The urologist was a big jerk

[Charisse]

Excuse my language but I should have known better than to go back to this urologist since he wasn't able to tell me anything five years ago. So he asks me why I'm there and I told him my GYN thinks I have interstital cystitis and before I could even tell him about any of my symptoms he said oh no all GYNs think that and it's way overdiagnosed -hardly anyone actually has that. So then he goes on to ask me about my symptoms and if they conincided with any change in diet. I told him I started feeling bad a week after I stopped my allergy pills and that a week after I started them back up again I started feeling better so he said it's an allergy and inflammatory then so it's not IC which is totally contrary to what my GYN told me and what I've read here. He also said if it was IC that my pain would be constant and not flare in and out like this. So I asked him what should I do if it does happen again and he said well you'll know it's allergies. I have heard it's better to see a GYN who specializes in bladder problems versus seeing a urologist since they mostly see men so now I'm thinking okay let's hope the pain doesn't come back and that he's right but I felt he was totally condescending. I told him about how Crystal Light or red KoolAid makes my urgency worse and he said yeah well that's a red dye allergy and you would have to see a urologist with an interest in allergies to test you for that kind of thing. It's like he just wanted to brush me off. So anyway I left feeling very upset and frustrated. He didn't seem to agree with anything I've read about IC or what my GYN thought. I am so confused now. The pain has been better since taking the Claritin and Singulair again now but the pressure is still there. I just wanted an answer and this guy didn't even take a urine sample!! Charisse

[dancemomof2]

Sorry you were treated that way. Is there another URO you can see for a second opinion. Maybe another one will be a little less smart with you.

[lnseagraves]

I agree, try to see another uro if possible. There is no excuse for being treated like that. I don't have constant pain either and I've got IC... This uro seems incredibly ignorant. I like your idea of seeing a gyn with uro emphasis... at the very least (in my experience) gyns treat us ladies more seriously than uros do.

[waterflow]

Aren't allergy pills given to help IC? I would go back to your gyno and see if he can help you find someone else. That guy sounded like he just wasn't interested or he didn't know much about IC to begin with.

[GriffsMommy]

Not all male uro's are like this. I was actually diagnoised first by my gyn who did a PST but then just gave me Elmiron and wasn't really willing to try many other treatments w/ me. I found a male uro who had a lot of IC patients and he has been great. He wanted to do a lot more tests to rule out everything else, which I didn't mind, he didn't say that I did have IC or that I didn't until he had done all of the tests but he did listen to my symptoms and didn't ignore what I had to say. I would ask your gyn for a referral to a uro that they have worked w/ before w/ IC patients or start calling the uro practices in your area and ask if any of the dr's see a lot of IC patients, that's honestly how I found my uro. I hope you find someone to help you soon

[Sarojini]

Sounds like you need a new urologist!!

Not all urologists are bad, so don't get discouraged. My first uro was actually a urogynecologist and female -- HORRIBLE. She cancelled appointments three times in a month with me, and treated me like crapola when I did get to see her...I left her.

I was diagnosed by a male urologist -- he was a wonderful man, but my case was a bit more complex than he could handle, so I ended up switching. My second uro was female, and so fabulous I hated to leave her when we moved. But, the uro I have now is a man, and he's also GREAT

You just have to work at it a little to find the right doc The suggestion about having your gynecologist help you find another uro is a good one. He/she might know other docs rather than just this one!

[Briza]

I agree, try to see another uro if possible. There is no excuse for being treated like that. I don't have constant pain either and I've got IC... This uro seems incredibly ignorant. I like your idea of seeing a gyn with uro emphasis... at the very least (in my experience) gyns treat us ladies more seriously than uros do.

I'll second that. My gyn handles most of my IC and VV treatment, but even then I had to go thru a lot of bad experiences with gyns, too, before I found him. I'm sure there are good uros out there, too, I just haven't found one yet. Sorry you were treated so poorly. I hope you find another doctor who knows his/her stuff and has a better bedside manner. You deserve better.

[L. Thomas]

I would make certain that the gyn that referred you knows how you were treated. Obviously the gyn felt you needed evaluation for IC and it sounds like the uro did no evaluation other than tell you it was allergies.

[vm]

He also said if it was IC that my pain would be constant and not flare in and out like this.

Ugggghhhhh. {{shaking head}} So much misinformation out there..... I bet that was hard for you to sit there and hear him say all that he did, knowing in your gut it didn't feel right.

[**Angie**]

Yep--new Dr time for you. I know it's hard trying to find a new Dr. You never know if your going to end up with something worse. Ask your gyn to recommend someone or call diff. uro offices and talk to the reception. They usually will tell you if the Dr treats IC. Also ICN and ICA have names of Dr who wish to help those with IC. I found my Dr this way and it's been very nice to have a sympathetic ear even though they haven't come up with the magic cure. Take care.

[jen74]

Dont feel bad, the first uro I went to was a real idiot also. When I asked him about IC, he said there is no such disease, and he said women who get these type of bladder issues are always over 50 years of age.
My hubby and I both kind of laughed when he said these things. He had no idea that we had researched IC greatly before even seeing him. I cant believe that there are doctors in that profession that dont even know about this disease. It is pretty scary. But like they say, doctors are just like mechanics, there are good ones, but then there are also very bad ones.
Jen

[cyndib]

I'm on uro #3

They say 3 times is a charm and I lucked out this time. My first two uros were awful. First a male who had no bedside manner and didn't know how to treat IC. The second one was female and also didn't seem to know much about IC either. Now I have a great uro and internist/gyno. They work well together and I feel very confident that they will always treat my IC as needed.

Don't give up on finding the right team of drs!

[born2swim]

Except for my internist, all my doctors are men (gynos, uros, etc). I saw the PA at my gyno-uro office and she was great, but that clinic specializes in IC and incontinence.

I hope you find a doctor that knows more about IC. IC doesn't even have to be painful at all (just frequency/urgency is enough to warrant IC testing). Good luck! Brush him off and find someone (maybe your gyno that thinks you have IC can refer you to someone. That is why my gyno did after the uro said get a second opinion from an IC specialist).

[mary124]

Except for my pain management doctor (I see the PA and she is female) they are all male) they are all great). Between my Uro and family doctor they are both working to treat my IC (my family doctor is just wonderful- I see him every 3-4 months for everything; IC, cardio, problems I had last year,etc) thinking of leaving my gyn because after almost 20 years he is getting ready to retire and I either need to find another one or go to Family doctor and since i really like this one...)
Anyway, hope you find another doctor you don't need to be treated like this by this one or anyone.

[Charisse]

Thank you ladies for all your wonderful comments and input. I am at the point where I feel like I can't take another letdown from another stupid dr at this point but you've all encouraged me to move forward and find another dr. I am going to call my lovely GYN and ask him for a referral. And yes from what I've read here at the IC network it appears that they treat IC with antihistamines so I was thinking the same thing that wouldn't that be a sign that it's IC since I felt worse off the antihistimines and better when I went back on them? His answer was this was actually a sign to him that it wouldn't be IC. That's when I knew he was clueless. It was really hard to sit there and listen to him when I'd read so much and been given so much info by my GYN. Charisse