PCR Test Results Any Day Now...

[Derrick]

Greetings!

At the end of May 2001, I went in for my second cysto/hydro. The reason for doing this was so that the doctor could take tissue samples from my bladder and also from my prostate.

The game plan is to have my doctor analyze the samples using PCR to look for evidence of a bacterial infection. I'm hoping to get the results this Friday.

Having exhausted every other method of identifying an infectious disease causing agent, my doctor said that this was the only thing left. He described the PCR tests as "looking for a needle in a haystack" and didn't think we'd find anything, but was willing to do this to satisfy my curiosity.

Has anyone else done anything like this? If so, what were they able to find?

Thanks!

Derrick

[darlene]

..............What does PCR look for? Bacterial DNA?

[Derrick]

Yes...I believe that they are looking for bacterial DNA using these PCR tests. I'm not 100% sure, the doctor wasn't very good at explaining what he was going to do.

Just spoke to the nurse and I won't get the results back until late next week. Apparently the lab techs are getting inconsistent results with my tissue samples and need to run the tests again.

[Derrick]

Well I got the test results back. Every single test was negative.

1.) Viral cultures were negative.
2.) Bateria cultures were negative.
3.) Pathology report was negative for cancers.
4.) PCR tests found no evidence of bacteria either.

[justdeb1]

Derrick,

have you been diagnosed with IC yet or were they just ruling out other things?? I know its awful that they cant find anything, but its also great that those tests came out negative as well. Its a double edged sword isnt it?

I sure hope they dx you quickly with something.

hugs
deb

[MelanieJ]

Derrick,
I'm sorry to hear about your tests. I've been wondering if you got your results yet or not. I understand the need to satisfy your curiosity. I hope they find the answer to our IC riddle soon. Not knowing what causes it and how to get rid of it can drive me bonkers sometimes!

Hang in there, my friend.
Melanie J.

[darlene]

Derrick, I know how you are feelingyears ago, I had terrible abdominal pain and diarrhea. The hospital did a stool culture for bacteria or parasites. I got a call from the nurse saying she had good news. The tests were negative. I knew this wasn't good news because I had terrible symptoms, and a positive test would be for something curable. It turned out to be crohn's disease, which is not curable. This March I had a urine culture done for severe bladder pain with urgency. Good news again ! It was negative. Having gone through this before, I knew It wasn't good news. A UTI is curable with antibiotics. I had IC. I guess the doctors and nurses need to think before they tell us they have good news.

[pepe jafers]

my dear friends I had pcr done three bacterias found. And I asked the doc do this bacteria cause my symptoms he said no. they are a triger and they make it worse but it the damage of the lining of the bladder cause symptoms because the urine leaks in the epithelim and touches the nerves,this causes symptoms.In my case the latest symptom is weak ejaculations and loss of sensitivity on the penis.
for 2 years I was told I had prostatitis
Non-bacterial.
Goodbye and best of luck.

[pepe jafers]

Everyone should ask for apf testing done for IC.Much easier they only check your urine.
And no hidrodistention with cystoscopy.
EVERYONE SHOULD PUT PRESSURE ON DOCS TO FIND OUT FROM BALTIMORE HOW IT SHOULD BE DONE.

[meeskite]

Pepe

APF test is not in the lab yet, it is still in research. It is not available, only was done in clinical trials. It will be a few years before this test is ready for general use in the laboratory and right now, cannot be used to diagnose IC. They will need to look for more than APF in the urine, they will need to identify several markers, to make the diagnosis. We need to pressure Congress to get money from NIDDK for Ic research, and specifically for the APF,etc test.

[New Jersey]

OK Pepe, help me out here with your comment about Baltimore. Are you saying that a hospital in Baltimore will do this test if I call them up and drive on down? Sorry, I am new to this test.......