Can I Take Antacids Or Other Acid Relievers With Interstitial Cystitis?
One of the most frequently asked questions by the patients of Interstitial Cystitis is “Can I take Antacids or other acid relievers with interstitial cystitis?”
Most doctors will advice against taking acid reducers. Most antacids contain magnesium, and that’s not something you should take with IC. You also may be on other medications that interfere with the ability to take acid reducers. This is something you should talk to your doctor about. If you happen to be one of the many people who can not take an antacid or acid reducer, you can still find relief. Here are a few ways you can reduce the symptoms or high acid and help with the pain and burning associated with IC.
Foods that cause acidity
Although researchers are yet to find a drug that will get rid of interstitial cystitis completely, one school of thought feels that if interstitial cystitis is caused by acids or acidic food, why not take antacids to cure interstitial cystitis. The problem is many antacids contain elements you shouldn’t take in conjunction with IC. They can also interfere with other medications.
Certain foods may cause acidity in the body and may aggravate the interstitial cystitis. Here is a list of foods that may aggravate your condition.
- Caffeine drinks like tea and coffee.
- Alcohol including beer
- Citrus juices and citrus fruits like orange
- Very spicy food
- Beverages containing artificial sweeteners or saccharin
- Fruits like avocados, bananas which are rich in potassium content.
- Non vegetarian food
Food rich in calcium content may not cause acidity, but it should be avoided nevertheless, since it may create stones in bladder and aggravate the situation.
It should be noted that the above list is a general list and may or may not affect an individual.
Allergies
Some people are allergic to lactose content and may experience a severity in the disease after eating or drinking milk or milk products. Some people feel the interstitial cystitis aggravated when certain chemicals or preservatives such as benzyl, citric acid, and monosodium glutamate are consumed.
It is a good idea to maintain a diary where you write down what you eat, and the effects it has on your disease. This will help you recognize patterns and avoid foods that flare the condition up.
However, it is not always possible to avoid the food that you have poor reactions to. Sometimes you just bend to the food temptation. In case, you do that, take precautionary measures and take an antacid or an acid reliever to ease away the effect of acidic food. Be sure to check with your doctor to see if this is advisable for you.
Home Remedies for Interstitial Cystitis
Alternatively, you can also try some home remedies to do away the acidity:
- Take a glass of water mixed with baking soda. If you are suffering from high blood pressure, then, instead of taking baking soda, drink a plain glass of water.
- Acidity is due to toxins in the body. Get rid of the toxins by drinking ample water and fluids during the day. Drinking 4 glasses of water every morning, empties the stomach, helps in flushing away toxins out of the body.
- Try taking a glass of water with a few drops of fresh lime. Though you should avoid citrus fruits, fresh lime will greatly relieve acidity.
- Apply cold water compresses below the naval. The burning sensation will reduce greatly.
- Try yoga and pranayam. This particular pranayam is called Kapal bhaati pranayam. Sit in a comfortable position on a floor on a mat. Breathe out, as though you are sneezing. When you breathe out, your stomach is tucked in. Exhale once, every second. Perform this for at least 5 minutes. Start doing it for 1 or 2 minutes and slowly increase it to 5 minutes. This exercise will flush all the toxins out of the body and will help in relieving painful symptoms of interstitial cystitis alltogether.
