The eternal question of interstitial cystitis patients - "What can we drink that won't hurt our bladders?" Well, there's plenty that you can drink but you have to make bladder friendly choices. If, for example, you're in the midst of an IC flare, it's not the time to drink products high in acid or caffeine that are well known for irritating the bladder. But, there are low acid versions of several drinks that can give you variety to your daily routine!

When your bladder is flaring, the safest drinks are clearly water, milk, hot water with honey, peppermint and/or chamomile herbal tea. If your symptoms have improved, try the low acid herbal teas by Celestial Seasonings or the herbal coffees, such as Pero or Cafix. If these are well tolerated, you can then graduate to "real" low acid coffees, such as Puroast and Euromild.

Fruit juices, such as OJ or cranberry, are too irritating for an IC bladder due to their high acid levels. Pear and blueberry juices, however, are much more bladder friendly. You can also try some baby juices which are usually much less acidic. Adult juices are, unfortunately, usually too acidic.

Try to remember that nighttime frequency and discomfort is often a direct reflection of what you've eaten or drunk that day. If you're struggling, go back to the basics and IC safe beverages. Your job is to calm and soothe that tender, achy bladder. If you're not sure about drinking something, just ask yourself "Would I pour this on a wound on my hand?" If the answer is "no," then try something else! In our experience, the patients who struggle the most are those who drink that one cup of coffee a day. It's important to let that go. Best wishes to you! - Jill O., ICN Founder