What vitamins can we take...

[zanne]

I used to always take a multivitamin daily ever since I was diagnosed and read that they would cause a flare I immediately stopped taking them.

I am now worried about my vitamin deficiencies. What vitamins can I take? And how are we suppose to get our daily amount of Vit C if we can not have it? I am so confused and I am just worried about my health. I am trying to stick to the IC diet, but it really isn't that health conscience.

Thanks,
Sue

[journalibra]

I am worried about the same things. Our diet is so restrictive it can't be healthy if we stick to it 100%. However, wht I am finding is if I take Prelief I am able to have some of the things that we're not supposed to have. My best suggestion with the vitamins is to ask your doctor. I know I had asked my doctor if I could take calcium pills to help with my not drinking milk or having any milk products. My doctor also has IC and she said that's fine. I see my doctor in a week and I will ask her about any multivitamins that are safe of IC flares if you'd like.

[Roxie2007]

HI! I have found that I can take the Whole Food Complete vitamins from the Whole Foods store. It has Vit. C. in it and it's never bothered me....and then I take "Blood Builder" iron pills from the Mega Food. They are cold fusion "foodstate" nutrients. (reg. iron pills cause constipation for me) I have to have my blood checked every 6 mo. now because I've had gastric bypass and all my levels have come back ok for vit.s Good luck. Roxie

[ICNDonna]

Some ICers find they can tolerate children's vitamins with no problem.

Donna

[blue]

Lord have mercy, no vitamins for me. They cause huge problems.

[chainsaw]

Vitamins

I have started taking Centrum Chewables. I have trouble swallowing big pills. I know that the Centrum Chewables has the citric acid in them, BUT I had to get on a multi-vitamins regimine because I am thinning out a little on top (can't have that) so I thought taking a vitamin may help. The doctor did blood test to check for Thyroid and Anemia, but those came back OK.

Kim

[Kathy in Canada]

vitamins when on ic diet

Hi there,

I don't take any vitamin pills. Maybe I will try at some time when my IC is stable. For now, I just am very careful with my diet. I asked the dr when I was first diagnosed (he sees a lot of IC patients) about vitamin pills. He told me not to even think of going there at that point.


For Vitamin C I make sure that everyday I eat vegetables that are high in vitamins C like peppers, broccoli and brussel spouts. I try to use green, red, yellow and orange peppers in as many ways a possible, I cut them in strips to dip raw into mashed ricotta cheese that is thinned with a bit of milk and olive oil. I add dill or oregano plus salt and pepper to this. I also use the same mixture to make tuna or chicken salad and add peppers and celery to it. I put peppers in salad. I add peppers and/or broccoli (sauteed or microwaved) to pasta, pizza or soup. I cut brussel sprouts in half the long way and microwave them in a little bit of water until they are cooked just right - don't over cook them. It takes about 4 min for about 2 cups - but try less to start.

As far as they rest of my diet goes, I try to eat as widely as the IC diet allows me to & most of time only eat foods that are good nutrition-wise. I do eat potato chips, vanilla ice cream or white chocolate once in a while.

Take care.

Kathy

[Roxie2007]

HI Kathy! Do you know that peppers are on the BIG no no list for IC? Any night shade foods are bad for ICer's. As is salt and pepper. You also mentioned pizza. Do you put tomato sauce on it?...another no no. You might try eliminating these things and taking a good vitamin instead, I'll bet you'll see a big difference in your IC symptoms. Roxie

[zanne]

I go back to the uro at the end of the month I will have to make up a list of questions for him, one will be about vitamins for sure, this IC diet is really hard to do, I feel I am eating the same thing over and over and I am really getting bored with it. I wish I could just wake up one day and my bladder would be healed and I could go out and eat my favorite dinner of baby back ribs with sweet barbecue sauce. I know that is what I miss the most and also mayonnaise and pizza and I could go on and on about the foods I used to love. But what is wierd is I am watching everything I eat and I am still in pain, so what gives? This IC is sooooo hard to understand, it takes up so much of my time, it is very hard.
Sue

[Roxie2007]

HI Sue!
Yes you are right....it's difficult to live with....but after a while it will become 2nd nature to you...sad to say!
I know it's hard to live with out favorite foods. I had gastric bypass 3 yrs ago so I am limited by that......and I have IC and IBS and Barrett's Esphogus....so I'm VERY limited as to what I can eat. It really sux!
I hope you get it all figured out soon so you can get on with life.
BTW, I can eat Smartbalance Mayo.....not a lot.....but once in a while. Roxie

[born2swim]

I was taking Centrum Chewables for awhile and I stopped it when I got my IC diagnosis. I thought I'd try it one night before bed... yikes! I was up all night (more than I had been the previous nights). I get the same response with chocolate and Tylenol... so I figured those vitamins were a no no for me. I am also looking for a vitamin. I just got a multi-mineral, but I have not taken it yet. It doesn't have any fillers or artifical flavors. Amy posted this on another thread (I hope that it is ok that I put it here!):

"All of the vitamins I take are from The Vitamin Shoppe and I use their generic brand. Their stuff is usually free of all the extra fillers that can irritate me. I use their multi-mineral that contains iron. They also make one without iron. I use their A, D, E, and K also---all bought separately. I know for sure it's the B & C vitamins in regular multi-vitamins that hurt me. I also use their brand of aloe vera b/c it's a lot cheaper than the Desert Harvest brand. If you don't live near a Vitamin Shoppe, they have a website.

I just bought their brand of buffered vitamin C because its supposed to be an anti-inflammatory. (Buffered vit C is not acidic like regular vit C). I'm going to try it starting tomorrow.

I would much rather get all these nutrients through food but IC makes it hard for me to eat fruit of any kind----so I feel like I need to supplement my diet with these vitamins. Who knows, it could be a huge waste of money but I feel like the mult-mineral especially helped me with that sluggish feeling. I've been using it for about 4 months now and I think it has helped."

I think I will check out that place (there is one in my mall here). I was trying to find a vitamin containing the fat-soluble vitamins (D,E,A,K) and I'm surprised that nobody makes one.