Interstitial Cystitis (IC) Diet Tips

Learning how to manage interstitial cystitis can make living with it easier.

For some people, certain foods and drinks can trigger flare-ups of their IC symptoms. That's why it's important to pay attention to your diet and to track the foods you eat by using a Symptom Journal. This way, you and your doctor can be aware of any patterns and you can avoid the things that trigger your symptoms.

Take control of potential dietary triggers.

Here are a few top-level dietary guidelines, as well as a chart that details the kind of foods to avoid:

Avoid foods and drinks the contain caffeine or alcohol.
Avoid aged, canned, cured, processed and smoked meats and fish.
Avoid most nuts.
Avoid spicy foods.
Avoid acidic foods and drinks.
Avoid anything with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.
Avoid anything with preservatives, such as citric acid and monosodium glutamate (MSG).

IC DIETARY GUIDLINES

Download IC Dietary Guidelines

Fruits permitted and to avoid

Vegetables permitted and to avoid

Milk/Dairy permitted and to avoid

Carbohydrates/Grains permitted and to avoid

Meats/Fish permitted and to avoid

Nuts permitted and to avoid

Beverages permitted and to avoid

Seasonings permitted and to avoid

Preservatives permitted and to avoid

NEXT: IC Lifestyle Tips

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ELMIRON^® should not be taken if you have a known hypersensitivity to the drug or similar drugs.
ELMIRON^® is a weak blood thinner (anticoagulant) which may increase bleeding. Call your doctor if you will be undergoing surgery or if you are taking or will begin taking anticoagulant therapy such as warfarin sodium, heparin, high doses of aspirin, or anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen.
Tell your doctor:
- If you are pregnant or plan on becoming pregnant.
- If you have any liver problems.
The most common side effects are hair loss, diarrhea, nausea, blood in the stool, headache, rash, upset stomach, abnormal liver function tests, dizziness and bruising.
- Hair loss, when it occurred, was almost always limited to a single area of the scalp.

Tell your doctor about any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Product Information for ELMIRON^®.

Please read the ELMIRON^® Patient leaflet and discuss it with your doctor.

What is ELMIRON?
ELMIRON^® is a prescription medication used to treat the pain and discomfort of interstitial cystitis (IC). It is not known exactly how ELMIRON^® works, but it is not a pain medication like aspirin or acetaminophen and therefore must be taken continuously for relief as prescribed by your doctor.

© Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 2011. All rights reserved. Your use of the information on this site is subject to the terms of our Legal Notice. This site is published by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., which is solely responsible for its contents.

Capitalized product names are trademarks of Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

This information is intended for use by our customers, patients and healthcare professionals in the United States only. Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. recognizes that the Internet is a global communications medium; however, laws, regulatory requirements and medical practices for pharmaceutical products vary from country to country. The included here may not be appropriate for use outside the United States.
Last Modified December 10, 2010