Do I have it???

[newshound]

I was treated for a UTI with antibiotics, but the symptoms didn't go away. I don't have burning, or pain, but the urge to urinate is almost always there. I want to know:

1. Is this how most people felt at the start of the problem, and did it get worse? Does pain come later?

2. What would trigger foods be?

3. Do you feel better/worse with exercise? I do some vigorous walking/running almost every day.

[Dixiefireball]

welcome to the icn family.

1. Is this how most people felt at the start of the problem, and did it get worse? Does pain come later? i have had pain for years with alot of uti but most people with ic doesnt have uti like i do. everyone is diff. and there is alot of other things out there that mimc ic. do you have a uro?

2. What would trigger foods be? diff. foods trigger diff people. that is awful to say but true you will have to make you a diary to figure out what sets you off you can find a ic diary list here on the site look at the top of the board where it says browse our site and you will find the diet there that will give you some idea what to look out for good luck.

3. Do you feel better/worse with exercise? I do some vigorous walking/running almost every day..[/B] exercise makes me worse and boy did i like to exercise now i can't even get out and walk like i use to it will send sharp shotting pains threw my bladder but the treatments i'm taking at home Heparin treatments with marcaine has helped me a great deal but if your doctor figures out you have ic you may go threw some dmso treatments one of those is the heparin treatments.

I don't know if i helped you much at all but i hope i gave you some ideas
you will get more post hopefully from others that know some of your answers good luck and please keep us posted on how you are doing. grouphug

[Ginny]

There really is no way to tell if you will get pain later. My IC did start out the way you describe yours.
There is a list of trigger foods on this web site.
http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/e...tiondiets.html
Exercise is a individual thing. It does help my IC but it's pretty hard to start because of the pain.
Good luck.
Ginny

[Melis 26]

Hi. I've had symptoms since I was a kid but after some uti's as an adult my symptoms did get worse. I wasn't diagnosed until nov. 2003. I don't think the pain really gets worse with time but I do feel that uti's make it worse after the uti is gone. My pain is greater with a flare now then when I was a kid. IC isn't a progressive disease I don't think. At least that's what I understand to be true. Flares are what cause the pain and they can range from mild to severe pain but you typically won't have more pain in a year than you do now. YOu could but I think it's more from the damage your bladder sustains every flare or infection. Do I make sense? Cancer is progressive, but IC isn't.

As for bad foods. I don't follow the ic diet because I've never actually sat down to try to see what causes my bladder to flare but I've heard everyone has different trigger foods. However, some foods I've heard EVERY IC patient should avoid are soda and coffee, orange juice, cranberry juice, spaghetti or anything with tomato sauce. I can't remember anymore but basically things that have caffeine, are acidic (even pizza, i think), or have citric acid. I think orange juice is one of the worse things to drink when you have IC. You can look on this site for the ic diet.

Your last question is tough. I do think excercise can hurt your bladder somewhat but I'm not sure. It seems to be my experience that it does. The more active I am the worse my bladder responds. I'm sure there's info. about that here, too. I know stress can bother your bladder. Whether it's mentally or physically I'm not sure but I think it can be both.

Well, I hope I helped somewhat. Sorry if I confused you at all. I'm still new to ic, too, and I've been in a remission for a few months so I don't know everything yet. Hang in there.

Melissa

[SusanBT]

Hi. I just wanted to write and say that I'm in the same boat that you are. Do I have it????

I am actually feeling better this week - only a slight uncomfortableness in my lower ab, but the peeing seems back to normal. I had the worst of it the day before my last menstral cycle and then it lingered painfully/frequently for about a week after. (Antibot Meds didn't help) I'm really confused if it's IC or what, because the same thing happened last summer. After awhile it just kind of got better and I just ignored any little things. I feel really lucky right now that's it's feeling better...

I am still going to see a new Uro on Feb. 4th. so hopefully he can help me out. I don't like going when my symptoms aren't bad, but I know I want to get checked over. Last summer I had an ultra-sound and a bunch of other tests to rule out some other things, like diabetes, etc., so I'm hoping this guy will help me figure out why this has been happening.

It's so hard to tell what's wrong - especially when it's not consistent, which my last uro seemed to use as a reason to dismiss my concerns.
(said to go back to my family doctor)

Just wanted to share... hope things get better for you. I know how hard it is NOT to know what is going on!!

Sue

[auntiedeb]

Hi, I just want to welcome you to the boards. I know that my ic has progressed but right now I am in a remisson and watching what I eat and drink has helped me tremondously. I don't know the answers to your questions. Like Rhonda asked do you have a uro who is knoweldabe in ic? Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing.