Welcome Brittany. I say this strictly as encouragement because our expectations can take a toll on us otherwise. I started to see alot of improvement about 2-3 months on the diet. I was on it a month before seeing the doctor and starting the herbs. I'm not going to lie those first few months can be tough, your body is not happy that you are depriving it from things like sugar. I have had some rough days but also alot of very good days. It has all been very worth it to me. I wish you the very best on your decision and treatment should you decide. 

Hi Brittany! I feel your pain and sadness... and confusion and hesitancy... and need for hope and positive stories! Here is a brief overview of my situation:

I had IC symptoms on and off for about three years before they came back in full force only a few short months after I got married (sad, sad day... :( ). I spent the following year trying to find a natural treatment alternative (since I'd had no luck with traditional medicine in the earlier years) and stumbled across this website during a desperate search for IC success stories one night. I called and was told that even though I was two months pregnant (yes, my husband and I had been trying even though we probably shouldn't have), I could still begin treatment.

Last April I flew out to Los Angeles to meet Boaz and have been in treatment this past year, though for the first six months (until I gave birth), our goal was simply to keep me from getting worse (since treatment/cleansing options are limited during pregnancy). I stuck to list 1 faithfully and felt INCREDIBLE for two months after giving birth - completely normal bladder for the first time in years. Then the lump sum we'd set aside to pay for treatment ran out, and I had to stop treatment. Unfortunately, I believed I was completely better and began eating lots of variety again. My symptoms soon returned, and I made the difficult decision to go back to work part-time to pay for continued treatment (I ended up finding a work-from-home position that enables me to stay with my now-7-month-old daughter :) ).

Because I'm breastfeeding, Boaz is still somewhat limited in treatment options, and there are still days and weeks that are harder than others symptom-wise, but I can still definitely see improvement and am 100% confident I am in the right place to get better. Boaz is also 100% confident and always reassures me and takes time to answer questions and explain what is going on in my body. I think what has helped me is accepting that this condition took years to establish (even when I wasn't experiencing symptoms), and it will take some time to heal and bring my body back into balance if I want to do it the right way and not just temporarily mask symptoms.

I know it is scary to make such a commitment (especially financially!), but your health - what you will have for the rest of your life - is so worth it because it affects every aspect of your life! I know this all too well... Also, I'm sure Boaz would recommend that you not get pregnant until treatment is finished (we're waiting to try for #2 until then as well - hoping for just another year or so!), so the sooner you start, the better!

Also, you will have such encouragement and support from the wonderful ladies on this forum. I don't post much but am trying to make an effort to more often because I know how much it helps to read others' experiences!

No matter what you decide, I hope and pray that you will find exactly what you need. HUG!!

Sarah :)

Hello Brittany,

I hope that you find your way here.  While life offers very few guarantees, in the five years that I've been hanging out here I only recall a few people that weren't success stories.  Before you let my longevity scare you, I am 56 years old and have a ton of health issues that I've been working my way through.  The IC itself dramaticially, quickly, improved.  Most of the time my bladder and all the rest of the privates down there, simply don't bother me.  However, if I stray off of propert diet it quickly warns me to behave.  In all honesty, I don't know if I will ever be completely "cured."  I have little doubt that alcohol, surgar and junk food will have to be watched like a hawk.  BUT - I have my life back and have never regretted all that it's taken to get here.

Best Wishes,

Denise

Hi Brittany,
My daughter and I both have IC and are patients of Dr.B. My IC symptoms are different from hers, but she had symptoms just as you describe yours. She has been with Dr.B three years this month and is now 7 months pregnant and doing so well with her IC and pregnancy. She listened to Dr.B on the timing of the pregnancy to first get her IC under control and then to build her body up for pregnancy. She is so glsd she did as she is doing so well right now carrying her baby. Love and prayers to you to get the help you need here. I have been with Dr. B 3 1/2 years and am most days completely symptom free. I have a more restricted diet than my daughter but we are both so very thankful we came to Dr.B to begin the help we needed. It is a constant learning process. :)

I'm not sure if they changed the policy but I didn't have appointments every two weeks for long, maybe the 1st six months then I went monthly, then every two months then every three. After 3 1/2 years I was basically symptom free so I just stopped making appointments. It's really not that expensive after the fist 6 months or so. Also you can get a lot of the supplements on line, I never had to buy any from their office. 

I don't mind the questions at all. :) My daughter has symptoms only if she veers off her diet and gives in to some of her cravings. She really wanted to go through this pregnancy with Dr.B guiding her. She has appointments every 7 weeks, I believe.

I don't mind the questions at all. :) My daughter has symptoms only if she veers off her diet and gives in to some of her cravings. She really wanted to go through this pregnancy with Dr.B guiding her. She has appointments every 7 weeks, I believe.

Definitely caffeine is causing her to have Braxton hicks which in turn affects her bladder. She could drink it before getting pregnant. Also overdoing it on fruit or carbs can be tempting for her right now being pregnant. Definitely stay away from sugar snd alcohol. But each patient is so different as to what they need to avoid. I have tried and tried to put nightshades back in to my diet, but I just can't yet. I have a much more limited diet than my daughter, but as I said each patient is so different. :)

I have been out of treatment for 8 months now. I basically try to eat a normal but healthy, organic diet as much as possible. Nothing I eat bothers me any more, meaning, I can eat tomatoes, oranges, coffee etc. I do eat and drink things that are not recommended but for the most part my diet is so much improved from before. I would guess I am very good 80% of the time. Everyone is different, some people will always need to be strict and I think others just need to be prudent. Basically I live a very normal life as far as food is concerned, but normal in the sense that I choose to eat real, healthy food, the majority of the time. Have I ever sat down and had a bunch of Doritoes and some wine, yes, but I try not to make a habit of it.

Sorry - no stevia. If you want to sweeten with something - on occasion - agave is recommended above anything else.  Believe it or not you will probably come to a point where when you decide to give in to desert, take one bite, and you're done with it.  In truth Ketchyup and BBQ sauce now taste sickenly sweet to me.  If you insist on the occasional drink - vodka seems to be the least harmful.  I used to cheat with that quite a bit and now I'm pretty much past the drink thing - my huge vice is coffee - I love coffee.  Fortunately, for me, it's never caused a problem.  Continued big no nos, even at the end or treatment are coconut, soy, mushrooms, blue cheese, garganzola cheese, anything heavy on the sugar, alcohol. and sushi to name the ones that come to mind.

It's good to hear from you - hope you get an appt. soon.

Sorry - don't know what xylitol is.  Also, don't really know why no stevia.  I can tell you that before IC hit full blown I used to have alot of Smoothies with Stevia - bladder seemed to bother me afterwards.  As for coconut - turns out it's a very strong form of natural antibiotic - I've been told that it doesn't know the good baceria from the bad bacteria within the gut.  Since most of us seem to have gut issues - have healthy flora is important.  Often times pro-biotics will be used to help with that. 

Take Care,

Denise

I was consuming large amount of Coconut oil because I had read how good it was for so many things especially treating yeast when I had my first flare. Pain continually worsened until I could barely stand up straight.  Little did I know I was feeding it with the oil. It's kind of like honey. It is tauted as a perfect food but not for us. Don't worry. Over a period of time your taste buds will actually start to enjoy the healthy foods and all cravings usually stop. The sound of cakes make me sick now and I never thought I could say that. I also do not really enjoy eating out anymore. I would rather make my own- tastes better to me. Just try to be patient and persevere. None of this happens overnight but it is so worth it in the end. 

The doctors decide when you are ready to move up the lists by whats going on in your body. I can't exactly remember but I think it was about 6 months before I was moved to list 2. May is a year in treatment for me and I'm on list 3. After about 4 months my sugar cravings stopped and after working so hard and knowing that one bite of sugar can start cravings again I can't imagine that you will want to cheat. I know its difficult to believe or understanding and it takes a huge committment but over a certain period of time when you start to improve you REALLY don't want to sacrifice that by cheating. I eat scrambled eggs and spelt toast almost everyday with grass-fed butter. Now that I have moved up the lists sometimes I will make muffins or pancakes. You could also have potatoes. There is a recipe section that helps. The Quiche I made alot as a treat. There is a homemade Spelt bread recipe that is really good too. It's easier for me to order mine from an Amish owned bakery. Sometimes the grains can cause pain do you have to be real careful about them. There is tons of info throughout the forum. Just type in what you want to know about in the search box. 

the one that I had the longest before flaring in the bladder was probably vulvadynia. I had red, itchy, swollen inside and out of vagina, red itchy anal, itchy breast nipple, yeast dominance, burning sensation to my skin and tongue, sick with sore throats, coughs, viruses at least 4 times a year, bladder frequency I have had since a little girl and then 4 months before starting treatment I had the painful bladder flares with frequency and urgency and never feeling relieved. Anxiety for 35 years on and off. Everything has greatly improved with treatment. You know what a terrible Flu season this was. Everyone  was sick except me. 

That is fabulous Patty! I didn't get sick either. ..it was a first for me! So lovely to hear of your progress.

You too Mrs. A. I hope everything is going well for you.

Yes, I can have Starbucks blonde coffee...1 c a day. Only that kind works for me. I have it with cashew milk in the morning. It is one of my favorite morning treats. :)

oooh- this is good info. I can't wait to try it!

Never had to give up the coffee - thank goodness!

Hi Btarrh

How are the Ozone treatments going?

Ok Thanks, I hope it goes wel for you. :)