Calcium/magnesium diet IC Protocol

[cmclien]

Pipkin posted this in a thread the other day. I thought it was important enough to post as its own thread. This is about the importance of urine ph along with the IC diet to allow the bladder to heal as it cannot heal in an acidic environment. This will also help urinary burning. The author of the blog thinks urine ph is not given enough importance along with the diet. I have been trying to do this myself but found it helpful to see it laid out here. Thanks Pipkin for the link.

Basically the idea is two fold: 1) Follow the IC diet and 2) add calcium to each meal to bring your urine ph up to neutral 6.75 - 7.5. You can buy ph strips at any health food store and test once a day but don't test at your first go of the day as it will always be acidic first thing in the morning. This should allow the bladder to heal and will get rid of the burn. They also recommend taking magnesium either at night or with meals as the increase in calcium can cause constipation which will aggravate the IC.

If you think about it, its kind of like taking prelief with each meal but two probably isn't enough calcium to raise it. They suggest 1,000mg but I am finding personally that 400-600mg at each meal is all I need to get it up to neutral.

[425runner]

I just recently bought pure Calcium Citrate powder and started taking 1 teaspoon with dinner. I guess it needs to be taken more then just once a day for it to work, it's mentioned in the "Better Bladder" book. Also got a jar of Greens+ capsules to alkalinize the body, seems to help quite a bit with urethral burning, so it must be working.

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out

[cmclien]

I was already taking calcium with my lunch and dinner but have added it to my breakfast too. According to my ph strips I got at my local health food store I'm on target. I have felt almost symptom free for 3 days but it could be the elmiron too! I'm not sure it requires as much calcium as stated to get the ph up but maybe it depends on each person. I've been taking 400-600mg with each meal and close to that much in magnesium because constipation can be a major problem for me!

[MelindaP]

Yes, thank you so much for that info! I just ordered the Lifetime coral calcium powder supplements on line & hope to start them this week. I need to get more Magnesium. I used to take that but stopped when I started to feel normal again. I have been taking 2 flaxseed oil caps at night which helps keep me from getting constipated. Prehaps I should add in the Magnesium for extra protection? I also buy Alkalife drops online. They are so easy. I put 2-3 drops in all my water, even my bottled water. A bottle will last a long time. It is supposed to turn the water alkaline. I did this 9 months ago when I had a horrible flare & I think it really helped. I love this forum because it gives each other a chance to share treatments!
MelindaP

[cmclien]

Yes, thank you so much for that info! I just ordered the Lifetime coral calcium powder supplements on line & hope to start them this week. I need to get more Magnesium. I used to take that but stopped when I started to feel normal again. I have been taking 2 flaxseed oil caps at night which helps keep me from getting constipated. Prehaps I should add in the Magnesium for extra protection? I also buy Alkalife drops online. They are so easy. I put 2-3 drops in all my water, even my bottled water. A bottle will last a long time. It is supposed to turn the water alkaline. I did this 9 months ago when I had a horrible flare & I think it really helped. I love this forum because it gives each other a chance to share treatments!
MelindaP

I never knew there was such a thing as alkalife. I have ordered some today as every bottle of water I test is about 5.0 including my R/O water which I drink a ton of. Thanks for the tip.

[MelindaP]

Great! I hope it helps you too! Keep us posted!
MelindaP

[bjwright]

Mag/Cal

Another thing you can do that has helped PFD is Magnesium Oil and epsom salts baths. I also take vit D3 10,000 u-- recommended by alternative med people. The regular alopaths say 5,000. I got relief from PFD/IC using the things listing above. I am now off Elmiron since Oct., eat pretty much what I want, drink coffee etc. I'm not saying go out and try to eliminate your diet you have right away, but... you just might get there in time.

BTW, Mag Oil comes in a spray form. It does sting a little, but hey...

[ICNDonna]

Our doctor recently told us we should be taking vitamin D, but his recommendation was for 2,000 units per day.

Healthy urine is slightly acidic --- alkaline urine is usually a sign of infection.

Donna

[cmclien]

I don't think the aim is for an alkaline urine but for neutral urine. Adding the calcium to every meal has put my urine ph in the "ideal" area, not acid, not alkaline but neutral. It gets rid of any burning at this neutral level which ranges from 6.75 to 7.5. I think with someone who has a "normal bladder lining" its irrelevant but because our urine seeps in it definitely helps to have it more neutral.

[MelindaP]

I agree Cindi. I have been using my Alkalife drops for the past few days & drinking 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda 3-4 a day & I tested my urine today. It is about 7.0. The recommendation is it be around 6.8 or slightly above. I feel really good today, no burning when urinating, ect. I still feel my trigone area is tender (that's where my IC hits) but by making my urine more alkaline, it will allow for those tissues to heal. If I stick to my diet & continue I hope within a week to get back to feeling my "normal" which is very minimal sympoms & I barely think about my urethra!
MelindaP

[cmclien]

Our doctor recently told us we should be taking vitamin D, but his recommendation was for 2,000 units per day.
Donna

My doctor told me the same thing.

[cmclien]

I agree Cindi. I have been using my Alkalife drops for the past few days & drinking 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda 3-4 a day & I tested my urine today. It is about 7.0. The recommendation is it be around 6.8 or slightly above.

Glad you're feeling better!
Oh my gosh I really hate baking soda in water! I've tried it a few times but it is just so nasty. The calcium will do the same thing if you get tired of it.

[Tink22]

I have been using coffee tamer (can also use calciblend which is the same thing) for almost two weeks, which has both calcium and magnesium in it and my bladder has been feeling really good!

I think I will add a bit more magnesium to my diet, but things seem to be going really well with this!

[MamaZ]

I've taken magnesium and calcium citrate in the past and always took a bit more magnesium since I felt that if I took the usual calcium to magnesium ration I'd get constipated (I have IBS that alternates). I stopped taking supplements for years (like during the time my IC was in remission) but recently bought some again in hopes of making my pH less acidic. Apparently they now add D3 to calcium for better absorption and I was leery -- I'm ultra sensitive to supplements/medicine.

Anyhow, I immediately got an IBS-D flare after starting the calcium and magnesium. Not sure what to think. I had been taking Elavil for a week and a half at that point and just started hydroxyzine so it could possibly either one of those but I really feel like it might've been the supplements.

I'm hesitant to try again because when my stomach flares my bladder sucks for days. Not to mention the horrid hemorrhoids.

[cmclien]

Thats too bad! Maybe you just took too much magnesium? I'm like you and generally take more magnesium then the ratio because, same thing with my IBS (pretty much) C these days, it would be a problem. Maybe since you alternate you need less magnesium?

I don't know about the other two, isn't elavil known for constipation? and same with hydroxyzine? or does it depend on the person?