Simply put, "new normal" implies that
you may never go back to the body or even mental state that you were in before
you were diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, but you have reached a point in treatment where you
feel better and have even developed coping skills that make navigating your painful bladder easier and maybe even automatic.
For example, I am MUCH better than when I was first diagnosed with IC! I
now look at the couple of years before and after my diagnosis as one long bladder flare
where I had to learn to listen to my own body and not ignore what was
happening.
Obviously the IC diet is important, but I don't have to watch what
I eat as much as I used to. I still have
several things I definitely cannot touch: Soy, cranberry juice (but I can have
a few dried cranberries on a salad), strawberries, very spicy foods (although I
can have a pinch of spice in something like guacamole), alcohol, any tea other
than chamomile and mint (never did drink coffee), and "too many"
tomatoes or citrus. I am at a point where I can have one "bad" thing
a day and do well. I am always on the hunt for new recipes and food isn't the
frightening thing it was 15 years ago.
If I start to feel some bladder twinges or increase in frequency above my "new normal," I go back to a strict IC diet, which for me involves a lot of water, eggs, toast, cottage cheese, and
vegetables. I have learned that I need to get plenty of sleep. I watch my
stress level and have coping strategies
for that also. I take Epsom salts baths when I need them (or just when I want
them!), and I don't apologize for the medications I need to take occasionally
because they improve my quality of life, something I lost for a few years! (There is a chapter on how to handle flares in Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet: A Confident Choices® Book)
I still void more often than someone without IC/BPS (mostly
in the morning), and my body reminds me about once a week what the feeling of
urgency really is, but since I truly don't have pain anymore, I can live with
those things and even manage them with a
few tricks I have learned over the years, but the most important thing is that I don't fixate on
them. That is my "new normal."
How about you? What is your "new normal" with
interstitial cystitis? Let's help the newly diagnosed among us learn some ways
to enjoy their lives again!
Sending you all warm, end of summer hugs!
PS: Thank you Confident Choices® shoppers! It seems you are getting the
hang of clicking on the Confident Choices Amazon links to make your everyday
purchases work for our cause. As you can
see below, each purchase may only generate a tiny amount, but added together it
makes a difference:
Here are some recent and (fun!) purchases by our readers that
helped raise $75.00 last month:
The Proactive Patient: Managing Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome and the Related Conditions
The Most Amazing Black Dress with Lots of Gold Sequins Made to Fit the Barbie Barbie Sized Doll
Genuine Elegante Adjustable Oxidized .925 Sterling Silver Spoon Ring with Swirl Motif
Julie Beyer, MA, RDN
Author, Speaker, Patient Advocate
Freshen Up Your Meal Plans!
For step by step guidance for creating your own personal interstitial cystitis meal plan, see: Confident Choices®: Customizing the Interstitial Cystitis Diet.
For some basic, family-style, IC bladder-friendly recipes, see: Confident Choices®: A Cookbook for Interstitial Cystitis and Overactive Bladder
For health care workers: Interstitial Cystitis: A Guide for Nutrition Educators **Please SHARE using the links below!**
Thanks, this gives me a lot of hope.
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