I'm really stumped

[Toto]

Today I was thinking about the past couple years and how my IC seems to have gotten worse. I was recalling a couple mission trips I took to Korea. I took one last year in February and I also went 8 months prior to that. Both times I went I stayed about a month. The first time I went it was the first time I ever traveled outside the U.S. (besides the Caribbean). Now talk about a nerve wracking trip. I HATE flying (even though I do often). And I'm anxious about closed in spaces in which I cannot escape. So as I pondered these things, I realized I did remarkably well both times I traveled. The first trip I experienced very little jet lag, a few stubborn migraines, and that's about it! I peed my normal every 1 to 1/2 hours. (NEVER had a flare) The second trip I went with someone. I only had one stomach issue for one day the entire time and a few headaches. I do recall one flare which lasted a short time. Flying home on my way back the second time I had an anxiety attack on the flight (which triggered an instant flare of going every five minutes), and so I then proceeded to take a Klonopin, which quickly stopped both issues within 30 min.

Ok...so what stumps me, is that I was eating a lot of Korean food which is typically VERY spicy. I was drinking coffee every day (an instant type that they serve) and was having to adjust to a MAJOR time difference. It's just beyond me why I did better than normal. I'm not saying I was FREE of IC, but the symptoms were significantly better and I was eating most everything that is not allowed...

So of course, now I'm thinking that something in the environment here in the U.S causes more flares, maybe something in Korean food for some reason doesn't cause a flare, though it absolutely should I would think. They use a lot of soy, vinegars and red pepper. If I eat a certain Italian salad dressing here I will flare severely for a couple hours. DOESN'T make any sense to me.

Or I'm thinking this is just coincidental and that for some reason my IC just decided to get worse at a specific time without an obvious cause.

I'd love to just go and live in Korea for like 6 months to see what would happen with my health. I'd still need something for frequency since that has been the same ongoing issue for the last 20+ years. But it would be GREAT to have relief from flares and burning pain.

Thanks for listening... This was on my mind and wanted to share.

[nineteenwinters]

Were you for some reason less stressed during your time in Korea? More busy? Or perhaps being in a different environment helped to cue your body like, "OK we're not back home we don't have to have IC here." I think a lot of IC has to do with mental aspects. For me doing things I did when my IC was at its worse can bring me a flare. I think a lot of things around my house can 'cue' my body to go back to that time when I was so miserable.

I use that logic because when I am out at the store (busy helps too) or shopping at the mall I don't develop any flares. (Now if I was somewhere where there wasn't a bathroom I would most likely flare from the stress lol).

[ICNDonna]

One thing you might look at is preservatives --- I'm not sure if they use them in other countries as much as here.

Donna

[Toto]

Andrea, I was thinking the same thing, that my busyness and goals were keeping my mind so busy. But then again, here in the U.S., I'm a ESL teacher, and I'm busy with my students, and that doesn't seem to stop a flare and peeing every 20 to 30 min. (especially during PMS) I even had my period in Korea the second time and don't recall peeing issues. I'm the type that can remember EVERY traumatic incident of IC. I can recall back to when I was young and had to urgently use the restroom. I remember IC and headaches better than other things in life. How dreadful eh?

Donna, I'm going to ask my Korean friends more about the food they prepare and ask about ingredients. I do know they use soy and various vinegars (which I've very sensitive to). Perhaps I'm much more sensitive to preservatives.

This condition makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

Do you think our sensitivities to foods can change as we age? I know our hormones change, but how about digesting food, etc. Just a fleeting thought.

I guess I could take extreme measures and experiment by eating ONLY Korean foods for a month. I'd have to make sure my friends are using the SAME ingredients as when I visited Korea.

It's funny...I can pinpoint the cause of the one flare I had in Korea. I went to a hotel and had some special tea of some kind. That tea, for whatever reason, sent me into a flare. Tea is iffy for me. Some are ok, some are TERRIBLE.

[Kitty920]

Hi Frances;

I sent you an email and mentioned to you that I think possibly the reason why over the last few years my bladder symptoms have progressed is because of my beginning perimenopause. I have read that during our cycle estrogen hormone acts as a coating in our bladder as well as uterus so we are less likely to have the bladder leakage pain that might be more bothersome later in our cycle when estrogen drops off. I don't know...seems to make some sense. All I know is I have eaten only bland food since May and if anything my symptoms are worst now than when my flare started. My urologist said some people are really not affected as much as others with food..I do agree that stress is an important factor in all of this...we only have so much control over that!!

[Toto]

The estrogen thing is very interesting. It makes sense. Now I have to look forward to perimenopause and then menopause.