Known as the “acid bomb” in the IC community, several diet research studies have confirmed this universal truth, cranberry products trigger IC flares.
Many women swear by the healing powers of cranberry juice, saying it not only helps cure painful bladder infections, including cystitis, but also helps prevent future outbreaks as well.
Pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron), which is approved by the Food and Drug Administration specifically for treating interstitial cystitis.
Some studies have found that drinking cranberry juice or taking cranberry pills can prevent UTIs, especially in women who are at risk for these infections. But others haven't come to that conclusion. Cranberries don't seem to work for everyone. And they don't treat UTIs that you already have.
Dosages of up to 1,500 mg per day are safe for most. Cranberry pills may be worth a try for those who get frequent urinary tract infections or want some extra antioxidant support.
Although not all women taking the cranberry supplement avoided urinary tract infections (15 out of 80 compared with 30 out of 80), the researchers found a later onset in most cases for those who were using it—18 days as opposed to 8.5 days after surgery.
Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
The cause of interstitial cystitis (IC) is unknown. Researchers are looking at many theories to understand the causes of IC and find the best treatments. Most people with IC find that certain foods make their symptoms worse.
Amitriptyline is the medication most commonly prescribed for interstitial cystitis. Elmiron is the only oral drug approved by the FDA specifically for interstitial cystitis. It improves the bladder lining, making it less leaky and therefore less inflamed and painful. The full effect may take three to six months.
Patients with IC often avoid Vitamin C as it tends to flare symptoms. More sensitive patients avoid multivitamins as it is difficult to find one without vitamin C. Those patients who have their IC more under control can tolerate some specially buffered Vitamin C and benefit from the IC Multi.
Magnesium - Magnesium has a variety of effects in the body. It can help relieve constipation, reduces inflammation, supports muscle health and can help reduce anxiety in some studies. Obviously all of these are potentially beneficial to patients with IC!
Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) has several well-known comorbid psychiatric manifestations, including insomnia, anxiety, and depression. We hypothesized that somatoform disorder, which is a psychosomatic disease, can be used as a sensitive psychiatric phenotype of IC/BPS.
This data demonstrates that there is a higher prevalence of IC in patients who use hormones, whether for contraceptive purposes or not, and supports the theory that estrogen contributes to the development of autoimmunity, specifically IC.
Foods to eat
Fruits: bananas, apricots, blueberries, dates, melons, prunes, pears, raisins. Vegetables: avocados, asparagus, broccoli, beets, eggplant, peas, mushrooms, spinach. Grains: oats, rice. Proteins: beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, eggs.
In the early phase of IC the symptom flares are intermittent in most patients. Over time symptoms increase and pain cycles may appear and last for 3-14 days.
End-stage interstitial cystitis is defined as a hard bladder that triggers intense pain and possesses very low bladder capacity. Many cases of end-stage interstitial cystitis involve Hunner's ulcers. Also known as “end-stage IC”, only about 5% of IC patients develop this severe condition.
Dimethylsulfoxide — Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is a liquid medication that has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). DMSO is put into the bladder through a temporary catheter and is held in place for approximately 20 minutes, if possible.
For about half the cases, interstitial cystitis goes away by itself. Among those who need treatment, most find relief and get their lives back to normal. Treatment is mainly about symptom control. It takes trial and error to find the right combination of treatments.
Though the most widely used antihistamine to treat IC/BPS is hydroxyzine, some people with IC/BPS find relieve from Claritin, Benadryl, and Singulair.
Studies have pointed out that due to the added sugars and water that dilute the cranberry juice, cranberry capsules are a more effective alternative. In fact, it turns out that the active ingredient in cranberries that helps prevent E. coli from turning into an infection may not even be present in cranberry juice!
The recommended dosing for UTI prophylaxis is based on the most recent positive randomized controlled trial19 that used one tablet of concentrated cranberry extract (300 to 400 mg) twice daily, or 8 oz of pure unsweetened cranberry juice three times daily.