Interstitial Cystitis Advice

By Jessica Cangiano

In this month’s IC self help tip we are going to look at a fun subject: leisure time and hobbies. This is broad category which can apply equally to when you have free time by choice, days when your IC limits what you’re able to do, or times when you just want to try something new and switch things up.

ICers sometimes have concerns about the fact that they may not be able to do everything that they did before the onset of their IC, or that they have to adapt certain actives. For myself, and many others, one area where I am limited as a result of not just my Interstitial Cystitis, but also numerous other physical conditions (such as Fibromyalgia), is sports and exercise. Though I was never a great athlete by any means, I did enjoy participating in sports such as bike riding, gentle (aka, not whole mountains) hiking, fresh water swimming (I’ve long had an allergy to chlorine, plus now it also aggravates my vulvodynia so I have to stay far away from the pool, unfortunately) and playing badminton. Now that list has dwindled, a lot, and my main source of exercise is walking. Though I truly miss such things as being able to ride a bike (or a horse for that matter), I realize that there is (figuratively speaking) no point in crying over spilt milk. In other words I try to look at my health and assess how I can still take part in all manner of physical activates and hobbies (indoor and out) without causing undo harm to my bladder or provoking an IC flare.

In a way I feel fortunate because I’ve always been a complete and total homebody, and greatly enjoy both domestic life and many indoor hobbies. I find that on days when I am feeling unwell, it helps tremendously to have activities which take my mind off of my pain and symptoms. On days when I’m feeling up to it, I also like to get outside and enjoy two of my favourite past times, walking and take pictures. Though IC has left me unable to certain things (or do some others as I used to), I have also added new hobbies and past times to my repertoire of leisure activities - and I sometimes wonder, would I have ever picked up these things if not for IC.

Everyone is different, and we all enjoy doing a myriad of various activities and taking part in things that bring us joy, a sense of personal satisfaction and perhaps have a positive influence on the lives of others as well. It’s not easy to say what hobbies, sports and past times are best suited to IC patients (or any group of people for that matter), but regardless of what you choose to do with your free time and down time, it’s important that you pick things which will not upset your IC, and from which you derive a sense of happiness and fun.

If you are unsure about how any of the activities that we’ve listed here will affect your IC and your body, please speak to your doctor before commencing any of them. Always try and make sure that you have the right equipment and clothing for any hobby or sport that you choice to do – remember that a pair of comfy, well fitted shoes can go miles towards making your whole body feel better. Keep in mind that having fun and learning new skills needn’t break the bank, some hobbies such as bird watching or flower pressing can be done without spending a dime.

If a particular pass time really grabs your attention consider looking into taking classes or courses about that activity, or perhaps even give consideration to the idea of teaching or writing about that passion of your’s.

In this list we’ve gathered 125 hobbies and activities which may be well suited toward your IC lifestyle. As a general rule they do not involve intense physical activity or anything that would put stress and pressure on your bladder. They include both indoor and outdoor, solitary and group activities as well as some past times which you can easily do with your children and/or partner. Take time to find things that bring you happiness and which you deeply enjoy doing, and I assure that participating in such past times will help you to forget about things that your IC limits you from doing and help you to focus on all of the wonderful and diverse skills that you posses.

Sports and exercise:

Ø Walking (and for some people, speed walking)

Ø Gentle swimming

Ø Water aerobics

Ø Certain forms of light yoga and aerobics (speak with a qualified teacher to find out which types may be best for you). A great resource book for those who are interested in stretching and light aerobics is called, “Stretch Into Better Shape” by IC patient, Gaye Sandler.

Ø Light weight lifting (again, you may want to consult your doctor and a trained fitness instructor before you start lifting weights or doing any strenuous physical activity)

Ø Jogging (note that not all ICers are physically comfortable with jogging, personally I find that it causes my pelvic floor muscles to seize and typically will give me an IC flare up)

Ø Tai Chai (and other similar activities)

Ø Snow shoeing

Ø Cross country skiing

Ø Ice skating

Ø Rollerblading and roller skating (again, this is an activity which causes me to have an IC flare, but I’ve heard firsthand from ICers who report that they are able to rollerblade with relative ease)

Ø Cycling (bike riding) – if, and only if you are able to comfortably do so without upsetting you IC symptoms. Not all ICers are able to ride a bike any longer, so please proceed with care

Ø Badminton (some people may find that the stretching involves creates problems for them, personally I’ve found that I can enjoy about a half an hour of badminton on my good IC days, if I limit the amount of bending that I do)

Ø Pin pong (table tennis)

Ø Certain types of dancing (this will vary greatly from person to person, and it’s best to start out with light forms of dancing such as the waltz or line dancing, which you may find easier on your body than things like salsa and jazz dancing)

Ø Light hiking and nature (trail) walking

Ø Scuba diving (I’ve not tried this with IC, but a good IC friend of mine reports that she was able to do so without a flare. I tend to think that it would really vary from person to person, and you may wish to take lessons at a swimming pool before embarking out to sea, in order to determine if your bladder and body is okay with scuba diving)

Ø Billiards (this does tend to involve a lot of “at the waist” bending, so make sure that you’re bladder is okay with such bending before you decide to take up this activity)

Ø Bocce, also known as lawn bowling (again, this sport involves bending and stretching, though it is relatively mild, and I find far easier on my bladder than indoor lane bowling)

Ø Darts and lawn darts

Outdoor activities:

Ø Bird watching

Ø Bug collecting

Ø Nature and scenic photography

Ø Gardening (where activities are fine with your bladder)

Ø Sailing and boating (as with riding/driving in a car, some ICers may find boating to something that aggravates their bladders – as a general rule, the bigger and sturdier the boat the less likely it is to impact your IC, as large boats and yachts tend to have more stability on the water)

Ø Camping

Ø Hot air ballooning (keep in mind that hot air balloons do not have washroom facilities on board)

Ø Cave exploring

Ø Orienteering

Ø Scavenger hunts

Ø Camp fires (bonfires)

Ø Outdoor cooking, grilling and barbequing (stick with IC friendly foods)

Ø Walking and playing with your pet(s)

Ø Kite flying (I find that if I hold the kite reel just above my navel, this is the best position as it doesn’t seem to strain my abdominal muscles very much)

Ø Watching outdoor sporting events

Ø Sightseeing and travelling

Ø Storm watching

Ø Flower collecting (best done in areas where you know that it is permitted to pick the blooms)

Ø Whale and dolphin watching

Ø Beachcombing

Ø Rock collecting

Ø Butterfly watching

Ø Frisbee (note that Frisbee does involve some bending and stretching)

Ø Playing catch (with a baseball or football)

Ø Taking a scenic walk or sightseeing tour

Ø Astronomy

Ø Cloud watching

Ø Train, bus, car or plane spotting

Ø Attending and/or holding garage/yard/flea/boot sales and auctions

Ø Visiting botanical gardens

Ø Sun tanning (make sure to use at least an SPF 30 and to drink plenty of fluids)

Ø Going on a picnic

Ø Visiting an animal park, zoo or wildlife sanctuary

Indoor activities:

Ø Cooking and baking (Opt for IC friendly recipes and keep your bladder happy)

Ø Sewing

Ø Quilting

Ø Knitting and crocheting

Ø Cross stitch and embroidery (and other needlework crafts)

Ø Beading and jewellery making

Ø Wood working

Ø DIY home and garden work

Ø Painting

Ø Sculpting

Ø Paper crafts

Ø Scrape booking

Ø Board games (such as chess, Scrabble, bridge and Monopoly)

Ø Card games

Ø Drawing and sketching

Ø Photography and dark room work

Ø Writing

Ø Journaling

Ø Correspondence (letter writing)

Ø Reading

Ø Genealogy (creating a family tree/history)

Ø Making holiday gifts and ornaments

Ø Flower arrangement

Ø Using the computer (web surfing, email, computer games, blogging, graphic design, etc)

Ø Collecting (this can be anything that you like, from antiques to comic books)

Ø Calligraphy

Ø Stamp collecting and philately

Ø Pottery

Ø Origami

Ø Weaving

Ø Candle making

Ø Soap and cosmetic making

Ø Wood carving

Ø Lego building

Ø Watching movies and films

Ø Film making

Ø Filming with a video camera

Ø Working with electronics

Ø Learning a foreign language

Ø Pen pal writing

Ø Model making

Ø Puzzles

Ø Listening to music

Ø Singing

Ø Playing an instrument

Ø Acting (participating in theatre events)

Ø Magic tricks

Ø Drying flowers (and herbs)

Ø Interior decorating

Ø Fashion design (and sewing your own clothes)

Ø Holding dinner parties and other get-togethers

Ø Knot work

Ø Silk screening

Ø Exterior decorating and yard adornment

Ø Toy making (including homemade teddy bears)

Ø Dollhouses and doll collecting

Ø Stained glass

Ø Tie dying

Ø Mask and costume making

Ø Playing bingo

Ø Puppetry

Ø Canning and preserve making

Ø Metal working

Ø Balloon crafts

Other activities:

Ø Volunteerism

Ø Activism (Including spreading IC awareness and participating in – or starting – an IC support group)

Ø Political campaigning

Ø Animal breeding and showing

Ø Getting involved with things that are going on at your place of worship

Ø Being a Girl Guide/Girl Scout or Boy Scot leader

Ø Teaching/training

Ø Entering various types of contests and competitions (from beauty shows to pie eating competitions, there are endless types of events which you can enter)