IC treatment plan

So I finished reading through two books on IC.  The Better Bladder Book & IC Naturally.  I took lots of notes & looked at what applied to me & came up with a treatment plan.  I'm sure I will make adjustments along the way & possibly add on some more things as I go, but this is where I'm at right now.

For some time now I've been taking silica & vitamin D each morning.  I originally was taking silica for hemorrhoids that I acquired during labor & delivery of my son.  I had healed them up in the past & then they came back once again.  But now I read that it's also good for the healing of the lining of the bladder, so I will continue taking it.  Vitamin D was also important in some aspect to the treatment of IC, although I can't remember exactly what it was, so I will continue that as well.  And I recently added d-mannose to that as well (I used to take d-mannose quite some time in the past, but had stopped) to help prevent UTIs.  I also recently added on l-glutamine to help with my leaky gut. 

I am also following an IC diet as well as a gluten free diet.  I cannot believe how much better I feel gluten free, in so many ways.  One of the greatest things: those hemorrhoids I mentioned?  They are totally healing up since I gave up gluten!!  And there's lots of other positives going on with cutting gluten out of my diet.  I used to always think those anti-gluten people were a little crazy & now I'm turning into one of them!! 

Ok, so as of now I am adding MSM & buffered vitamin C.  MSM is supposed to help rebuild the lining of the bladder & vitamin C helps the MSM do this.  I cannot tolerate the normal vitamin C, so I am praying that I can tolerate the buffered form. 

I am also adding on Calcium citrate & magnesium taurate.  I can't remember exactly why these were recommended, but I know it was something that applied to me & these were the specific forms listed--the citrate & taurate. 

And I am also adding on Bromelain & Serrapeptase.  These are digestive enzymes.  I found these very fascinating.  If you take them with a meal they will help you digest the food you are eating.  BUT if you take them on an empty stomach they will digest scar tissue in the bladder.  This will help in the healing process of the bladder.  So this is what I'm doing, taking it first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach.  I've never taken these before, so I'm actually going to start only the bromelain for a week & if I have no bad reactions I will then add on the serrapeptase & continue with the two of them together for about 2 years. I read that it usually takes a year to digest the scar tissue but in bad cases it can take up to 2 years.  So I'm planning to err on the safe side & do it for 2 years.  I'm praying I don't have a bad reaction to these & am able to carry out my plan.

I am also dipping my urine each morning with a pH strip & if it's acidic I drink water with baking soda or apple cider vinegar in it to help alkalize it.  And I'm keeping a journal of intake & output.  I find that when I'm writing down everything that goes into my mouth I stick to the IC diet much more strictly.  It's an unconcious thing I realized.  So I have deliberately experimented a few times & have had mixed results.  Sometimes I have pain & sometimes not.  Without looking at my journal I am able to recall that vinegar, Vitamin C is a problem, medium enchilada sauce is a problem, & green bell peppers are a problem.  At least I am able to see what does & does not bother me.  And I am praying that in time my bladder will be able to heal & I won't have to avoid so many foods. 

I have seen many people who go into complete remission or only have one or two things that they cannot eat/drink once the bladder heals, so I am hoping that is the case at some point.  At this point I am willing to do whatever it takes to remain pain free.  I know I saw someone online saying if they avoided gluten they could eat EVERYTHING else.  But if they consumed gluten they had to eliminate tons of things that are not allowed on the typical IC diet.  That person had said they would gladly eliminate ONE thing rather than a million others.  And while it appears difficult to avoid gluten, it does seem to get easier as you get more experience with it.  And I think I would have to agree, I would rather give up gluten & be able to eat everything else.  Especially when I'm learning that gluten free baking is actually really good.  I had gone into this thinking it was hopeless.  It's amazing how good it is & the fact that more people aren't aware of this fact.

And I still have to schedule an appointment with the urologist & get the results of the tests I had done.  I am assuming that if there was anything serious I would've already heard about it, but I will follow up for sure.  I am taking my time on this because I need my hubby to watch the toddler while I see the doctor & he's been really busy lately. 

I think that's all the updates I have for now..........