I'm scared: Having a test done Thursday for ELMIRON

[faith4jesus]

Hi,
I have suffered from IC symptoms for years. I've been on Detrol & Urseid or something like that for bladder pain for over a year.

I am having some kind of test done on Thursday and wanted some info on it. The Urogist said that he'll be doing some potasium test I think. I can't spell it. lol Sorry. But he said it is a test that will see if ELMIRON will help me. He said he'll put like 3 different kind of things into my bladder to see how it reacts.

I am nervous and scared. Can someone please give me all the details of what will happen, what it will be & feel like and what kind of things I should know.

I've had a catheter done a few times on me before. Once before I had a c-section and was put to sleep, another time for a clean catch of my urine and then another time to see how much urine my bladder could hold. I didn't like it.

Ashley

[ICNDonna]

The test is very likely a potassium sensitivity test. In this test a catheter is inserted and different solutions will be put into your bladder through the catheter. One of the solutions will contain potassium --- they won't tell you when it's going in --- if the potassium causes pain, that's considered to be a pretty good indication that what you have is interstitial cystitis (IC). They will immediately drain that solution and put in one that will stop the pain.

Donna

[traceann]

Hi Ashley, I know the fear of the unknown is usually scarier than the actual "known" I am sure you will just fabulous and it will be over before you know it! Please keep us posted and let us know how you do!!!!

BIG hugs!!

[VickiB]

Yes, this sounds like the Potassium Sensitivity test which is how I was diagnosed.

I was nervous too, but it wasn't as bad as I imagined. Donna explained the procedure well. The pain the potassium caused me was similar to going into an instant IC flare. As soon as I reacted, they immediately drained the potassium and put something in to numb my bladder. One of the things that concerned me the most was that afterwards, once the numbing solution wore off, I would be in a whole lot of pain. That didn't happen! There was a slight irritation for about the next 24 hours, but not enough to slow me down.

Let us know how things turn out for you!

Vicki

[faith4jesus]

Test was positive

Thanks to all of those who helped me. I had the test done on Thursday. The awful part was the catheter. They couldn't get it in it. The nurse tried a few times and I was sure she got it in since it hurt bad, but she couldn't. She went and got another nurse and that nurse couldn't either. They had to get the dr to do it. I can't tell you how awful that was having 3 different people trying to jab a catheter inside me.

It was just as someone said the pain the potassium caused me was similar to
going into an instant IC flare. It hurt like crazy. They put in some other kind of thing to help slow the pain down but it really didn't help that much. Just a little bit. The dr then told me that pretty much cleared things up and put me on Elmiron. For the rest of the night I had a lot of stabbing pains inside me which I am sure is from the catheter. I still have IC pain though and urised has helped just a little bit.

I had mixed feelings about the test. I thought maybe I was hoping it would test positive so I would know this isn't all in my head. Also I didn't want it to test positive because I didn't want to have IC.

Really it hasn't changed how I feel though. At least now know what is wrong. I have a great urologist and feel like we are on the path to finding some relief.

Ashley

[vm]

Well, I'm glad the testing went OK, but sorry the catheterization was so painful. I bet that was no fun at all!

It certainly is a mixed bag of emotions when we find out for sure that we have IC, isn't it? I remember feeling very similarly. It gets better - sounds like it already is for you.