Hello IC patients,I started list 1 diet in summer 2011, I visited Dr. Brizman last September, she's been treating me since then...
I 'm keeping the diet very strictly and taking her herbs (RP,Ear,goldenseal, Gan mao ling#2, siberian etc.)Unfortunately, the greatly expected improvement didn't come and, I don't know why, my condition is getting worse day by day... My pain in my bladder is stronger,I can't get any relief. I can barely sit and it's bad to lay down. Dr. Brizman wrote to me last time, maybe there is some food on list 1 which hurt my bladder, so I might try to eliminate those, which my bladder can't tolerate.It hurts night and day without any break, even if I don't eat anything or at night. If I don't eat just drink spring water, it doesn't feel better.I would like you to help me and give me ideas how to find those foods which are bad for me and inhibit my curing.I thought about cooking only potatoes and chicken for a few days without salt, oil and my pain would decrease.And when it's better I would add a vegetable or other food and see the difference.But I don't know if it's a good idea, because it doesn't contain the 1/3 ratio of meat, sidedish, vegetable. Or should I take superdophilus or RP besides?I asked Dr. Brizman, but she wrote only a few words and said I should be the one who tries to eliminate the disturbing food and leave grains and rice.I would be happy to take any suggestions or ideas, because although I'm treated for 4 months I haven't got any better, just worse.It's impossible to live like this and we already spent a lot of money to travel to LA from Europe. I don't feel any better of the herbs.
I cannot work, I cannot run the household, take care of my child. I am crying day and night, and my bladder is getting worse and worse. I do not know why, I did my best.
I am pretty desperate.
My IC started more than a year ago with mild symptoms. The acid burning pain started a year ago, but it was not day and night pain, I could sleep and work. Since dec 2011 my pain increased and my condition is got worse. Now I am in agony. Please give me advices. This pain is unbearable!
Oh my. I'm sorry you aren't doing better. Sometimes it takes some experimenting before you get relief. I will tell you the foods on list 1 that bother me. I never could eat them well. Fish, chicken, eggs, broccoli, celery, brown rice, whole grain breads, rice cakes, garlic powder, and olive oil. Those all still bother me, although I'm sure others can eat them just fine. Also, your regimen might be making you feel worse. I don't tolerate RP at all. I have taken the other herbs she has you on as well. Goldenseal sometimes bothers me, and I can only take Siberian ginseng off and on as it gets to bothering me too. Matia had told me that Gan Mao Ling is not a bladder friendly herb. She usually pairs it with something when she gives it to me like she has done with you. Maybe your whole regimen needs a change? Maybe you need to start out with something simpler, just one or two herbs. You should ask Matia when you talk next. You can write her, but she gives brief answers. You should not have to be in that amount of pain. You need to let her know you are in high level pain.
I agee with Clueless - let Matia know that you're in so much pain as perhaps it was too much too soon? You could perhaps take the chicken out as that is grain fed. Do e-mail Matia or let her know when you next speak to her. You WILL get better.
Ohh. :(
Clueless, How could you figure out what to eat to get relief? And how could you get better? And in this case I have absolutely no idea what to eat. Potatoes for breakfast and lunch and dinner? Maybe this will be my second choice if the chicken is not tolerable.
I have e-mailed to Matia that my condition is getting worse but she answered that I should find out what hurts my bladder... My pain is day and night so I do not know.
If you have any idea please help me! I would highly appreciate!
Thanks!
Hi Budapest. If she wants you to keep rice in, perhaps you could do beef and rice for a few days. After that, add one food in a day. If you're not worse from that, then add another food the next day. If one of the foods is bothering you when you add it, you will be able to tell. If you're not sure, take it out and try the questionable food again at a later time. That's how I've tried new foods. I've been ok with everything I've tried so far except for provolone cheese. I can't tolerate provolone. Give that a try. It will probably be really boring for the first few days you're just on beef and rice, but it will help you to pinpoint what's bothering you.
I started treatment in December, but started List 1 in November. I eat green veggies (boiled or steamed, with butter), potatoes and red meat (beef or lamb) for every meal. I also sometimes eat eggs and cucumbers. Not sure why it has worked out like this but even though I had no food intolerances before this came on, I 'instinctively' feel that this is the best diet for me at the moment. Matia has said to start adding in things from List 2 but I am happy as I am at the moment. I don't find it boring in the least. Can you try the same thing and see how you go? It might stabilise you.
Hi Vin43,
I am doing same. I eat vegetables, beef or rabbit or hen and potatoes or rice every meal sometimes eggs.... but for me it does not work, I got worse...
Hi Tinkerbell,
Thank you so much.
Unfortunately rice is not allowed for me.... But I do not no what to eat. Beef with potatoes? Today I cooked chicken with potatoes in a bowl and I ate for breakfast and lunch.... But I have no relief ..... my pain is day and night and I am crying constantly. It seems everything hurts my poor bladder.
Take out the chicken and the rice. Don't eat them. Stick to beef, potatoes and green vegetables with butter. Only spring water to drink.
I eat beef and potatoes for most meals. Start out very simple. Green veggies bother me a lot. Could be because of oxalates. I don't tolerate veggies well at all. Eggs are acidic as are whole grains. I still wonder about your herbs. Some people do not tolerate RP. Sounds like you are on a lot of kiilling herbs, so you might be getting die off irritation. Matia should be able to make you relatively comfortable during the process of killing off.
I eat quite a bit of lamb because that is more fatty than beef, and we can do with that kind of fat. Lots of butter as well.
You've mentioned that you can't eat them.
Well, I'm not eating much right now. I do tolerate a little cabbage. I eat mostly potatoes, which I seem to tolerate really well. I used to tolerate chicken and fish and not beef, but things change, and now I am tolerating the beef and not the chicken and fish. I can tolerate yellow summer squash and sometimes zucchini. Cauliflower is okay too but it flares up my bowel problem.
Yes start off simple. I'm thinking about your herbs too. I just read The Healing Crisis that is often recommended on this site, and it talks a lot about getting worse before you get better. This could be the case for you. If simplifying your diet and eliminating potential intolerances doesn't do the trick, you should definitely talk to Dr. B about the herbs at your next appointment. It may be too much too quickly, causing lots of die off symptoms. Definitely discuss this with her at your next appointment. She should be able to make you more comfortable.
I'm in a bit of a similar situation.
1) Given that youre in budabest--are you sure your olive oil is not cut with sunflower seed oil?
2) I would go with Tinkerbell's suggestion and eat only beef and potatos for a few days and then gradually add in the veggies. I would also lightly steam them when you add them in. A lot of people have problems with seemingly random veggies. Zucchini is one for sure.
3) I would check your bath products---these can mess with you
Thank you Clueless, now I am starting potatoes with beef and no vegetables, only spring water.
hi budapest, i'm sorry to hear that you are in agony. i have to tell u that when i started treatment with dr. b, my pain level was high for about 3 months (pain level 7-8) and i was wondering what was i doing wrong. i am following the diet, but the reason why my pain was still high was the products i was using. i was using some fancy shampoo which had many natural ingredients and applying coconut oil after i showered. those two were my culprit and as soon as i stopped using it, my pain level decreased.
the first day when i went to see dr. b, i heard that even drinking water can irritate the bladder. i thought this was crazy, but from my understanding, when she changed her water, her pain went down immensely.
Thank you junie, that is great you are in better condition.
Well, I do not know what is my culprit. I am drinking spring water, and use bomasense products nothing else.
now I am starting with potatoes and beef and no vegetables diet.
Budapest, I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well.
Are you drinking spring water in glass bottles only? Plastic bottles bothered me.
Also, it does seem that you are on a lot of herbs. Email Matia and tell her about the level of pain you are in and ask to do something about it.
I hope you get a long needed relief soon.
Thank you blondy, well, here in Hungary I do not find spring water in glass bottles just in plastic bottles. Finally I found a low mineral contents spring water : VERA Fonte in Bosco .
oh, have u looked at the bottom of the ic diet list. i never read the whole page until couple of weeks ago. reading the part right after the list 5 food list was very helpful. it's a check list for me whenever i was having a very painful day.
http://www.icama.org/iaic-diet
Budapest- I am praying for you. It soundslike you are really struggling. I will say that I got worse after starting the treatment. Luckily for me- my worst is still manageable but nonetheless- I was definitely worse and it was scary. I am in my 9th month and I am seeing more improvements. It isn't quite linear. It is more like 2 steps forward 1 back. 3 forward, 4 back . hard to explain.
I think you got some good advice here and I hope things improve soon. ((((HUG))))
deir, Thank you, you are very kind. Now I am trying meat with steamed vegetables (cabbage) and no starch. With Rp...
I feel everything hurts my poor bladder. Even potatoes, rice, vegetables. It is horrible, that I do not find any safe food.
Thanks Vin43... so if the chicken is not a good choice I have no idea what to eat, beef or rabbit would be highly recommended?
I e-mailed Matia a couple of days ago, but she told me I should leave grains, even rice.