Poll: What are your worst food triggers

[A.J.]

strawberries and cranberries! I have given them up for life! but like some of you have said, food never really seemed to be an issue so I didn't pay much attention. but now that I've had IC for 5 years I'm trying to get better at it. did it take anyone else a ridiculous amount of time to figure out your trigger foods?

I also have a feeling that any drink with caffeine and carbonation are not so great for me. I'm sensitive to water and the 3 I can have are evian, figi, and arrowhead. I went on a banana binge these last few days and my bladder is on fire. I didn't put two and two together until my mom mentioned it. darnit

[Waves]

Blueberries

And so why are blueberries on the safe, safe list if so many people seem to have trouble with them. I think I'm one of them! Maybe they should go OFF the safe, safe list!!! I bought bars, was eating them, as I needed fruit . . .

I just wanted to post that a month of giving up foods might not be long enough to determine a trigger. When I came out of remission, I couldn't eat ANYTHING without pain -- even plain turkey (hormone free, preservative free, cooked at home, etc.). I hurt all the time no matter what I did. I stuck to the usually OK list unless something seemed to make the bad terrible, and then I cut it out. It took about four months to calm enough from avoiding typical problem foods before I had my symptoms go down and I could see food choices making a difference. It took another two years before I could really successfully expermient. I still can't eat even one blueberry without dying however, I could guzzle coca-cola all day and be fine now (a sip three years ago would have killed me). I built up to tiny bits of onion and sour cream and then I took a nasal allergy spray for three days and haven't been able to eat them since so I'm waiting for the calming to take over again for about four months before I'll try again. So, I just wanted to give that thought that maybe you could stick to a strict IC diet for a longer period and see if it helps. Maybe it won't, I have seen the surveys that diet makes no difference to some with IC.

My trigger foods. Ugh. there are TOO many! Off the top of my head:

Alcohol of any sort, vinegar, soy sauce, ANYTHING spicy (except garlic and pepper), hard and aged cheeses, peanuts, onions, tomatoes, citrus and all other fruit except gala apples and pears, vitamins, many meds, even topical stuff like soaps and lotions, whole wheat, ANYTHING smoked, acidic waters, tea, dark chocolate, aged meats, ANYTHING fermented, mayo, yogurt.

Gee, it sounds like I don't eat anything but I do! I just have to cut it all myself since most restaurants have so many hidden ingredients!

[Summer99]

Food

Any caffeinated drinks; any spicy foods; chocolate; coffee; alcohol; sugar;

[Summer99]

I feel the same way! Sometimes my diet just doesn't seem to do jack for me and I could be eating coffee and chocolate or plain bread and water and I'm in pain either way.... sucks, huh...

[enip41]

Huge flair with watermelon juice

[Bea]

my major problems.. and really the only.. everything else I can't see making me worse.. since I am horrible already.. I have gone all bland to and no difference in my severe pain.. but definite no no's

any and all fruit. .except blueberries
tea, coffee
juice
soda
tomatoes in large quanity.. if I take prelief with a little I am okay
chocolate.. I don't even remember what this tastes like anymore
doritoes.. or any type of chip like that
red wine
regular vitamins

[Charisse]

Wow there is such a difference with everyone. I really thought diet played no part in my symptoms either but it sounds like it's just going to take me a long time to figure it out. I'm flaring bad right now but looking back at the past week I've eaten a lot of bad things. Starting last week I was drinking Vitamin Water. I feel like I'm vitamin deficient! Then I had Mr. Pibb, white chocolate mocha, low-acid coffee, Pepsi, Buffered Vit C, cashews -I just don't understand how I used to be able to eat all this stuff and the IC just seemed to come on overnight!

[enip41]

Food triggers

I have to be super careful with food. You have me wondering about cashews. I ate those too. Think I'll give those up too just in case that was it.

[Roxie2007]

My biggest triggers: anything with tomato in it, citric acid (which is in everything these days!), tea, chocolate, most spices.........don't ya just hate IC!!!!!

[Trixie50]

Diet coke is the worst trigger for me. Then tea, wine and tomatoes.

Lesser triggers, but I still can't eat them, are just about everything on the "usually problematic list". I'm going to have to totally change the way I cook. I made the most delicious pork this weekend, and used the dried soup mix to spice it in the crock pot, and it was a big trigger. It kills me to see that delicious left over pork and know I can't have it.

No mayo. No salad dressings. No vinegar. No cheddar cheese. No no no no no no no no no

[TexasHoney]

Here is my top 10 list:

1. Sodas
2. Coffee
3. Green Tea
4. Tomatoes
5. Spicy Foods
6. Watermelon
7. Chocolate
8. Lemons
9. Alcohol
10. Vitamin water. I discovered that about 5 hours ago.

[mimimama]

Beware Of All Vitamin Type Waters!

I agree, Vitamin waters and Propel are the worst. Everytime I drink one, even when I am in a bit of remission, it sends me back into a HUGE flre. Beware ladies!

[Moad]

1.Chinese food
2.Orange or Fruit Punch Gatorade
3.Spicy foods
4.soda (I can tollerate a sip or even a tiny cup)
5.Fruit
6.#1. trigger....STRESS!!! or Holding my urine to long will cause HUGE flares.
I know there are others but these are the main ones. thankfully I can have chocolate...YAY:woohoo: !! and limit tomato products and I will allow one iced decaf, one shot coffee a month and I do ok.....so far!

[tiffRN83]

My worst triggers seem to be yogurt and grapes. I can tolerate the occasional alcoholic beverage (but not the malt liquors like mikes or bacardi's.) and I seem to do OK with low acid OJ and some juices or snapples and the occasional Sprite. Uncooked onions are also a huge NO NO for me. I do ok with home made salsa, as long as my fiance doesn't put too much onions in there! Fortunately, chocolate isn't that bad of a trigger for me, and I never liked coffee. I just miss my Dr Pepper and Cherry Coke!!

[Maxeeeeene]

what can you drink? I can't drink anything except water.

I'm wondering about people's experience with Puroroast. I just ordered seven bags of it. But I'm not so sure it's okay with my bladder. I take 3 preliefs before drinking. Still...

I'm dying to find something to drink. Please--anyone--give me some suggestions about safe drinks. I thought I could drink tea with prerelif--I was peeing every ten minutes.

Are there any safe teas?

Also--any advice on what to do about flares? I need something to put me out of my misery!

I do find that the pyridium helps--but my doctor will only prescribe six a month.

Thanks everyone.

Maxine