Antihistamines for IC/BPS Though the most widely used antihistamine to treat IC/BPS is hydroxyzine, some people with IC/BPS find relieve from Claritin, Benadryl, and Singulair.
Antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, others) and loratadine (Claritin, others), which may reduce urinary urgency and frequency and relieve other symptoms.
The antihistamine (such as Zyrtec®) is used because biopsies in patients with IC show an increased number or Mast cells, which are a particular type of white blood cell that are attracted to the site of injury by histamine. The mast cells further increase the local inflammation and pain.
Oral antihistamines (Diphenhydramine, Benadryl, Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra and their generics) weaken the bladder contractions. This lessens the bladder's ability to expel the urine.
Certain medicines that you take by mouth (oral medications) may improve signs and symptoms of interstitial cystitis: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve), to relieve pain.
Magnesium - Magnesium has a variety of effects in the body. It can help relieve constipation, reduces inflammation, supports muscle health and can help reduce anxiety in some studies. Obviously all of these are potentially beneficial to patients with IC!
Antihistamines such as hydroxyzine (Atarax, Vistaril) interfere with the mast cells' release of histamine, helping to relieve bladder inflammation and pain, urinary frequency, and nighttime voiding.
Antihistamines
“The bladder is a smooth muscle that fills up with urine. When it reaches a certain level and is full, it sends signals to the brain that it's time to urinate,” he explains. Trouble is, certain antihistamines can relax the bladder, blunting its ability to push out urine.
Terfenadine (Seldane) is an effective, nonsedating antihistamine, which has not been associated with any urinary tract side effects.
Urinary retention can also be caused by certain medications. Drugs like antihistamines (Benadryl®), antispasmodics (like Detrol®), opiates (like Vicodin®) and tricyclic antidepressants (like Elavil®) can change the way the bladder muscle works.
Cetirizine is excreted by the kidney. Its use is safe and well-tolerated, even though the most common side effects are mild somnolence and dry mouth, both of them dose-dependent. Cetirizine has also an antiallergic and anti-inflammatory activity that could be fruitfully used in clinical practice.
In some people, however, certain antidepressants link, sinus medicines, and pain relievers may trigger symptom flares. Talk with your health care professional if these medicines make your IC worse. Long-term use of pain medicines can be dangerous.
There are many supplements that have been shown to have benefit for some IC patients, including Calcium Glycerophosphate (Prelief), L-Arginine, Aloe Vera, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Vitamin D, and the combination of different ingredients in CystoProtek.
Allergies. Another theory is that an allergic component with release of specific inflammatory cells known as mast cells occurs in the bladder and can lead to IC in some people. This inflammatory reaction is similar to people with other allergic conditions such as eczema and seasonal or environmental allergies.
Things you can do to help BPS (interstitial cystitis)
Things that may help improve your symptoms include: reducing stress – try exercise, warm baths and mindfulness-based meditation techniques. making sure you are hydrated regularly throughout the day.
IC is recently found combined with some of allergic disorders and histopathologic abnormalities resembling that of allergic disorders including mast cell activation, histamine release and eosinophil infiltration. Therefore, it could be cautiously postulated that IC is one of allergic disorders in urogenital system.
Serious side effects include symptoms of allergic reaction, including shortness or breath, difficulty breathing, swelling of any part of the face and body, rash, itching or hives on the skin, or urinary retention.
ZYRTEC can make some existing conditions worse or cause severe allergic reactions or urinary retention. Some people may have suicidal thoughts when taking ZYRTEC.
“Zyrtec is found to be more potent, or stronger, in laboratory studies, compared with Claritin,” says Dr. Kung. “It also reaches a higher concentration in the skin, which can be more helpful for skin-related allergies. However, Zyrtec has a greater chance of making you sleepy while taking it.”
-Drinking plenty of fluids: This will help to keep the urine diluted and reduce irritation. -Taking over-the-counter pain medication: This can help to relieve pain and inflammation. Tylenol is better than Motrin or Advil. -Using a heating pad: This can help to soothe pain and cramping.
Mirabegron (Myrbetriq)
Mirabegron is a medication approved to treat certain types of urinary incontinence. It relaxes the bladder muscle and can increase how much urine the bladder can hold. It might also increase the amount you're able to urinate at one time. This may help you to empty the bladder more completely.
Moreover, low magnesium concentrations can lead to bladder spasm and urinary frequency. High extracellular magnesium concentrations reduced the magnitude of the electrically-induced phasic contractions, as well as spontaneous contractions of the human detrusor smooth muscle in vitro.
Coffee, soda, alcohol, tomatoes, hot and spicy foods, chocolate, caffeinated beverages, citrus juices and drinks, MSG, and high-acid foods can trigger IC symptoms or make them worse.
Pentosan polysulfate
PPS is one of the most studied therapies for IC/BPS, and different studies, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analysis supported the improvement of symptoms with PPS treatment as compared to placebo, with the reduction of pain, urgency, and frequency [39, 40].
Coffee, soda, caffeinated beverages, tomatoes, spicy foods, high-acid foods, citrus, and MSG can all trigger IC symptoms. If you have a flare, journal what you ate prior to it. This will help you identify foods that could be causing your IC flares and allow you to avoid these in the future.