what can I eat??

[canadian daisy]

Hello all,
I'm feeling incredibly frustrated and I am to the point of crying...okay well I passed *that* point.
We did our weekly shopping last night and I walked out with practically nothing for myself to eat or drink! What can I eat and drink? I love apples, can't eat those anymore. Or peanut butter. Oh and I bought "herbal tea" (but not tea it had just the flowers and other crp..yuck) I get home and research into it..yup, out of the box of 18 tea bags (variety) I get to have 3. Yipee.
I seen my family dr on Wed. and I asked her about the vaginal valium. Well, let me tell you...she looked at me like I was a total idiot. Then I called my gyn and asked the receptionist and she had no idea either "but I'll ask him". I am waiting for my referral to see the uro and they said it will likely be the END of July. What am I supposed to do? My whole pelvis area is throbbing and I cannot stop peeing. Yesterday I went 29 times
I am frustrated. And hungry and just want this throbbing to stop! How do you ladies have intercourse? Last night I did..nd I was in tears afterwrds. It made my bladder spasm so terribly.
Can someone PLEASE give me some diet ideas? I m already limited because of my bowel issues and I cannot eat fiber. The peppermint tea is really sucking too. I know it's one of the *good and safe teas* but yuck. I am not one to "sneak" a food item because I want it but I just need some more food ideas.
Thank you

[Mothergoose]

Have you tried almonds, if you can eat almonds then you probably can eat almond butter, just use it as you would peanut butter, you can get it in organic or just almonds no perservatives etc just need to stir in oil before using.

I eat it in cerlery.

There are lots more things on the ussally okay list you just need to go through them, I eat lots of plain chicken and fish

MG

[greeneyes]

I drink water with baking soda, I eat chicken almost every night. I know it doesn't sound appetizing but it will take care of your hunger.

[ICNDonna]

I suggest you print out the food list (link in my signature below) and take it with you to shop. We eat a lot of chicken, pork, fish, cheeses just because we like them. Potatoes are a good comfort food too --- I love baked potato with butter. I can eat white bread, which is something I enjoy. The food list should give you a lot of good ideas.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[Jinny Jean]

THe food list down below is AMAZING. I am starving right now! lol I was kind of in the same boat as you not knowing what I could eat! Sounds like there are SO many amazing foods, really when people say this diet is hard, I am puzzeled! We are able to eat SO much! Maby not tomatoes, chocolate pop, etc, I never ate these things before IC anyways!! ....time to get creative! I should really cook more...

[Briza]

Hi Daisy
I see you're new. Welcome to the board.

The diet takes some time to work out, but if you can look at it like Jinny said above, by seeing all of the the things you CAN eat, rather than what you cannot, that makes it a little less depressing!

The recipe forum has lots of bladder safe easy recipes. Here's the link.

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=183

It does take planning in the beginning, but once you learn the new shopping and cooking routines, your shopping experiences will be easier.

Remember the diet is a means to an end--it can help you feel a LOT better. Once you are able to determine that eating certain foods causes you pain, while avoiding helps you feel better, you'll look at it differently.

Most people with IC do report having food sensitivities. The diet can go a long way to helping calm the symptoms of an inflamed and irritated bladder. Give it a try for a couple of months by doing an elimination diet, and once you are able to determine some of your trigger foods, it might not be as restrictive as it is at first glance. Good luck.

[Magick]

So i totally was where you are at a few months ago but I have realized that although it takes some time, there are plenty of things you can eat. For example, I had gluten free pancakes for breakfast with 100% pure maple syrup for breakfast. For lunch I usually make a green veggie with butter and baked chicken with rosemary or sage or other spices like thyme. I like eggs, baked potatoes, salads with olive oil and salt. I snack on pretzels, almonds, sweet potato chips and carrots. I love chammomile tea and also eat white chocolate for a treat. I also eat pasta with cheeses like ricotta, mozarella or feta with a homemade pesto sauce. Ezekiel cereal is a quick easy breakfast as well as oatmeal (the real stuff). I personally can eat Gala apples and I love blueberries (frozen blueberries is a great snack). Ok, I am starving now!

Lauren

[canadian daisy]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I have been following the ic diet to a tea..and no improvement yet. I have a question..in the diet it says something like deli meat is ok if it is preservative free and all the extra junk they put in it. I purchased some "safe" deli meat..all natural. I get home and go to open it and it is actually preserved by using lemon juice and vinegar! AGGGRRRR. So instead of having a total freak out in front of the babies and hubby I tried it. I don't know if that was what literally killed my bladder and vagina yesterday or that fact I was intimate for the first time in about 2 weeks I was THROBBING and I had to urinate a lot afterwards. I even showered right away..nice cold compress and my heating pads..one on my bad back and one on my tummy. I am so confused with this ic. I have such major back issues that are crippling and now this? I just feel overwhelmed at 35. 3 kids 2 very young still and I am not able to lift them or play like I should be able to. We filled out the disability papers a few months ago as requested by my dr. My back is preventing me from ever working again, or sit for more then 10 minutes.
I just feel like God has put so much on my plate ..too soon. I am also awaiting some pretty scary test results and I have to be mentally ok to get them. It will be a few months still to wait..(I had the brca-1+2 test done) My mom died at 46 from bilateral breast cancer and her mother did as well. So I just need to calm down you know? It's like my mind is saying "Okay..ENOUGH already". Yesterday I had a huge cry..didn't make me feel better but I did it.
Thanks for being here ladies.

[Mothergoose]

Deli meats of any kind kill me.

I now cook a roast of beef or chiken, pork etc and make extra to eat at another meal or to cut up into sandwhiches, this also works out to be cheaper than buying deli meats. I cook a turkey which is actually good value for your dollar and make homemade soup with the bones, it is always good for at least another meal or two, and if there is enough I freeze some of the meat for a future meal, for example turkey pot pie.

I found I have to make most things I eat from scratch, then I know the ingredence for sure. I don't buy many premade products. I know this takes time and with small kids and a bad back it is hard, but really for your bladder, you need to figure out the best time of day to prepare your food, (i don't do afternoons) and if you have foods ready made and available then that is what you will grab to eat, you won't be tempted to eat the wrong things.

When my husband is home and able to help I will make a bunch of meals a head of time and freeze them so when I am having a bad day I can just thraw and heat them up, maybe cook a freash veggie to it.

Also it can take following the diet for a while before you feel a diffentence in you rbladder particulary if you are still eatting some offending foods and not realizing it. The list is a guide there may be things on the allow list that will bother you.

I found I cut out everything on the list so I thought, then after a while I would have what I call aha moments and realize something I was etting which I figured were okay weren't. After 2 years on the diet although it is much easier, I still have aha monments, and realize I am eating something bothering my bladder.

I know it is very hard, but keep at it, best wishes for a good out come from your tests.

MG

[wagamama]

The only lunch meat I would eat at first was Heidi's Hens all natural, no salt added turkey breast. Ingredients: turkey. But it's $7.00 a package, and if you're in a rural area, it's probably not available. I agree; cooking your own and thin slicing it is probably a better way to go. (BTW, one of my favorite sandwiches was turkey breast on white bread with the pear preserves you can buy from the ICN shop. So ridiculously good! Also loved almond butter and honey or almond butter with the ICN shop blueberry preserves.)

I agree with everyone's suggestions. Cooking your own food is really the best option for you right now. Chances are that once your symptoms calm down, you'll be able to experiment with some foods on the "try it" and even the "caution" lists.

And yes, the intercourse can put you in a bad flare. There is also a sexuality section of the message board with good suggestions. I did not have intercourse with my husband for a few months after I was diagnosed, but things are much better now. And there are ways to be intimate without intercourse. Just like with the diet, being creative and focusing on what you still can do can help you feel better about these changes.