Sensitivity to Foods and Working Out

[loram]

My skin is very sensitive to many products. I can't use tarter control toothpaste or eat oranges without breaking out around my mouth. I also have to use a very mild cleanser on my face or I get really red, irritated skin. I belive that my bladder is also sensitive, but to foods. I know I showed signs of this when I was only 18 and getting my first ultrasound (this was a painful experience). I believe I had it when I was 18, but wasn't diagnosed with it until I was 35 because of the urgency and frequency symptoms I had with no infection. This was the first time I had that. But, I've always had a small capacity bladder. I believe my sensitivity to foods has grown through the years, and with use of the special IC diet, I can control IC and eventually it goes away. If I mess up and eat those bad foods again, then it comes back.

I also have allergies to seven different kinds of mold, cat hair, dog hair, and dust. I break out really bad around certain times of the year. Maybe I have an allergy to something that is affecting my bladder.

I also think that my flare ups (I've had three in the last two years) came at times I was really working out hard to make my body in better shape. This could have taken a toll on my bladder too.

I'd be interested to know if anyone feels the way I do.

[Adela]

Working out - problematic for me too

Hi there,

It took me a long time to understand the work-out/flare up connection. My urologist speculated that if you work out hard, your body produces lactic acid, and that could set off a flare. I also have come to believe that working the muscles around the bladder -- especially abdominals -- causes a flare for me. I tried yoga with sun salutations once and regretted it for a week! Generally I don't flare immediately after a work out, but about 24 hours later -which is one of the reasons it took a while for me to figure out the connection.

I have been in a calm-bladder state for some time, due to medications (Elmiron and hydroxizine), following the IC diet and keeping my workouts to walking two to three times a day. When flaring was more of a problem, even the elliptical skier caused me to flare. I could probably tolerate that now, but haven't tried it again.

Hope this helps!

Adela

[Julie B]

Hi Loram,



Definitely! Many IC patients, myself included, have reactions to foods and other allergens. When it is hayfever season, my bladder always acts up. Also, although I can eat a lot more foods than I used to, I still cannot eat one strawberry without my bladder flaring. I attribute it more to an allergic response, but I don't have anything to back that up besides my own intuition.

Speaking of intuition, the best thing you can learn to do with IC is trust your body and your experience with it. "Listen" to what happens when you eat certain foods or do certain activities.

The good news is that you CAN get better! I was on a very restricted diet and had a terrible time driving down the gravel roads to our house. Today, I can eat a lot more food and exercise (nearly ) everyday. I attribute a lot of that to taking hydroxyzine (Atarax) which controls the degranulation of the mast cells in the body, including the skin and bladder. In fact, since I have been taking Atarax, even my seasonal allergies are mild. (I ended up in the ER twice before with horrible reactions before this.)

Keep reading and asking questions. And again, welcome to ICN!

[ICPrincess]

I used to love using my treadmill, but as my IC progressed, it really caused me a lot of pain. I used to practically live at the gym so its been tough not being able to work out like I used to. I finally got a wonderful in home Eliptical that was actually affordable and easy to use. With the eliptical, I do not have all that vibrational movement like I got from walking on the treadmill. Its easier on my bladder than other types of exercise. I also flare more during allergy season. I end up taking more Hydroxyzine during those times (or Benadryl).

I do believe our bodies get more sensitive to things as we go along. There are things I used to be able to ingest or take that never gave me any trouble and now I can't do them at all. I used to be able to tolerate Macrodantin (Macrobid), but now it makes me feel extremely ill so I can no longer take it. I now break out in a rash on my chest during my period and never had that problem before. I think I have just become extremely autoimmune and sensitive.

[leelee88]

I will be closing this thread. This is a very old post. loram has not been on since 2000.