Not Sure

[scraig]

My doctor is currently treating my symptoms as though its a bladder infection, in hopes that thats all it is. Bacteria tests came back negative and he said I don't have the normal pus involved with a bladder infection? So if the antibiotics don't work I'm being sent to a specialist for IC. This is my sypmtoms I came to him with:

~For the past 5 to 6 months, my periods suddenly became 100 times more painful (from oh a little cramp one period to I don't want to move the entire time since).
~Pain during sex... comes and goes every couple months. Sometimes I'm fine sometimes it really hurts.
~For several months now it hasn't quite felt like I could empty my bladder, like peeing everything I could was still leaving it quite full. Not really a painful feeling, but pressure and irritating. It feels like I ALWAYS have to pee, but that never goes away no matter how empty I can get my bladder.
~Within the past week I've went from sore lower abdomin and back to very very painful lower abdomin and back. Sitting or laying in one position too long really hurts. The whole pelvic area is in lots of pain.

*Doctor said tests came back negative for bacteria and there was no pus? not sure what that means but it seemed to help him along in feeling this isn;t a bladder infection.

So I have been on antibiotics 3 days and I am worried since there has been no change. I have 7 days left so I'm probably jumping the gun, but very scared, especially since my doctor seemed very doubtful the antibiotics will help.
Anybody have advice? Since I have never had a regular bladder infection or UTI of any kind, I have no idea whats going on. Does this sound normal bladder infection or could it be IC? Or do I just ave to wait it out blind?

[tj3383]

If I were you, I would get the referral to a urologist or IC specialist now. You won't be able to get an appointment for maybe 3-4 weeks out. If you get it set now, at least time will be passing while you doctor tries to figure it out. Then if he doesn't, at least you haven't wasted more time than necessary. I must say, however, (and I'm not a doctor so what do I know) I am surprised that a doctor would place you on antibiotics if there is no laboratory sign of infection. That's sort of like giving you antibiotics for a cold. They can only treat certain things.

[tj3383]

Also, I forgot to say. My general practitioner placed me on antibiotics for a UTI based on the quick urine dip, which does not look for bacteria, just blood in the urine. After completing the course, I returned. I still had the same symptoms, but now the quick urine dip came back negative. She said it was all cleared up. I almost said something, because I still had the same symptoms, and then changed my mind. I wish I would have said at that point that the antibiotics did nothing. I would have been diagnosed a few months earlier. Instead, I road it out. A few weeks later went back in and then ended up on antibiotics for 30 days. By that time, it felt like my bladder was going to erupt right out of my body. I finally fully expalined my symptoms to my GP and at that point she referred me to a urologist, who immediately diagnosed me. I should have been more direct in the first place.

[scraig]

Thank you for all that information. My doctor and I had talked about going ahead a making the appointment but we decided to wait the 10 days to see if it was just a bladder infection. I am not sure how quickly the medicine is supposed to work though. And, like I said, its difficult to know if this is more than just bladder infection pain because I've never had a UTI of any kind before. I just keep wondering, does IC just up and happen out of nowhere like this or is there a way to look back in my past and see if I have ever had warning signs? The most I can think of is I had an emergency c-section with my son 2 years ago that went perfectly fine but since then I have had my share of gynacological problems that seems to have been leading up to this pain (painful sex has been the longest sympton. Before the birth of our son, I used to really enjoy it. Now I'm either in pain or tense for fear of pain and its really interfereing with my marraige). So got off topic there... my question was... how long should it take for antibiotics to start helping a regular bladder infection? (I am also on Urelle)

[leelee88]

Hello and welcome...

You know another thing that this could be is it also sounds like endometriosis..I have it and when I would have a period the pian was so bad we would have to stop..So check out all the info about endo to...

[tj3383]

I understand with a common urinary tract infection, you should feel relief within 3 days on antibiotics.

I can only speak to my own symptoms. Mine are not associated with menstrual cycles, but then I take birth control pills and rarely have a cycle. Also, my periods have never really been painful.

Before I was diagnosed, I had times of increased symptoms. I usually associated it with not having enough water to drink. The pain might be the day after eating pizza or drinking red wine (or both). I increased my water intake and the symptoms usually subsided. I remember complaining to my GP a year ago that I seemed to be getting a lot of urinary tract infections and that sometimes they would clear with extra water, but maybe 4x/year I would get antibiotics. Looking back after being diagnosed it's pretty clear my symptoms were not urinary tract infections. Often they did not clear until the 10th day of antibiotics or even after I was done with the course. Increased fluids seemed to help more than anything else.

Sometimes it's really hard to know what body part is hurting. Heaven knows we have enough stuff capable of hurting in that lower abdominal area. When I finally had severe symptoms, I got out a medical book and looked at the body parts to see where everything was positioned. I then knew it was my bladder, but I "guessed" that my bladder was prolapsing into my vagina (since it felt like it wanted to come out). So, I figured out the body part, but misdiagnosed myself

Also, I have developed very tight pelvic floor muscles. They are now in constant spasm, which accounts for a lot of my pain.

It's really tough to try to diagnose yourself. I would say it would be most helpful to your doctor(s) if you tried to identify exactly what you are feeling and when. Give as much discription as possible. And don't leave out anything, even if it makes you look bad, like... , "I was feeling a little better then I had 3 glasses of wine last night and now I feel worse." Write down what makes you feel better and what makes you feel worse. The more info your doctor has, the better he is going to be able to figure it out.

If you do have IC, the IC diet is very helpful. I would say that you would see an improvement within a few days on the IC diet. I was adamant that coffee had never bothered me, I had been drinking it for years. Yet, when I stopped drinking it, I easily cut 5 trips to the bathroom out of my mornign routine.

While you are waiting to see what the antibiotics do, start a journal of your symptoms and try the diet. Maybe it will help.

[born2swim]

I have never had a UTI or any bladder infection... so when my symptoms came on without any problem with the urine culture... they were talking about IC or endometriosis (due to the extremely painful periods starting when my bladder symptoms started). It came on so suddenly they thought I had an infection. Urethral culture was negative, Macrobid for a month didn't help, pyridium didn't help... so they thought overactive bladder, but that didn't explain the pain. So they did a cystoscope and found nothing. I was sent to the IC specialist who diagnosed me based on symptoms, bladder capacity, and the potassium sensitivity test.

I have the same symptoms you do, especially:

"~For the past 5 to 6 months, my periods suddenly became 100 times more painful (from oh a little cramp one period to I don't want to move the entire time since).
~For several months now it hasn't quite felt like I could empty my bladder, like peeing everything I could was still leaving it quite full. Not really a painful feeling, but pressure and irritating. It feels like I ALWAYS have to pee, but that never goes away no matter how empty I can get my bladder."

I hope you get a diagnosis. Sounds like my IC... sorry to say.

[scraig]

I woke up today feeling a little better. I drank 2 sodas and the pain came back for about 5 hours this afternoon during which time I spent mostly sleeping and not drinking anything. I had 2 large glasses of water with dinner and definitly regret that because I can't get it out. A very slight burning has started in the past day or so when I attempt to pee, no matter how much if anything comes out. Does it feel like your bladder is trying to fall out when you try to pee or is that just me? My biggest thing now is, how do you sleep like this? I haven't been able to get my bladder empty enough to sleep very comfortably the past few nights since I've always slept on my belly and that puts way to much pressure on it. I'm exhausted right now, but laying down is too much.

[kadi]

Hi there,
I really hope you don't have IC, that the antibiotics will bring you relief.

In the meantime, while you're waiting, you might want to check out the IC diet to avoid irritating your already upset bladder. http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/diet.html

You might also try just taking small sips of water throughout the day (instead of full glasses at once) --that way you'll stay hydrated, without setting off spasms.

For sleeping? Sometimes sleeping with a heating pad (with auto shut off of course) under my low back or butt helps. Or, lying on my side with a pillow between my knees can help.

Hoping you are feeling better soon---