A fact that over 98 percent of the interstitial cystitis/bladder pain patients are in agreement about is that following the IC Diet does help, and is among things that are within our control. Sometimes , we wonder, “Why me?” However, think about it this way: nearly everyone will experience “something” eventually. There are arthritis sufferers as well as diabetes, and others have more serious ailments such as cancer. Interstitial cystitis is a “thing”. In addition, if you asked ten people in the street whether they’re supposed to be monitoring their diets in any way 9 out of 10 would be able to answer “yes” ….and the last is lying.
The positive side is that one’s IC diet does not have to be as strict as you believe. The majority of IC patients realize that they can enjoy an extensive and healthy diet if they perform some research to determine their own trigger food items. This is the concept behind an elimination-based diet. The majority of people don’t have to follow the most strict diet for the rest of their lives. While others IC patients offer great advice but your own diet is likely not going to be like any other person’s.
A thing to keep on your mind is the fact that diet isn’t an effective treatment by itself. The majority of IC patients take certain medicines, and some require medical treatment such as bladder instillations , or pelvic physical therapy. They may also need to make lifestyle adjustments such as changes to diet and managing stress. But ….my observations have shown me that the IC diet is always able to aid other treatments in their effectiveness.
Let’s take a look at the IC bladder in a different manner. Imagine you were a young person and you had a knee injury that was painful. What was the next step? Most likely that the person you were with cleaned the area, then applied the bandage or anti-bacterial cream. You should give it time to recover.
What would happen if, three times per day, you removed the bandage and smudged the sandpaper across the knee wound? It will take a lot longer for healing, surely?
If we consume IC trigger foods, we risk potentially compromising the quality and causing damage to the good that medication is working hard to achieve for us. In fact, I’m confident that when people monitor what they eat when they are taking Elmiron this medication will have a greater chance of success rate…just an educated hypothesis!
Why wouldn’t it be a good idea to give your bladder every chance to repair its liner?
Remember that treatments for interstitial cystitis, like those on the IC diet, require time to get to work. Although it may be depressing at the moment however it could take several months or even years before you be feeling better. If you’re currently suffering it is crucial to keep your faith in yourself. You will eventually be better. Thousands of patients suffering from interstitial cystitis have lived proof of that However, you need to be patient and invest some time in helping yourself. If you’re in need of help go to an organization in your area or join with fellow patients online through groups like Facebook’s IC Diet Facebook page.
So, if you’re an incoming IC patient, ….hang around and ……..ask questions. ……..be you’re most reliable healthcare provider. Keep a journal or calendar. Record what you eat as well as what’s going on within your daily life, what medications you’re trying, as well as what you’re feeling. If you are unable to determine the cause, you can discuss your journal with a trusted person or your physician. Sometimes we’re too involved in a situation to know what could be causing us pain.