“I GOT MY LIFE BACK”: ESTHER’S JOURNEY TO LIVING FLARE-FREE AFTER IC
Episode 11
Listen and follow
IN THIS EPISODE…
I’m joined by the wonderful Esther, a Heal your Bladder graduate who shares her powerful story of healing from IC after years of relentless UTI flare-ups and pelvic pain.
Before joining the Heal Your Bladder programme, Esther was stuck in a cycle of debilitating symptoms, food fear, and exhaustion — often confined to bed multiple days a week. She opens up about her:
Hesitations around investing in herself
The fear that nothing would work
The turning point that led her to seek a different kind of support.
Fast forward over eighteen months, Esther continues to be pain-free, flare-free, and living a life that once felt out of reach.
Her original goals were to come off Hiprex safely and feel more at ease with food and everyday life. And now, thanks to the Heal your Bladder programme, she’s done exactly that. She enjoys hiking, wearing jeans (yes — even jeans!), and eating in a way that feels fun and nourishing rather than restrictive and miserable.
We talk about the practical changes that helped her get there, including why she chose to go all in with food and lifestyle support rather than simply swapping one pill for another.
Esther shares how she slowly shifted from fearing tomatoes to embracing the power of nutrition as a tool for healing from chronic UTI symptoms.
If you’re feeling stuck or wondering if true relief is possible, this episode is for you!
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Show Intro
00:36 - Episode Intro
02:34 - Introduction to Esther and Where She Was at the Start of the Heal Your Bladder Programme, and How She Found Mary
07:08 - Esther’s Goals at the Beginning of Her IC Journey and How Far She’s Come
08:29 - Choices Esther Makes Now
10:36 - How Esther Overcame Anxiety Surrounding Food and IC
12:58 - The Importance of Investing in your Health
13:43 - Particular Things Esther Liked About Working with Mary
15:58 - Esther’s IC Healing Timeframe and Where She Is Now, the Effects of Anxious Pain Responses and Coping Strategies
19:13 - What Esther Would Say If She Were to Recommend the Heal Your Bladder Programme to a Friend
21:17 - The Importance of Committing to the Work and Embracing a Joined-Up Approach to healing from IC
25:12 - How Esther’s Story Can Inspire Others with IC and UTIs
26:04 - Episode Outro
SHOW NOTES
Read more about Esther’s experience on the Heal your Bladder programme in this blog post.
Check out more Heal your Bladder reviews and chronic UTI success stories, here.
CONNECT WITH MARY
Go deeper with Mary’s free ebook, How to Heal your Bladder with Food.
The Heal your Bladder programme
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on marycotternutrition.com is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice from your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website.
OTHER EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE
FREE RESOURCES
Get access today
Take a look at the free training, downloads & webinars to help you find freedom from bladder pain.
