Q&A: Interstitial cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis?
Best answer:
I also have IC, I was diagnosed about a year ago but I have had it much longer. I usually do not have much pain but lately I have and I feel it more so in my back and my belly. It is always so swollen I dont know why. Do you see a urologist regularly? I have been taking Elavil at night which helps with getting up in the middle of the night with pain and frequency. You should try that if you havent already. Do you take Elmiron? I dont even take pain killers although I do need some to deal with it during the day.

interstitial cystitis?
Best answer:
At the present time there is no cure for interstitial cystitis. Only a certain amount of relief. The symptoms vary, some are discomfort, pressure, tenderness, or intense pain in the bladder and pelvic area, an urgent need to urinate. I am not a Doctor therefore I cannot and will not give to you advice as to what you should or should not do, or I could and probably would be arrested.
The food and drug goons frown on that.

However, if I had certain things diagnosed that might be wrong with me, I might would ask my Doctor to scrib meds that would kill the bacteria that causes ulcers.

For enjoyment, I make a great tea from the juice of the black walnut hull, extra strength.. It is best warm. Your local health food store may have some.Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic pelvic pain disorder. IC affects an estimated 700,000 Americans; 90% of which are female. Symptoms may include feelings of pressure or tenderness around the bladder, intense pelvic pain, fatigue, dysuria (pain or burning with urination), hematuria (blood in the urine), urinary frequency, urgency or retention, and dyspareunia. Women's symptoms will often get worse during menstruation.

Some sufferers also complain of IBS, allergies and migraines.

Typically, all urine cultures will be negative and symptoms will not respond to typical antibiotic therapy.

While there are several theories regarding the etiology of IC, definitive causes remain unknown. One theory being studied with respect to IC is that it is an autoimmune response following a bladder infection. Other theories include the belief that bacteria may be present in the bladder cells, but remains undetectable through routine cultures; that certain substances in urine may be irritating to IC sufferers; and that the condition may be hereditary.

IC is a diagnosis of exclusion. Physicians must rule out other disorders like urinary tract or vaginal infections, cancer of the bladder, cystitis, kidney stones, neurological disorders, STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), bacteria in the urine, chronic bacterial and nonbacterial prostatitis (in men), and Endometriosis of the urogenitoury tract.

The most important test to confirm IC is the cystoscopy. Pinpoint hemorrhages on the bladder wall, discovered during the cystoscopy, are hallmark signs of IC.

IC is currently incurable; however, there are many treatment options. Symptom relief can potentially be obtained through such measures as bladder distention, bladder instillation (or "bladder wash"), medications like Elmiron (pentosan polysulfate sodium), aspirin and ibuprofen for discomfort, antidepressants, antihistamines, narcotics like Tylenol with Codeine, TENS units (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation), alternative therapies, and modifications in nutritional and lifestyle habits, such as eliminating alcohol, high acid foods like tomatoes or spices, chocolate, caffeinated and citric beverages, and those products with artificial sweeteners from the diet, quitting smoking, and performing gentle stretching exercises.

Surgery can also be considered when other treatments have failed. In severe, extreme cases, bladder removal can be performed. However, some patients will still continue to experience variable IC symptoms.

Patients with IC speak of underdiagnosis and undertreatment of the condition, though it has gained recent attention through celebrity awareness campaigns. Sufferers relate experiences of feeling ignored, experiencing depression and suffering from chronic pelvic pain, seemingly with no end or relief in sight. Research is desperately needed to discover what causes IC and more importantly, how to cure it.

Symptom snapshot:
pressure or tenderness around the bladder
mild to intense pelvic pain
dysuria (pain or burning with urination)
dyspareunia (painful intercourse)
hematuria (blood in the urine)
fatigue
urinary frequency, urgency or retention
symptoms may be worse during menstruation

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