If your bladder symptoms improve while you are on the elimination diet, this means that at least 1 of the foods was irritating your bladder. The next step is to find out exactly which foods cause bladder problems for you. If this food does not bother your bladder within 24 hours, this food is likely safe and can be added back into your regular diet. The next day, try eating a second food from the list, and so on. In this way, you will add the foods back into your diet one at a time, and your bladder symptoms will tell you if any food causes problems for you.
Be sure to add only 1 new food to your diet each day. When lifestyle changes do not help enough, your health care provider may ask you to try a prescription drug. You may take the drug alone or along with behavioral therapy. The 2 types of prescription drugs that may be recommended are, oral and intravesical drugs. There are many types of oral drugs, and the side effects range from drowsiness to upset stomach.
Intravesical prescription drugs are placed directly into the bladder with a catheter. Two treatments are approved by the U. No one knows exactly how this drug works for IC. Many people think that it builds and restores the protective coating of the bladder tissue. It may also help by decreasing swelling or by other actions. Possible side effects are not common, but may include nausea, diarrhea and gastric distress.
A small percentage of people may have temporary hair loss. It often takes at least 3 to 6 months of treatment with this drug before you notice improvement in symptoms. It is effective in relieving pain in about 30 out of every patients.
This is usually done once a week for 6 weeks. Some people keep using it now and then as maintenance therapy. No one knows exactly how DMSO helps interstitial cystitis. It may block swelling, decrease pain sensation and remove a type of toxin called "free radicals" that can damage tissue. Some health care providers combine DMSO with other drugs such as heparin or steroids to decrease inflammation.
No studies have tested whether these combinations work better than dimethyl sulfoxide alone. The main side effect is a garlic-like odor that lasts for several hours after using DMSO. For some patients, DMSO can be painful to place into the bladder, but the pain can often be relieved with a local anesthetic.
Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine. The main side effect is drowsiness. However, this may be a benefit because it helps the patient to sleep better at night and get up to pass urine less frequently. It has antihistamine effects, decreases bladder spasms, and slows the nerves that carry pain messages. Amitriptyline is widely used for other types of chronic pain such as cancer and nerve damage.
The most common side effects are drowsiness, constipation and increased appetite. Heparin is similar to pentosan polysulfate and probably helps the bladder by similar mechanisms. Heparin must be placed into the bladder with a catheter.
The usual dose is 10, to 20, units daily or 3 times a week. Complications are rare because the heparin stays in the bladder only and does not usually affect the rest of the body. If lifestyle changes and prescription drugs don't work, or pain or side effects interfere with your quality of life, more advanced therapies may be a better choice. After reviewing your treatment history, the specialist may suggest neuromodulation therapy. Neuromodulation therapy is the name given to a group of treatments that deliver harmless electrical impulses to nerves to change how they work.
If you have a bladder ulcer, having it cauterized under anesthesia or having steriod injections may give long-term relief for up to a year or more. This treatment can be repeated if necessary. Small doses of this drug can paralyze muscles. This treatment can wear off, and you may need to have another treatment 6 to 9 months after the first injection.
Your health care provider should follow you closely to watch for complications, including difficulty in passing urine. When other treatments have not been successful, cyclosporine can be used. You should discuss this drug with your health care provider to decide if your symptoms justify the risks. Try to be open with your family and friends about what you are feeling.
You may feel awkward about talking about bladder problems or it may seem like your family and friends really don't want to hear about them! They may not want all the intimate details, but if they care about you, they should care that you are having pain or feeling overwhelmed. It may also be useful to turn to others who have IC for support.
Because IC can sometimes be a barrier in an intimate relationship, partner counselling may also be appropriate. Use the following links to learn about changes that you can make to your diet and lifestyle to help you cope with your condition. The Interstitial Cystitis Network provides an excellent and detailed self-help handbook, which is available online at www. Although there are no studies which prove that diet is associated with interstitial cystitis IC , many women have found that eliminating certain foods from their diet helps reduce their pain and bladder irritation.
The foods that trigger these symptoms differ from woman to woman; however, the most common culprits appear to be citrus foods. Many physicians now suggest avoiding acidic fruits and juices, like orange, grapefruit and lemon. Cranberry juice is also very acidic, and although some women use it to help combat bladder infections, women with IC often find it causes irritation and pain.
To determine whether your diet is influencing your symptoms, try keeping a diary of your symptoms for a week while on your regular diet. Then begin by eliminating one food at a time, for a week each, and see if this influences your symptoms. This is time-consuming, but it may help you identify simple ways to limit your pain. The Interstitial Cystitis Network found that the following 10 foods and drinks are the most frequently identified irritants for people with IC:.
The Interstitial Cystitis Network offers a more extensive list of potentially irritating foods and details about elimination diets on their website. As mentioned, both caffeine and alcohol cause irritation for many women. They are also diuretics, which means they increase your need to urinate. If urinary frequency is a major problem for you, it may be particularly important for you to avoid these beverages or at least limit your intake.
Although most people with IC find wine and most liquor irritating, some people have reported that a single lager or other light beer relieves their symptoms. Sometimes you will just want to eat what you feel like eating or a particular food you are craving. For most women with interstitial cystitis, their pain and need to urinate frequently are not constant.
The pain may be worse when your bladder is full and may be temporarily relieved when you go to the toilet. You might also find the pain is worse during periods or after having certain foods or drinks. The symptoms will often come and go in phases. You may have episodes lasting days, weeks or months where your symptoms improve, followed by times when they're worse. You should see a GP if you have persistent pelvic pain or you notice a change in your usual peeing pattern.
These symptoms can have a number of causes, so it's a good idea to get a proper diagnosis. The GP can refer you to a hospital specialist like a urologist, a specialist in conditions affecting the urinary system, for further tests, such as a cystoscopy.
A cystoscopy is a procedure to examine the inside of the bladder. The exact cause of interstitial cystitis is not clear. Unlike other types of cystitis , there's no obvious infection in the bladder and antibiotics do not help.
In some people with the condition, the bladder is inflamed, ulcerated, scarred or stiff. It's also been suggested that interstitial cystitis may be a symptom of a more widespread problem, as it's been associated with conditions such as fibromyalgia , chronic fatigue syndrome CFS , irritable bowel syndrome IBS and lupus.
You may also find it useful to contact a support group, such as the Interstitial Cystitis Association or Bladder Health UK for information and advice about living with interstitial cystitis. Unfortunately, there's currently no cure for interstitial cystitis and it can be difficult to treat, although a number of treatments can be tried.
But no single treatment works for everyone, and there's disagreement about how effective some of them are.
0コメント