Natural Remedies for Interstitial Cystitis

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Remedies to help with interstitial cystitis
Wellness Mama » Blog » Natural Remedies » Natural Remedies for Interstitial Cystitis

September is Interstitial Cystitis (IC) Awareness Month. As the month draws to an end, I want to take this time to shed light on a bladder disease that affects millions of Americans as well as several of my close friends. Unfortunately, it isn’t as easy to remedy as a common cold, but there are some natural things that can help.

What is Interstitial Cystitis?

IC is a bladder disease characterized by chronic pelvic pain, a persistent and urgent need to urinate, (often throughout the day and night and sometimes more than 50 times a day), pain or discomfort while the bladder fills and relief after urinating, and pain during sexual intercourse.

IC symptoms may come in flares, with periods of relief for some people and for others it may rage constantly. Often times, symptoms of IC mimic classic urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms but there is no sign of bacteria or infection and antibiotics do little to nothing to alleviate the pain. IC affects men and women but is much more common in women.

Because IC does not have a cure and is a chronic pain disease, successful treatment is typically limited to reducing the symptoms of frequency, urgency, and pain. When those symptoms are reduced IC patients are able to live more comfortable lives.

Much of this is trial and error for IC sufferers. What works for one doesn’t always work for another, and often a person must try many options before finding something that works. Also, what works during one flare may not be effective during another, so it’s good to have a toolbox of possible remedies.

This video explains IC, what it does to the bladder and how it affects the lives of those who suffer from it.

Types of Interstitial Cystitis Flares

There are typically 3 types of interstitial cystitis flares: bladder wall flares, pelvic floor flares, and muscle flares.

Bladder wall flares are most often characterized by a feeling of ground glass or razor blades scraping the bladder. During these flares the bladder has often been irritated by a food/drink sensitivity and becomes more inflamed than usual.

Pelvic floor flares can be a product of sexual intercourse, long periods of sitting, or something seemingly as simple as riding a bike. They are more of a burning feeling in the urethra, vaginal area, or any part of the pelvic floor. They can also feel like something is falling out of or being pushed into your vagina or urethra.

A muscle flare is typically when the bladder muscle goes into spasms and will often cause a severe aching feeling in the bladder. The pelvic floor muscles can also become tight, spasm, and ache.

Because conventional medical therapies have not been shown to offer much long term relief for IC patients, sufferers often turn to alternative means to treat their ongoing pain. These therapies include heat/cold therapy, physical therapy, diet changes, regulating hormones, water intake, reducing stress, and supplements such as marshmallow root and aloe vera pills.

Heat/Cold Therapy

Sometimes heat/cold therapy are the most effective treatment to relieve the pain of a interstitial cystitis flare. Depending on the type of flare, heat may be more effective, or cold, or even a combination of both.

Bladder wall flares react well to heat as do muscle flares. The easiest thing to use is a simple heating pad or hot water bottle over the abdomen when the bladder is in spasm. The heat helps the tight and spamming muscles to relax and soothes the bladder wall.

If treating a pelvic floor flare with heat, it may be helpful to use  a longer lasting portable heat pad (with a protective layer over it) inside pants or underwear.

Numbing the area, especially during a pelvic floor flare, is very effective. With extreme urethra burning, a frozen water bottle (with a layer of protection over it) placed against the urethra provides quite a bit of relief. The cold helps to reduce inflammation.

It is important not to leave either the cold or hot on too long, alternating or removing evert 20 minutes or so.

Pressure/Support Therapy

The Mama Strut is a promising new product for IC patients. It wasn’t designed to treat interstitial cystitis but rather was invented to help women heal in the post-partum period after childbirth but seems to have the potential to be quite effective in helping many other pain/healing issues including IC.

The Mama Strut has several compartments where hot or cold packs can be placed on the back, abdomen, and perineum…Perfect for IC flare pain! It’s a bit pricey, but for some women would be well worth the cost to be able to place hot/cold packs where needed and also be able to move around instead of needing to lie down during flares with ice or heat.

The Mama Strut is also less bulky than other similar products so you can easily and discreetly wear your clothes over it. This video shows how it works.

Physical Therapy

Many IC patients find that their pelvic floor muscles are very tight. Physical therapists work on releasing those tight muscles and the tender trigger points by using techniques such as deep tissue massage (also called “myofascial release”), trigger point release therapy, and nerve releases.

Biofeedback is also used by some therapist by placing probes into the vagina or anus (or electrodes on the body in these areas). These probes or electrodes show on a computer screen how tight your pelvic floor muscles are. The readings from these can help you to learn how to relax your muscles.

Often times interstitial cystitis patients don’t even realize how tight their pelvic floor muscles are until they see it on the computer screen using biofeedback. They have become so used to living with these tight muscles and now need help learning how to relax them.

When most people (especially women) think of pelvic floor exercises they think of Kegels. This is the opposite of what you want to learn to do for IC. Doing Kegels teaches your body to tighten your pelvic floor muscles. IC patients need to learn to relax their pelvic floor muscles and working with a physical therapist they can learn how to do this using certain exercises on a regular basis.

Many physical therapists use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy to treat IC. This article explains how it works.

In TENS therapy, mild electrical stimulation is applied to the lower back or pubic area. These pulses may increase blood flow and strengthen bladder wall muscles. The electrical stimulation may also help block pain.

TENS units can be used outside of the physical therapy office by patients once they are shown how to use them and can be purchased for a reasonable price. They can provide daily relief from symptoms. Some patients find so much relief from the TENS therapy that they have a similar device, called Interstim, surgically implanted in their lower backs so that they have constant electrical stimulation to treat urgency-frequency syndrome as well as urinary retention when other treatments have failed.

Many physical therapists also teach bladder retraining exercises so to help reduce urinary urgency and frequency as well as learning to more completely empty the bladder. This is often done by systematically spacing out the frequency of urination in order to train your bladder to go longer and longer between urinations.

For IC, it’s important to find a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic pain issues or women’s health. The American Physical Therapy Association’s website can help find a PT who specializes in IC (choose “women’s health”) and so can the International Pelvic Pain Society’s website.

Interstitial Cystitis Diet

One of the most popular methods of treating a UTI is drinking pure cranberry juice. This treatment can actually prove detrimental to IC sufferers. Cranberry juice is very acidic and acidic foods can often inflame the bladder.

Some common acidic bladder irritants are coffee, diet soda, alcohol, cranberry or other acidic fruit juices, tomatoes, chocolate, and lemons. Many people are able to pinpoint which foods, if any, cause flares to worsen but by trying an elimination diet.

Some IC sufferers take a product called Prelief when they know they will be eating an item containing an acidic bladder irritant.

The active ingredient in Prelief is calcium glycerophosphate, a dietary mineral that combines calcium and phosphorus in a 1:1 ratio. When it is added to acidic foods, the mineral acts as a base agent, actually bringing the pH of the food toward a neutral level. (1)

Other IC sufferers find that an anti-inflammatory diet is helpful as IC is an inflammatory disease. Often times this is a wheat or gluten free, low sugar diet with little to no processed foods.

Marshmallow Root

Elmiron is a popular pharmaceutical drug used to treat IC. It is thought that it acts to coat the bladder wall and offer protection to IC patients.

Marshmallow root is used to naturally act in a similar manner as Elmiron, but without the possible side effects of pharmaceutical drugs. The marshmallow root can be taken in capsule form or prepared as a tea.

Aloe Vera

Many OB/GYN’s are now recommending the use of aloe pills to their patients to help keep IC flares at bay.

Freeze-dried Aloe Vera Capsules have been shown in clinical trials to effectively reduce urinary frequency, burning, and pain that are a part of many bladder disorders, but especially interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome (IC/PBS).

It is theorized that the aloe plant helps IC patients in several ways. When processed correctly, the powder maintains its high levels of the glycosaminoglycans (GAG). The first lining of the bladder destroyed by IC is a GAG layer. It is possible that aloe vera is working much like Elmiron, but with no side effects from a man-made drug. The aloe plant is also a natural anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, analgesic, and anti-microbial agent but only when used in its super-strength form.(2)

IC patients should use caution when consuming liquid aloe vera juice. It is often preserved using citric acid which can be an irritant to the bladder.

Regulating Hormones

For many women interstitial cystitis pain can flare with changes in hormones. Some women find that their IC flares are the worst around the time before ovulation and then subside after ovulation. Other women find that the time from ovulation to the beginning of their menstrual cycle to be the worst.

Pregnancy will sometimes relieve the pain of IC until the third trimester. It’s also not uncommon for women to have a big flare at some point during their post-natal period as their hormones are in major flux.

Working to balance hormones can help ease the symptoms of IC,  Essential oils can also be used to regulate hormones as well as acting as pain relievers and anti-spasmodics.

Natural progesterone creams such as Progest can also be helpful in balancing hormones. I plan to write an in depth article on this in the future (stay tuned). (3)

Water Intake

Water intake gets a bit tricky for an IC sufferer. It is important to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water per day to stay hydrated, staving off constipation, and keeping urine from becoming too acidic. The problem is that many IC sufferers worry about their frequency and that drinking too much water will make them have to urinate more often which can cause more pain.

Finding the right amount of water intake can be a balancing act. Sipping water throughout the day seems to be the best option to stay hydrated and still keep urgency/frequency to a minimum.

During a flare, some interstitial cystitis patients opt for alkaline water to make sure that their urine isn’t too acidic. Another trick to balancing out the acidity in the urine is to drink ½-1 tsp. of baking soda mixed with a full glass of water (Some caution is advised if you have high blood pressure. If this is the case, check with your healthcare provider).

Reducing Stress

Stress can trigger inflammation in the body and IC is an inflammatory disease. It is important find ways to relax and de-stress, which can help decrease inflammation. (Easier said than done for someone in constant pain!)

Simple steps like taking time to meditate and relax can help. Help pelvic floor muscles relax by laying in an inverted position on the floor with legs up on a chair or ottoman for 10-15 minutes daily while working on relaxation techniques (listening to relaxing music, meditating, or using guided relaxation).

An Epsom salt bath can help to relax pelvic floor muscles as well as the bladder muscle. A baking soda bath used as an external soothing agent is another great way to reduce bladder pain and aid in muscle relaxation.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Michelle Sands, ND. She is double board certified in Integrative Medicine and Naturopathic Medicine and is also a Board-Certified Holistic Nutritionist, and competitive endurance athlete. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Do you suffer from Interstitial Cystitis, reoccurring UTI’s or pelvic pain? What natural remedies have you found helpful?

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

170 responses to “Natural Remedies for Interstitial Cystitis”

  1. Dana Pi Avatar

    Fabulous article. I have had IC for 10 years but was only diagnosed in the last 2 years. Strictly following the IC diet was not enough for me. I started physical therapy and it has been so incredibly helpful. I found that a lot of the urgency and discomfort o was feeling was stemming from pelvic floor related issues caused by years of tensing up from an inflamed bladder. I am ex ballerina and the bladder pain started around the same time that my back pain began. I have now learned how common these symptoms come hand in hand. Bottom line is that the bladder region is incredibly complicated and interconnected to our pelvic floor health more than we realize.

  2. Rhonda Avatar

    Is there a way to see when these posts were made? I am a member of several IC forums and love your information but so much more has been found out in the last year than the previous 20 that I would like to see how long these posts have been here since new information had developed.

    I am very interested in a few things that are subtly different that the modalities that I have tried.

    Thank you so much for all of your input!

    Rhonda

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      I originally wrote this in late September of 2015, but as with all of my articles, I’m constantly updating them with new information…

  3. Kelli Avatar

    Reading everyones comments was so encouraging. I am in my mid 20’s and was just diagnosed a year ago. I’ve been getting flareups at least once a month and its really difficult having to cancel plans, or miss work because of pain. Just a month ago I had to leave my best friend’s bridal shower because the pain had me in tears. It’s so embarrassing explaining what’s wrong, especially to friends, my boyfriend, and employers. Most people have never heard of IC. I’ve been feeling so alone in my suffering lately but reading everyone’s comments let me know I’m not the only one going through this, and there are so many holistic remedies that I haven’t tried yet.

    Thank you!

  4. Jacquelyn Dykes Avatar
    Jacquelyn Dykes

    I have IC,IBS & Sjogrens Syndrome.I feel like I have been triple whammied! I take Elmiron, hydroxyine & elavil daily for my IC. I also take Tramadol when needed. I have been suffering w/IC for over 30 yrs. & I have tried alot of different things but this site has a few that I have not. I am anxious to try them so I can get relief with my flares. I just joined this site & will come back to do more reading! ; )

  5. Dina Avatar

    Thank you so much for your reply! I am going to my first acupuncture visit on Thursday and will be seeking out some other alternative treatments. By bowel movements have been worrying me because they have changed on me over the last 6 weeks. My dr. has me so worried about colon cancer and will be taking a test for that also. Ughh. My stress levels have been through the roof the past year, taking care of my dad, losing my dad and grieving him has made anxiety come out in me and I cry very easily. Life can be so tough. I worry all the time :(. Thank you again for your reply, unfortunately, I am on the east coast or else I would certainly look up that naturopath.
    Be well!

    1. Sandra E Avatar

      Dina, sorry for the loss of your Dad and that you are going through so much right now. For me extreme stress (like last week) guarantees an attack of IC and the related pelvic floor dysfunction which started 3 days ago. Desperate tonight and on the verge of tears I tried 1 teaspoon of baking soda in a small glass of water. The pain was gone in literally 5 minutes as was the cramp in my right calf. Scrounged through my small collection of EO and made a bath of lavender, tea tree oil, lemongrass and eucalyptus and Epsom salts and feel so happy and relaxed tonight. Think I will take another shot of the BS before bed. We used to give our racehorses 1 tablespoon/day to keep them healthy and it really works – don’t know why didn’t think of this before.

      Re the colonoscopy for anyone reading, don’t put it off from fear like I did. At 63 just had my first one 2 months ago and ended up with a 2nd procedure to have a huge growth (benign) that was taking up 1/3 of the space in my high colon along with several polyps. The worst part of this test is absolutely the laxative prep but it’s a small price to pay. My husband wasn’t so lucky a few years ago and was diagnosed with Stage 3 rectal cancer. He survived thankfully but is stuck with a permanent ostomy. Key is to do your homework and find a very experienced specialist/surgeon.

      1. Dina Avatar

        Thanks so much Sandra for your response and the advice on the colon cancer screening. All of my bloodwork came back very good and my cologuard screening showed no signs of colon cancer, I am 47 years old. I was on antibiotics awhile ago – this is when I found out I had IC, initially I was told it was a UTI and the two antibiotics I was put on really did a number on me and my digestive system. My bowels have improved greatly and I really feel many of my issues stem from the loss of my dad, some anxiety I have been having mourning his loss and overall STRESS in running a family business now. I really cannot say I have any pain with my IC – I must have a very very mild case. I have taken Slippery Elm and Marshmallow root from the beginning of my diagnosis, not sure that is helping or not but I keep taking them because of the overall benefits I read regarding them. I read great things about baking soda as well, so glad that you found something to help you.

  6. Hope Avatar

    Hi Dina,
    Yes, IC is actually very strongly related to gut health. My Integrative Dr who specialises in IC has been successfully treating me for IC and says that it is caused by an imbalance in the gut (for me it started with overuse of antibiotics) which then causes what is often called “Leaky Gut” (btw – allopathic medical drs do not recognise this term and don’t really believe it exists). Basically she believes that things such as bad diets or overuse of pharmaceutical drugs and stress causes your gut to become permeable and leaky… in brief, this leads to things that shouldn’t be, leaking into other areas of your body and causing it to attack its own tissues and cause inflammation etc etc. So at the same time it’s not unusual for digestive issues to be there or for other issues like endometriosis or fibromyalgia to be common when you have IC. So basically the trick to healing is a very very strict healthy diet and the right natural supplements.

    I’m not sure where you are in the world but if you are anywhere near LA I highly recommend Dr Matia Brizman at Bomamed! After millions of Drs doing nothing for me she is the only person who finally knew what to do. Alternatively look up the diet on their website. It’s a good starting point!

    Good luck!

  7. Dina Avatar

    Does anyone have any digestive issues with this disease? I am noticing a change in my bowels to be on the looser side and read that IBS is a condition that many of us have along with IC. Going to my doc tomorrow 🙁

  8. Nancy Avatar

    I have recently read that apple cider vinegar helps to make the PH level of the body normal and alkalizes the body. So my thought is that if apple cider vinegar alkalizes the body then surely it should help with IC (Interstitial cystitis). I also read that a teaspoon of the apple cider vinegar should be mixed in a glass of lukewarm water to prevent your tooth enamel from being destroyed) I would like to try this soon.

    1. Marlene Bragelman Avatar
      Marlene Bragelman

      I had tried ACV but am not sure if it helped or not. What helped the most were ways of calming my.bladder with drinking chamomile tea and lavender essential oil over the bladder area and applying a hot compress to the area. The ACV is worth trying though.

  9. Loraine Avatar
    Loraine

    I just wanted to thank you for this article and your perfect explaining of the three different flares. I was diagnosed 6 years ago at 23 (boo!) and it’s been quite a battle but I’ve learned to take it a day at a time. This clear explaination of each type of flare is actually really helpful and I will reference in the future because sometimes I’m unaware of how to explain a pain or tackle it. And I agree that ice and heat are so beneficial. Ice helps me for vaginal/urethra pain, heat helps my muscle spasm pain.

    Anywho, thanks again. 🙂

  10. Dina Avatar

    I had a general discomfort with some urgency – but no painful urination, blood came back showing no red blood cells, I did not have pressure and foods are not a trigger. Today I have no pain at all and haven’t for weeks even during my period which ended a few days ago, I do have some urgency but nothing where I am up at night or cannot conduct my daily life as normal. I am hoping that as I work on my stress that I can get this under control or gone altogether. I am going to ask my dr. about PFD, thank you for the information.

  11. April Avatar

    Pelvic Floor Dysfunction flares are like having a mild -severe UTI depending on your symptoms. You can have all of those symptoms – burning, frequency, pressure, pain and just general discomfort – as well as other symptoms like pain during sex, muscle spasms, etc. Blood in the urine is more of an IC or a UTI symptom.

    Some people think IC and PFD go hand in hand, as in you always have both conditions, but that’s not true. I have PFD only and go long periods of time without any symptoms and then stress will trigger a flare. Sometimes it lasts only hours and other times days. As time has gone on it’s usually only hours for me now. You could have both PFD and IC, a lot of people do.

    After going through physical therapy, I learned to relax my pelvic floor muscles. So when I’m stressed a flare is triggered, I actively relax my muscles and it will resolve itself without any other intervention. And now that I know what is causing my symptoms, I don’t freak out about it, which will only make me more tense and make the symptoms worse.

  12. Dina Avatar

    Does anyone have a mild case of IC? I recently thought I was having a UTI but what really troubled me was that I was following white tissue like particles in my urine- to make a long story short – had extensive urine testing done and my dr. narrowed down my diagnosis to IC. I was having some frequency and pain in the abdominal area but very very mild – nothing I would take any medication for. I can go hours without urinating, I may get up once at night to urinate but that isn’t always. I exercise daily without issue – so far this disease is not affecting my daily life. I will add, this came out of nowhere and I wonder if it has anything to do with the stress I have had from caring for my dad with COPD and losing him a few months ago. Researching online can be such a gift but I have read some things about this that have caused great concern – like a pretty long list of auto-immune diseases, migraines,, panic attacks etc. I have had alopecia areata, an auto-immune disease, for 17 years without any issue. Does anyone with IC have other auto-iimmune diseases? Also, does anyone have a very mild case of it?

    1. Marlene Bragelman Avatar
      Marlene Bragelman

      I also had symptoms of IC after my sister passed away and I was very stressed from it. All symptoms left before I got a diagnosis. I was very upset that docs wanted to continually put me on antibiotics, but my urine cultures came back negative for any bacteria.

      1. Dina Avatar

        Yes, that happened to me as well, I was put on Cipro for 10 days after they checked my urine and it tested positive for White Blood Cells. I had a feeling that I didn’t have a UTI because the symptoms were just not classic UTI. When I called to check on my urine I was told that it didn’t grow enough bacteria for them to test, hence no UTI. It is a very stressful time for me, I am trying to sell a family business, dealing with the loss of my dad and living alone for the first time in my life. My dr. wanted to put me on a drug for this and I asked him if it would change anything with the disease and he said no. After I explained that I really wasn’t in any type of real pain and with just some frequency – but to be honest I drink water all day – he told me to just go about my daily life and if I need him to give him a call. A bit confused to be honest about this diagnosis.

        1. April Avatar

          You both have pelvic floor dysfunction, not IC. It’s triggered by extreme stress. You tense your pelvic floor muscles without even realizing it causing UTI symptoms. I had the same thing happen three years ago. Mine was so severe that I had to do physical therapy. Now I have occasional flares and probably will for the rest of my life.

          1. Marlene Bragelman Avatar
            Marlene Bragelman

            Would pelvic floor dysfunction cause bladder issues like pressure in bladder when cold, a lot of blood in urine, or a lot of pressure when full?

  13. Julie Avatar

    I was diagnosed in 2013. My symptoms were pretty awful and I was extremely exhausted of the pain and the mystery of it all – so getting a diagnosis that made sense was a relief.

    I have a fantastic urologist in the Seattle area. He is a godsend! I am on Elmiron. I also watch my diet very closely. I may sneak a sip of orange juice but with the knowledge that I will pay. I have found that the medium gevalia coffee doesn’t hurt me, so that is what I drink. When we travel, we bring my coffee along.

    I have trouble with wine, but can have a bit of hard apple cider. I don’t eat spicy things often, and when I do, it may be a tiny bit – like dipping the corner of a chip into salsa.

    I still have pain in the romance department but I keep trying different things. I am determined to figure out what my body wants/needs.

    Fortunately, I am able to live life with little interruption if I pay attention and remember to be very kind to my delicate bladder. God bless you all as we walk this path together!!

    1. Liz Avatar

      Hey Julie, not sure when you wrote that comment but could you give me the name of your urologist? I live in the Seattle area and I need someone who knows their stuff! Thank you so much.

  14. Sarah Bee Avatar
    Sarah Bee

    Since the beginning of October 2015 I have had a problem with my bladder. It felt like the beginning of cystitis to begin with so I called the doctor who sent Trimethoprim antibiotic for me to pick up. It was a 3 day course but once I had finished it did not feel like it had done anything. I then spoke to an out of hours doctor who sent Nitrofurantoin which was a week long course but I did not take it and decided to try and eat well and drink lots and hope I could bounce back. After a while I found I was still having constant feeling of a sore bladder and although it did not hurt when I wee I could make these symptoms worse if I ate spicy food or drank alcohol. A urine culture showed bacteria so I was put on a week long course of Trimethoprim which left me feeling exactly the same as before…tired, run down and with a constant sore bladder and fear of drinking alcohol or having spicy food in case it made it worse, it did and still does feel like my bladder is angry and sore and ready to flare up given any excuse. On Friday 6th November I got hit by a car from behind in my lumbar region and the pains and aches overcame the rumbling feeling in my bladder and I forgot about it for a few days. I then had a meal with Dad and Eileen at mine, we got a thai and I ate red curry which was spicy and since then,which was nearly 5 days ago my bladder has been particularly sore and I feel aware of it most of the time. Today I gave another urine sample in at the doctors and will wait to see if its a bacteria problem and if I need to go back on antibiotics. Part of me hopes it is as then my symptoms could be resolved.
    I haven’t drank alcohol for over a month now and I am so scared it will make things worse. I had a glass of red wine and was sore the next day but that may well have been the spicy thai meal. I also had a glass of champagne that evening too.
    Yesterday, 11th November I have started Bioglan women’s probiotics with cranberry and D-Mannose which I hope helps but some say cranberry can aggravate.

    May 2016…..

    I have returned to this post as I currently have a suspected UTI but haven’t been to the doctors once it started 5 days ago. However before I get onto my current situation I’m happy to say that since the beginning of 2016 my bladder issues gradually got better and better to the point that I’ve been on nights out drinking and not had a problem. I still steer clear of spicy food if possible though. I’m not sure what improved my symptoms. I did start taking renew life ultimate flora women’s formula.. This is a probiotic meant for women’s issues! I cut back on cake and biscuits I relaxed more and cut down my hours at work to just 20 per week and I don’t often have a bath… Just shower. I think a large part of my problem was actually thrush after taking two rounds of antibiotics. That’s why this time I’m avoiding taking them. I think this time it’s been caused my sex again! 🙁
    Two days after sex I got cystitis symptoms soon after getting up. It hurts at the end of weeing and I feel I need to keep going as my bladder feels sore when full and I get sudden urgency with pain if I hold in for too long. So it’s now 5 days since symptoms started.. I started of necking gallons of water and drinking smoothies and although on day two I felt better I’ve gone downhill again these last few days. I was drinking mainly fruit smoothies as as bacteria thrives on sugar I’ve put two and two together and thought.. STARVE MY BODY OF SUGAR TO STARVE THE EVIL BACTERIA IN MY BLADDER OF FOOD!! Also eat alkaline as the infection will thrive in acid. I’ve been sore all day today and weeing lots but this is day 1 of no sugar at all. I also made a garlic and onion heavy soup this evening which is supposed to get rid of bacteria. Here is what I put in my soup…

    12 shallots
    5 large red onions
    2 bulbs of garlic
    3 leeks
    1 bulb of fennel
    Half a head of broccoli
    A whole pack of kale
    Himalayan sea salt
    Black Pepper
    Thyme
    Basil
    Parsley
    Rosemary
    (All herbs fresh)

    I drank a large mug of the soup this evening so hoping it works it’s magic.

    Things which I have felt may help:

    MSM supplements
    Rooibos tea
    Rest
    VItamin C

    Not sure if it helps or makes it worse:

    Probiotics
    Cranberry
    Turmeric

    Pretty sure it makes it worse:

    Spicy food
    Stress

    Doesn’t seem to make much difference:

    Aloe vera

    Things I am yet to try….

    Different Antibiotics
    Chiropractic treatment
    Acupuncture
    Cysticlean (recommended by Roberta)

  15. Debbie Avatar
    Debbie

    I started drinking chamomile tea twice a day and within a month I to was symptom free. Haven’t had a flare up for 2 months. Still be careful what I eat and drink. I highly recommend chamomile tea.

  16. Marlene Avatar
    Marlene

    Suddenly one night, my bladder began working and I have been good since then. I don’t have urgency; pressure in the bladder when cold, I hope the symptoms don’t return. Caffeine and alcohol are still avoided because of my fear of symptons returning. I believe the things that helped the most were a positive attitude and trying to heal my bladder with chamomile tea and lavender essential oil.

  17. Marlene Bragelman Avatar
    Marlene Bragelman

    I am finding that lots of chamomile tea, lavender essential oil with hot compress over bladder and kidneys helps me a lot when my bladder is misbehaving. I don’t have a diagnosis yet but am avoiding alcoholic drinks and caffeine for now.

  18. Marlene Bragelman Avatar
    Marlene Bragelman

    I am so thankful that I have found all of you. I just told a friend today that I feel so alone in this. I have the symptoms of IC and am waiting for my second urine culture results. First one came back negative for bacteria. I am an herbalist and gave tried some lemongrass and helichrysm essential oils over my bladder and kidneys with hot compresses that seemed to help and am doing an IC diet which helps tremendously. I am getting a lot of good suggestions here and will come back again and let you know what happens.

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