Forums:
So I just need to vent a little and maybe get some encouragement from you wonderful ladies. I am so frustrated with feeling so trapped in my own body, I have good emotional days and bad ones. On good days I try to tell myself that the delivery will be okay and if the IC gets worse then Dr B can help me through it just like she said she would (I'm 8 months pregnant). But on bad days, just having to sit and wait to start treatment is extremely hard.. and my mind starts to wander and I get so ANGRY. I just want to enjoy life again, I want my old life back. Will this pain and discomfort ever end? What if Dr B can't help me? So basically, very irrational and pathetic thoughts which I'm completely aware of. I hate that I've turned into this fragile desperate person. What keeps me going is reading all of the great success stories on here and clinging to the hope that that could be me. I'm going to need Gods good grace to take care of my baby when she comes. Talk about added stress on top of IC. Ok I'm done.. Just needed to get that out!
Lindsay- All I can say is I
Lindsay- All I can say is I have to let myself feel those dark feelings. If I fight them, it is worse. This is tough. My 3rd child was 8 months old when I first got sick and yes it was hard BUT a sweet baby is also a joyful reminder of why we are doing this! Life is too important to spend it on pain killers, wondering what's next. I firmly believe we are on the right path. The uncertaintly is hard but I will say that I am 85% mentally and emotinally better than I was last year. You will get there too. There will be hard days ahead but there will be amazing and great ones too!((hug)))
Thanks Deir for replying back
Thanks Deir for replying back :) I guess no one else knows what to say or has any words of hope. So I appreciate yours very much.
Hi LindseyP, Being 8 months
Hi LindseyP,
Being 8 months pregnant is hard enough! Now adding IC..... now that's hard.... IC is very emotional because it makes us feel crappy, and being pregnant just adds more emotions and discomfort in there. All I can say is you can do it, and you will make it... You got one more month then you will have a beautiful baby that will bring you so much joy... I know Dr. B can help you because she has helped me. I hardly feel my bladder anymore, I do experience die-off, but I would rather deal with die-off than my bladder. I am 7 months into treatment and I can feel a huge difference in my body. I literally feel lighter... It's almost like I feel less toxins in my body... You will get there too, I know it's hard to wait. But you are already on the right path.
Oh, and don't get discouraged
Oh, and don't get discouraged if people don't post right away... They will, just give it some time. ;)
Hi Lindsey, I can
Hi Lindsey,
I can understand how frustrating it must be playing the waiting game to feel as though you are working towards getting better.... but here's the good news... you already ARE getting better! Just by the diet change alone you are supporting your body throughout this very specially, but physically stressful time. After I had my second daughter, my IC came back when she was around 8 months (same as Deir;) .. as I think back... I was really not taking care of myself- not taking the time to sleep, eating poorly, you name it and I think THAT is what allowed my IC to get to the low spiral it became this time last year. Anyway, my point is... enjoy this time as much as you can and know that although you are not taking herbs yet, you are beginning to heal your body AND it will heal fully when the time comes. As for being overwhelmed when the little one comes... don't worry.... you, as a mother, will have more strength than you know.
Katie
Well said Fahlmank... I
Well said Fahlmank... I remember when I changed my diet before I saw Matia, I started feeling a whole lot better right away.... and since I changed my diet, so did my Husband because he eats whatever I make... and he almost has no sugar at all anymore.... It's been 7 months, and even he has experienced so many changes himself. He lost all his neck, and belly fat, and he has so much more energy than he ever has before... He loves the new way that we eat now.
hang in there!
Hi Lindsey,
I'm sorry you're having a rough day- it can be brutal to feel scared and alone in all this. All I know is that it is definitely better to share how you're feeling than to try to deny it. Letting it out always helps. I hope that you have people in your life who will listen and support you. If not, you know that people on here understand where you're at.
There are those people whose IC goes into remission after having a baby- maybe you'll be one of those! Matia will help you, it'll definitely be better than it is now. It is not a quick fix, but it will happen if you can be patient with yourself.
Claire
Thank you so much you guys.
Thank you so much you guys. Im sorry I'm such a downer, it's good to know that there are others who understand how hard this all is. I am so very hard on myself mentally too which I know doesn't help things. At my appt Dr B told me to do list 3 but if I had sugar cravings then to add in agave. I don't want to feed the microorganisms with the sugar though so it scares me that I will flare up and make myself worse. The thing is though, I really can't tell what's making me worse or not when it comes to food. I've eliminated so many "suspects" already that Im really limiting my diet which I don't know if it's the right thing to do or not. It's so hard being pregnant and hungry all of the time and doing a strict diet, Dr B knows this which is why she told me to be more lax with it and to just avoid processed sugars which I have. I've been trying so hard to do the diet perfectly because I don't want to be in pain, but then when I have days like today I just don't get what I did wrong so I get pissed and just want to dive into a bag of candy and give up. But I didn't, instead I had some rice puff cereal with milk and berries sweetened with agave. And I'm beating myself up about it now thinking its going to mess everything up since its not perfectly within the diet reccomendations. I guess not being in treatment yet and feeling so out of control with the symptoms.., I get over obsessive with the diet since I feel like that's all I have to help me. Ok now I'm talking way too much. Thanks again for your supportive words , they mean SO much to me.
PLEASE follow what Dr b told
PLEASE follow what Dr b told you and do not worry. I limited my diet so much after my daughter was born in an attempt to figure out if food was bugging her through my milk. It never made much of a difference or was very conclusive but I believe the elimination diet contributed to my IC and general health weakness. You need to eat, girl!! So just trust Dr B. Try to take one day at a time.
Hey Lindsey,
So, hormonal, stuck waiting, and in pain - THAT just plain sucks! HOWEVER, inbetween the anxiety, I'm pretty sure that you see hope - you're going to do this, you're going to have a BABY, with cute little fuzzy things that you can dress he/she with. (do you know?) You're going to start your treatment and you are going to heal - you have landed in a place that not everyone is fortunate enough to find - AND - you took a huge leap of faith - who gets on a plane to go see an unconventional doctor? ALL OF US - we are lucky, aweseome, and so grateful, and thankful for such a kind caring doctor.
Since you mentioned that you eat berries - if you can eat plain greek yogurt - I got through my crazy sugar cravings by making blueberry smoothies with greek yogurt and agave - slowly I even gave up the agave - I love them even now , 18 months later.
From one awesome person to another -
Thank you Deir and Denise! I
Thank you Deir and Denise! I needed to hear your words of hope and encouragement so so badly. You're right Deir I need to just listen to what Dr B told me, whether I think it's causing reactions or not. I'm having a girl Denise :) And thanks for the smoothie idea I think I will try that even though it scares me! Dr B did tell me I could do smoothies. Do you not eat agave anymore?
You are going
to get better, Lindsey! I know it is so hard not knowing what is causing your bladder to hurt, yet needing to eat for your baby's health. Keep following Dr. B's wise counsel. Before you know it, you will be in treatment holding your baby girl. And you might have some very positive experiences after birth which will help you progress even faster in your treatment. I send you a big HUG!
Agave
I occasionally eat it - I don't seem to miss sweets at all. I will have a bit here and there and just walk away - completely unheard of awhile back. I think it took me longer to quit liquor. Up until a few months ago I would cheat more often than now - it seemed to have minimal consequences. Now, farther into treatment, I do something I shouldn't, and my body seems to scream NO! Weird.
Congratlations on your baby girl - PINK! I love pink.
Need Menopause Advise
Hi- I hope someone can help with this. I am 53, still on HRT and having lots of menopause symptoms which I feel must be aggravating my bladder. I tried to go off a couple of weeks ago and I pretty much stopped sleeping. But I feel like I am in a catch 22 since Dr. B thinks that the hormones are agggravating my bladder. I have a very busy job and I am afraid to stay on but feel as if I would need to take a week off of work to deal with no sleep. I can't do that for at least 2 months. I am very discouraged today. Trying hard but feeling very dragged out and tired of feeling unwell. Please send all pearls of wisdom my way. Thank you! Bonnie
Hey LindseyP... I know how
Hey LindseyP...
I know how you feel, I think people with IC are really hard on themselves about everything... Being pregnant you are going to have all these cravings.... I messed up on sugar a couple times when I first started treatment and Dr. B told me if you have to cheat do it on Agave, or fruit...It will be a lot less of a problem than sugar.... I didn't even want to buy any agave sweets because I didn't even want the tempatation. But I'm glad I did because sometimes the tempatation hits you really hard and you need something. Thank goodness I had some agave chocalate, and agave ice cream ready for me.... I did not get any symptoms after, which is good... I tell myself if I really need to, I get 2 cheat days per month.... That way if a day comes that I just need to have something, I don't hate myself afterwards.... Good luck, and like Fahlmank said you are already doing so much for yourself by doing the diet alone... So be proud of yourself, this is not an easy thing to do... but you're doing it!
I'm so ashamed to admit this
I'm so ashamed to admit this but I need to be held accountable. Today was my last day at work so I didn't pack a whole lot of food since I was planning on leaving early and I had this sugar craving that I just could not control. I ate a chocolate bar and 2 handfuls of jelly beans. I am sooooooo mad at myself!!!!! Ugh, If I had some fruit and agave at hand I never would have done that, dang pregnancy cravings. The good news is that I will be at home now and not surrounded by all of the office goodies in the break room. I'm such an idiot grrrr. I know I'm going to pay for this. My bladder pain almost disappeared minutes after eating it, that's the annoying part. That it makes you feel better almost instantly. At least me anyways. Ok I need to regroup and refocus now. If I come on the board in a couple days complaining about how miserable I feel... Now you all know and can tell me how lame it was for me to eat all that sugar. So Calieve I'm going to take your advice and keep natural sugars close by incase this happens again. Before being pregnant I never ever craved sugar, I hope that comes back again.
LindseyP.... Did you watch
LindseyP.... Did you watch the 60 min video that Matia posted? It says that when we eat sugar/sweets, something goes off in your brain to that triggers PLEASURE. That is why you felt good right after you ate... They said that we are wired by nature to enjoy sweet things... We just have to control which sweet things we enjoy... like fruit, or agave... not the processed sugar.... But don't hate yourself, because you will be at home now. It is hard when you are surrounded by all the bad things. Just stay positive you will do better.
Yes I watched it. I know how
Yes I watched it. I know how bad sugar is, but the craving I had today was unlike anyother craving I've ever experienced. I think its the pregnancy. I turned into a zombie and just kept eating it.. so bad. No more though, no more. Its going to be a rough weekend for sure. I will have more control from now on. Thank you, I'm trying to stay positive!
Don't beat yourself up about
Don't beat yourself up about making mistakes, we are only human. This diet can make you obsessive over food. I know it has for me as well, always trying to figure out what causes a flare and what is going to be okay! I hope it does get easier for you now that you will be home and not tempted with all the processed sugar at work. My work is the same, goodies all over the place, but I have learned to stay strong, and avoid our break room. Hang in there you are on the right path!
Help- Need Menopause Advice
Hi- I hope someone can help with this. I am 53, still on HRT and having lots of menopause symptoms which I feel must be aggravating my bladder. I tried to go off a couple of weeks ago and I pretty much stopped sleeping. But I feel like I am in a catch 22 since Dr. B thinks that the hormones are agggravating my bladder. I have a very busy job and I am afraid to stay on but feel as if I would need to take a week off of work to deal with no sleep. I can't do that for at least 2 months. I am very discouraged today. Trying hard but feeling very dragged out and tired of feeling unwell. Please send all pearls of wisdom my way. Thank you! Bonnie
Hi Bonnie! I can't help in
Hi Bonnie!
I can't help in this area but I'm sure someone will soon. If you dont get any responses, try creating a new topic so more people can see it. I just don't want it to get buried away in here, that can happen sometimes :) Sending you lots of positive vibes.
Lindsey
Hi Bonnie- You might want to
Hi Bonnie- You might want to start new threads because sometimes your post might get missed if it is in the middle of another thread. So if you post a thread witht he title "HRT question" you might get the attentin of someone who has dealt with that particular issue.
I think that must be so difficult to deal with the Catch-22. I would be discouraged too. I am sorry I don't have any advice- I hope your day improves. Hang in there. It is hard to know what to do sometimes.