ago and am about to turn 26. I am so relieved knowing that I have finally been properly diagnosed. I have suffered several years and have taken many different medications with no positive outcome. I had gotten to the point where I had decided that I was just going to have to deal with this chronic, burning, distracting pain. This in turn led to me picking up a drinking habit that lasted several years. I found that the faster I drank a 6 pack or chugged two 40 oz. beers and crammed a pillow in between my legs, the quicker I could fall asleep and try to forget about the discomfort. ( I am sure that this did not make anything better and do not recommend it ) I gave up on sleeping pills after several bad side effects and apparently, unknowingly having conversations with my wife at the time. I tired several other natural sleep supplements with no real results in helping my sleep. Sleep became such an issue that I hardly got any sleep at all. I cannot remember having a single dream for at least a year span because of my discomfort and lack of REM sleep. Sleep issues had become so bad that I constantly had bags under my eyes making me look as if I were a zombie drug addict (not how you want to feel and look in all of your wedding pictures I may add) The icing on the cake!!!!!! December of 2011 I was FINALLY diagnosed with a severe ruptured disc that was causing sharp nerve pain down my right leg and lower back. My back has been an on going issue since I was in a car accident in 2007 and continued to get worse up until the disc ruptured after simply bending over to put on my shoes. I have since then had two back surgeries and finally finished up PT with no pain down my leg! IC pain does not mix well with lower back problems BTW! I was prescribed Elmiron and so far I am feeling some temporary relief the last few days but still live in fear of flare ups but I am taking it one day at a time. I also have been taking vitamin d3 and will be upping my dose in the next day. I am just so relieved that there\'s a community of IC suffers with similar stories. I had thought that I was going crazy for several years but am now seeing some light at the end of this tunnel! I finally feel like I\'m getting my life back in order or am at least heading in the right direction. Thanks for sharing all of your stories and I will continue to do more research on this disease, now that I know I have it! Markus "

Multiple Remedies

Tue, 28 Aug 12 10:14:25 -0500

Kara from Northern, Wi writes: "We\'ll if it exists I will try it! So far all special teas and probiotics and herbs and wonder drugs do nothing. FRESH pressed lemon in water helps! Distilled water helps but is not good for you long term. Try to drink a gallon of non florinated water a day, it works but not instantly. No alcohol or coffee :(. Sweating out toxins in a sauna helps! As long as you drink a Lot of water and replenish with fresh pressed vegetable juice. Everyone should have a VEGETABLE JUICER. Juice fast for a week for dramatic healing, but NO FRUIT in the juicer, spiking insulin will negate healing. Get VITAMIN D LEVELS OVER 50, tan or take 10,000 iu of d3 a day, but get tested, and don\'t accept 30 as normal, it\'s not! Read about it w the vitamin D council. For relief get a vaginal suppository with BORIC ACID. Its cheap, look online and read about it. Stay away from chemicals down there, boric is natural. Stretching, either Pilates or something thorough really helps reduce the inflammation and allow the fluids kin your body release. I just came across a FREE Ebook about treating IC naturally. It\'s a book by Diana Brady. It talked about the combination of Bromelain and Quercetin to treat IC. New to me, will keep you posted if anyone wants to know. Just curious. Would like to get coffee back someday! Folks get your vitamin D tested. The vitamin D council spells it out online why its so IMPORTANT and how it correlates to health problems like this. Theres no instant cure, but get that D up and do the other things. Stay off sugars! For good and it will heal! :) "

General Feedback

Tue, 31 Jul 12 20:43:35 -0500

Plumhappy from Eugene, Oregon writes: "I have always tried to stay reasonably healthy, not get hooked on junk or vises. In spite of that, I have come up with few health problems, partly due to lack of knowledge and partly due to breaking my own rules. It can be expensive staying healthy but even more being sick. My recent annual physical, with insurance just cost under $1,000. I have given up a few things but for fun I figured out what I could save by cutting out certain things, some I have cut completely, some mostly cut. So take a look at my list and see what you might cut to save your health and money. I came up with over $800.00 a year: fancy coffee drinks $104!, fresh ground coffee ($192 a yr! ) fast food $360 a yr!, wine ($156 a yr.!) It adds up fast. Fast food is rare for me any more and so is wine and fancy coffees. I used to drink more than 5 cups of coffee a day! That is completely gone, IC can\'t take it. I have been careful with sugar for a long time but since I can\'t have gluten anymore, I rarely bake unless for company so even sugar and flour cost is way down. Hurrah! Go ahead and try this. You will be surprised at what you can afford to do. "

General Feedback

Tue, 31 Jul 12 09:48:29 -0500

Plumhappy from Eugene, Oregon writes: "I have been reading some older posts and found a couple things I would like to comment on. One was the bantering on baking soda. Seems that it can be very easy to get caught up believing what we see when it comes to how a company presents itself, ie. \"aluminum free\". A few years ago I saw a program on the history of advertising and it showed that the company that says it first sells more. One beer company advertised that they sterilize their bottles-thier sales skyrocketed. Fact: govmt. regs. are all beverage companies have to sterilize bottles, but they said it first. Or howabout, its the water. Sales skyrocketed. They said it first. Be a good consumer when it comes to \"natural\" products. Research and don\'t just buy because they say they are good, better or do or don\'t contain certain ingredients. Second, a poster brought out about lemons, that they are acid but go alkaline in the body. Try telling that to someone like me with inersticial cystitis! It causes more pain than you will know because it is acid. While what she stated may be fact, it does not hold true for someone who needs to stay clear of acidic food to stay healthy. "

Remedies Needed

Wed, 18 Jul 12 08:56:12 -0500

Lexy from Tacoma, Wa writes: "hi, I recently found out I have ic, I have been suffering with this awful disease since I was 12years old and am now 25. Why it took so long for doctors to find out beats me! They were always telling me its a uti and always gave me antibiotics now I am immune to them, I met with a natural path urologist and thought he was nuts but now that I have met three other doctors other than him I am beginning to think he was the only right one! I just feel very alone in this my family doesn\'t understand, I just wish I was normal and could enjoy a soda with out being in immediate pain. My doctor today prescribed me three different types of meds please give feed back of personal experience that would help me alot. (elmiron, neurontin, hydroxyzine) "

General Feedback

Thu, 14 Jun 12 15:05:09 -0500

Dot from Wakefield, Ri, Usa writes: "Hi I was diagnosed wth acute IC about 3 weeks ago-was put on Elavil 10mg then 25mg then 50mg. I had a difficult time tolerating the 25mg so Doc kept me on 10mg... I really hate the way it makes me feel and have stopped it. I am feeling pretty good except when I get the flares. I want to try alternative treatment. Incidentally, I do not get urgency or frequency-just pain. So glad I was told about this site. "

Remedies Needed

Mon, 11 Jun 12 10:10:13 -0500

Hope from Baltimore, Maryland writes: "Im 17 years old, and I was diagnosed with IC in October, 3 days after my birthday. When I first found out about my diagnosis, I completely eliminated acidic drinks such as Orange Juice and Apple Juice. I\'ve had this disease for 7 months now. I\'ve had a flare up for the past 8 days. And nothing I do relieves it. I\'ve tried drinking only water, and drinking milk. But nothing helps. Im currently on elmiron, which doesnt seem to be helping and I cant find relief, any suggestions? "

Goldenseal

Mon, 07 May 12 16:10:00 -0500

[YEA] Gwyn from Denham Springs, La writes: "Dear Friends Who Suffer from IC- What a disease this is, with lots of pain, urgency and most of all not knowing what to do; that can make you think you are crazy! I have had IC since I was a child but never knew, until my daughter was diagnosed with it at the age of 12 years. I had to live through her pain and anguish for years, and I\'m not only living through her pain now; but mine too. I have tried herbal remedies, and diet and I find one herbal remedy that will help calm that pain down within seconds, and that is Goldenseal! Try it! I was told by a massage therapist I visited to try Cayenne peppers for ulcers; and I was desperate to try anything to calm this pain down... and do you know that within a few days, I feel great! It has not only helped my pain, but it has also given me energy and helped the muscles and lower back pain I have with IC. I have also tried over the counter vaginal cream and that helps the burning you get with IC; it does the trick. I have never used medicines doctors have prescribed because of side effects, so I try the natural way always and lots of prayer! There is another herbal product that will help with the goldenseal already in it and that is Kidney/Bladder by Natures Way, this product really helps and just follow the instructions on how much to take and carry it in your purse with you; and take it with each meal. A candida diet helps too and stay away fron sodas, it will do you in! I do hope some of this helps you, because it has helped me and I help my daughter with herbs! May God Bless you all! Gwyn "

DMSO

Fri, 06 Apr 12 09:22:27 -0500

[YEA] Britt from Harrisburg, Pa writes: "Hello, I\'m 22 year old female suffering with a bad flare up of IC. For the past 2 years I\'ve been getting DSMO treatments every 6 months (once a week for about 6 weeks). I\'ve found these to be amazingly helpful. It\'s been about 8 months since my last treatments and that is why I think I have a bad flare up now. I am able to drink coffee (sometimes) and basically anything I want for up for 6 months after the treatments and feel fine! During this current bad flare up (the worst it\'s ever been) I\'ve tried cinnamon pills, baking soda, and colliaded silver. So far cinnamon pills and baking soda may have helped a little and just took the silver so I\'m not sure how that will work. I would HIGHLY advise to get DSMO. The first treatment or 2 can be pretty painful in itself, but after that the results are so worth it. Good luck everyone :) "

Multiple Remedies

Tue, 24 Jan 12 15:56:16 -0600

Mag from Philadelphia, Pa writes: "I have had IC for 3 years now - it started with a UTI and an acute onset of endometriosis and pelvic floor dysfunction. At first, I had a small amount of pain when I ate sugar and fruit - not huge, just a little. I went on antibiotics for 9 months and I was better while on them (I no longer had to get up during the night at all to use the restroom), but I think I further aggrevated my candida problem, which I think is at the root of all of this. I now have no more endometriosis and my PFD has also resolved (anticandida diet and active release technique helped that). I believe I have had candida for a very long time, possibly since I was a young child, and that set me up for a series of 4 or 5 UTIs which brought all of this on. I have been detoxing for a year and a half and have tried numerous herbs, diets (Macrobiotic for 6 months) and I am now trying bladder insulflations of Ozone, which have shown some promise. I was also trying oral Hydrogen Peroxide therapy, but that caused me a huge flare - and I don't really get big flares, just minor irritation. I am thinking of quieting my bladder lining a bit and then doing IV Hyrdrogen Peroxide along with the Ozone to chase out these bad bugs. I am on a strict anticandida diet and I eat lots of good fat (as called for in Bee's healing diet). I am hopeful that I will finally find the holy grail and get rid of this stuff for good. I have had candida in my stomach (gastritis), intestines (IBS), sinuses, on my face and on my scalp and getting rid of it in the bladder has been the hardest. Good luck to everyone with this horrific illness. "

Baking Soda

Fri, 06 Jan 12 21:51:29 -0600

Mary from Tucson, Az, United States writes: "I have had IC for 30 years. My main pain triggers are vinegar, lemon, citric acid, acidic foods, vitamin C, some of the B vitamins. I am unable to take any products with citrates, orotates, asporotates. The perfect remedy for me is 1/8 tsp. Baking soda (I use nonaluminum product from health store) mixed into very warm water. Usually pain subsides within the hour. If not, I take another 1/8 tsp. It is important to read labels carefully because many products contain triggers. My flare will occur within hours of eating a substance so I have learned that even small amounts of vinegar in mayonaise and salad dressing can be a problem. Before I reached menopause, hormones (I believe estrogen) were a trigger as well. That occurred at onset of menstrual cycle. An over the counter product for vaginal burning was very helpful to me at that time. It contained Benzocaine for numbing. I would only use for extreme pain though because it contains parabans, etc. I learned these are common causes of flares at the IC website: Vitamin C, some B vitamins, the hormone Estrogen, acidic foods. Unfortunately, I suffered many years before I found what was helpful for my flares. Now I forget that I even have IC because I can treat it so easily. I'm hoping this will be helpful to someone. "

Baking Soda, Peppermint Extract

Mon, 31 Oct 11 01:17:03 -0500

[YEA] Sharron from Grove, Ok Oklahoma writes: "I've been suffering a terrible flare of IC. Apparently, I've had it for years, although I just learned about it recently. I've adjusted my diet to eliminate all acidic type foods. Onions appear to have been a particularly bad thing for me, and I used to eat them all the time! Anyway, I'm still recovering from this flare -- it's been two weeks now that it's been bad. I came on the EC site about a week ago and read separate posts about peppermint tea and baking soda. Well, what I've discovered is that both of those things help me. However, what seems to help me best when I'm having a lot of pain and urgency is 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and a few drops of stevia extract mixed with either 7 drops of peppermint extract (not oil) OR a strong-brewed cup of peppermint (leaf) tea. Within minutes I'm feeling better. If it is during the night, I'm able to go back to sleep right away instead of laying awake with stabbing pain in my abdomen. Additionally, I've lost 6 pounds in a week. I think it is related to all the inflammation that the IC was causing. I hope that it will continue! I hope my little remedy will help others who are suffering. Thanks for a great site. I almost always come here first when I need a remedy for something. Blessings! "

General Feedback

Sun, 18 Sep 11 20:09:49 -0500

Shanna Anderson from Philadelphia, Pa writes: "I have suffered from IC for 5 years but was only diagnosed 2 years ago. The urologist perscribed me Elmiron and I noticed that only works sometime and when I stopped taking it completely the symptoms came right back. I have noticed hair loss due to taking this medication. I have read all of the other remedies on this site and I will be trying a few of them tomorrow. "

Remedies Needed

Thu, 01 Sep 11 16:34:13 -0500

Carolj from Palatka, Fl writes: "Help!!! Have had fibro for 30 yrs and IC for 5. Sex is impossible. I can hardly wipe myself after urinating at times. So I mean no intimacy. I just started w/a new urologist and return next week. I can't bring myself to douche, but the boric acid capsules sound promising. Can there b long term bad effects from this? My diet is very good and I have fibro massage 2Xs a wk. The pain wakes me in the middle of night and I take pain meds. I want something natural. "

Multiple Remedies

Sun, 24 Jul 11 02:28:33 -0500

Pam from Redding, Ca. writes: "If you have IC, you do not have an active infection that causes it. I was diagnosed 23 years ago. All of the so called intrusive torture will not make it go away. An infection could occur because of the open damage in the bladder wall, but it is not an infection. I had every thing done to me, from the acid burnout, stretching, tens, lasers, & DMSO. I lived in horrible pain for three years to over come all of the damage caused by doctors. No doctor will ever touch my bladder again. The mild no acid diet, tums, baking soda all help the symptoms, but will not make it go away. Stop lower body weight work or bike riding or any movements that compromise the bladder until it can heal a bit. It is very slow to heal the wounds. Amitriptyline or elival is an older anti depressant that has a pain relief element. It is safe to take and especially at night. I have been taking it for 23 year. The best thing I found that gave me back my life is an OXYTROL patch. It is a smooth muscle relaxant and it stops the bladder from going into spasm. It is very important to learn relaxation techniques. You may need to destress your life as well. I have had it under control for many years without any huge flareups. I just returned from a clinic that is for chronic pelvic pain. IC falls under that. I went for a problem with my pelvic floor muscles. You can find the info under The Wise-Anderson Protocal. The program came out of Stanford. The Urological Association has just come out will info on IC that suggests it is a muscle pain problem. The clinic teaches you how to do the work of healing your self. It is a long road, but pain is a great motovator. The books Dr. Wise has written are helpful, but the Trigger Point Release Therapy is amazing. Tim Sawyer is a fantastic Physical Therapist. He was taught by the original founder of Trigger Point release. Read all the info and listen to their videos. They may be very helpful. By the way there were 4 men and only two women at the clinic. I never realized that men suffered so badly from their version of IC. Good luck to all. You are not alone. There is hope. "

Aloe Vera

Thu, 16 Jun 11 22:17:58 -0500

Pinklight from New Orleans, Louisiana writes: "I am interested to know if anyone has used a special aloe vera formula for ic available from two particular companies that are online. These aloe capsules are formulated specifically and takes 2-3 months to cure, not treat ic. Both companies have the word "harvest" in them. -Pinklight "