I think the jury is still out on whether IC is an auto-immune disease. It sure acts like it though. It certainly causes inflammation. My symptoms are best controlled through diet. I would argue that coffee and tea may be the most likely culprits in my diet. It often is accompanied by other typically "women's diseases" like IBS, migraines, and fibromyalgia, perhaps pointing to a hormonal component, although again, still not proven. There are a few help groups on line, on Facebook, and a website called IC Help, I believe.