Posted by Carole (Connecticut) on 03/30/2023
★★★★★
Been using it for years, I swear by it. People with IC are sensitive to acids and the baking soda is alkaline and calms things down.
Posted by Sunny (Ca) on 11/04/2013
★★★★★
Yes this helps!! I take in on empty stomach in morning. Still concerned about it being sodium?? Still safe than taking most presciption meds!
-Sunny
Posted by Aunt Jan (Verdigre, Ne.) on 07/21/2012
★★★★★
I have had severe bladder problems for well over 5 years now and just recently been DX. With Interstitial Cystitis. My problems kept getting worse and worse and even though my doctor started me on Elmiron most of you know that it only works in 30% of patients and takes about 4 months just to see if it will work. I got on the internet and began reading and one day I ran accross the 1/8 tsp of baking soda and I told my husband the next time the pain starts I'm going to try it.
I didn't have to wait long and I tried the baking soda and within one hour the pain and frequency were gone. I have now used that on several occasions and for me it stopped the pain within the hour a simple miracle. CHEAP 1/8tsp in a very warm glass of water. Not particularly taste so now I put the 1/8 tsp in a gelatin capsule and I take it with the larage glass of warm water and golly gee, pain free within the hour. I know that everyone is different, thats for sure but this has to be a first try for everyone suffering like I was and like most things we take RX's they are costly and have all kinds of side effects, this is easy, cheap and it works great if not what have you lost. I encourage each of you to give it a try. Thanks for allowing me to tell my story, I hope it helps just one IC patient.
Posted by Mary (Tucson, Az, United States) on 01/06/2012
★★★★★
I have had IC for 30 years. My main pain triggers are vinegar, lemon, citric acid, acidic foods, vitamin C, some of the B vitamins. I am unable to take any products with citrates, orotates, asporotates. The perfect remedy for me is 1/8 tsp. Baking soda (I use nonaluminum product from health store) mixed into very warm water. Usually pain subsides within the hour. If not, I take another 1/8 tsp. It is important to read labels carefully because many products contain triggers. My flare will occur within hours of eating a substance so I have learned that even small amounts of vinegar in mayonaise and salad dressing can be a problem. Before I reached menopause, hormones (I believe estrogen) were a trigger as well. That occurred at onset of menstrual cycle. An over the counter product for vaginal burning was very helpful to me at that time. It contained Benzocaine for numbing. I would only use for extreme pain though because it contains parabans, etc.
I learned these are common causes of flares at the IC website: Vitamin C, some B vitamins, the hormone Estrogen, acidic foods. Unfortunately, I suffered many years before I found what was helpful for my flares. Now I forget that I even have IC because I can treat it so easily. I'm hoping this will be helpful to someone.
Posted by Elizabeth (Memphis, TN) on 02/08/2008
★★★★★
I have chronic bladder problems (Interstitial Cystitis) and am always looking for something to make it better. I drank 1/2 tsp of baking soda in some water during the worst possible bladder pain ever. In 15 minutes the pain was gone. I feel that the baking soda made the urine less acidic and that let my bladder be less irritated. Anyway, baking soda did what hundreds of dollars of meds could not do--make me feel better! Elizabeth
