M.J., New York

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M.J., New York

IC started for me during Christmas of 2002. (It had been brewing before that but I became symptomatic around Christmas). I had what I thought was a UTI starting, and because we were going away for the holidays I thought I should get it checked out. They saw things in my urine so they prescribed antibiotics and off I went. Well they didn't work as they always had in the past so I just thought I needed a stronger prescription. When I got back and called, they said there was only one problem, I didn't have a UTI, the labs came back normal. That was crazy, something was wrong. I still had frequency and the constant urge to pee, especially at night. I had discomfort after I urinated that lasted for many hours. I also felt some burning, itching, soreness etc that came and went from day to day. I went in to see the doctor and he said I had a prolapsed bladder. Could this be causing my symptoms, maybe, maybe not, he wasn't sure so more antibiotics, Ditropan for a while and then Detrol. It seemed to help with the frequency but the uncomfortableness was getting worse. We then discussed surgery. I was also craving sugar like crazy. I had always loved my sweets but this was getting worse.

I started to look to the Internet to find answers. Every time I put my symptoms in, back came this disease IC. I asked my doctor and he immediately said "NO" and wanted to try other things. I just couldn't figure it out and the more I read on the IC sites the more frightened I became. I knew in my heart it was IC and the prospect for treatment was hopeless. In March, after 3 months of going back and forth about what to do I just prayed to God, not for him to take it away, but for him to lead me to someone who could help me. That night I found Jane and Alyson's site which led me to Matia. It was an answer to my prayers. I started the diet the next day and threw away my birth control pills, I had only taken these for two years and it was for painful periods not anything else, so out they went. I started with Matia about 3 weeks later and I have been on the road to recovery since.

I am now in month 7 of treatment ( 8 months total ) because I started the diet a month before. I have to say I am feeling great. Matia thought it was antibiotics, sugar and the birth control pills that led me down my path. Pretty quickly after I started the diet I started to feel a little better so I knew I was on to something. Matia told me she could turn this around fairly quickly and she did. Each month I felt a little better. I had good and bad days but they kept going better. The amazing thing was that each month she was so right in her description of how things would go. My uncomfortableness was less each month and the times I felt bad after I urinated decreased. My frequency improved and it got less and less. I still had good and bad days but they became good and bad times of the day instead of all day. One thing I did that was so helpful in this treatment was to keep a journal of the days and pain. It really helped me to stay positive, see my progress and describe my symptoms to Matia. 

Today, I feel almost normal, a twinge here and there but I could easily live like this for the rest of my life although I truly believe this will go away too. Other things have gotten better also and what's really amazing is I didn't ask for help with them. My constipation is better, no cottonwood allergies this whole spring/summer, cold hands are gone, my cramps/bloating that caused me to go on the pill in the first place have been gone since I started treatment, my night sweats went away and guess what, no more

problems feeling like I had a prolapsed bladder. Matia says when you have a healthy immune system these things don't happen and she is SO right.

The diet is ok, I can eat and drink everything on list 1 and 2 and I find I don't mind at all. I think other people feel worse about it than I do. I know I will never go back to my old ways of eating and I am trying to turn things around for my family to spare them problems later in life. I also believe there is another plan God had for me in getting this disease and finding Matia. Not only was it to see how I was living, change my health and draw closer to him but it is to help my daughter Rayanna who probably has the beginnings of IC as I write this. Matia is now helping to get her back to health and out of pain.

I started this journey not know anything about Chinese medicine but I now completely believe in its ability to heal. I share my story with anyone who will listen and know I am going to come out stronger and balanced both physically and spiritually. I thank God for Jane and Alyson for starting this site and Matia and her staff for helping me to feel better than I ever though I could. I also am so grateful for my husband, family, friends and and my support group because they have encouraged me every step of the way. If you are thinking about starting, please talk to Matia. She knows this disease and will give you everything she's got to get you on the road to recovery. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. She's only a phone call away. God Bless!