Fatigue before IC onset

[kadi]

Hi all,
I just re-read my journal from last summer, both before & during the onset of IC & realized I'd had several months of severe fatigue before it started. At the time I thought maybe my medicines were causing it, so I stopped all of them (birth control pills-stopped in May, lexapro-stopped in June, & detrol LA -stopped in May). I got really sick with bladder pain in July. The fatigue started in May, got worse & worse, did not feel alert til July, then I got sick. Right before the bladder pain, I had almost 3 weeks of horrible insomnia (lexapro withdrawal?) I had a sudden 7 pound weight gain for no reason and my fingertips & toes itched horribly. For all these problems I tried a number of meds - wellbutrin, trazodone, ambien, zyrtec, effexor. No more than a few days on each. Couldn't tolerate side effects of any.

Of course now I wonder if I got IC from stopping meds, or if I had it all the way along & didn't know it b/c of what meds I was on, or if taking so many medicines in July caused it, or if one of the meds caused it.

Maybe I'll never know. But I'm so sad and wish I knew what caused it, so it might be easier to fix?
Does any part or all of this sound familiar to anyone out there?

[auntiedeb]

Noone knows what causes ic. some say nerve pain and I say chronic infecitons. I wish I could help you here. I am so sorry. Hope you get some answers soon.

[mayray518]

I know what you mean. I kept thinking back to what other symptoms I had at the onset of IC. The only thing I came up with is that my periods were changing then (getting lighter) and I had bacterial vaginosis and about a month later I got IC.

[ICNJess]

I think we're predisposed to IC, and something triggers it, like for me I think my ovarian cysts when they ruptured and leaked and caused infection (they were so huge) brought my IC back into the swing of things.

I had fatigue too, but mine was due to CFS and Fibro.

Hugs and love,
jess

[Dixiefireball]

i feel like uti and surgery's on my bladder caused my IC. i had two surgery on my bladder before i was one year old. I really dont know how long i had ic but the doctor found it in june of 2001.
no one knows for sure what causes ic. but i hope you find some answers so you will feel better. grouphug

[HOPE4ME]

Hi Kadi, I had the same thing with the fatigue at the same time of year as you! In May (before I was diagnosed with IC) I was so fatigued there were days I literally could not get out of bed. I couldn't imagine what was wrong with me (later, I ended up testing positive for CFS). Like you, the fatigue came before any pain manifested itself. In June I felt like I had a yeast infection which I did and then bacterial vaginosis (same as MayRay). When I went to my gyno they did a routine urine test and I had a bad UTI. On June 23rd I got hit with the worst burning, kick in the crotch pain I ever had and so this was the beginning of my IC symptoms. As no one knows for sure what causes IC I have my own beliefs. I believe it is an autoimmune disorder (the body turns against itself-can't tolerate it's own urine)and may be prompted by trauma or surgeries to the pelvic area. I had 4 gyno related surgeries prior to IC. Of course, too, during the 5 months of trying to get a conclusive IC diagnosis doctors were treating me with heavy duty antibiotics which I believe may have contrinuted to the IC. I know you would like to know why this happened to you and I used to be concerned about this also. Just know that you didn't do anyhting wrong or bring this on yourself. Everybody in this world has something and for whatever reason we ended up with IC. My Uro is involved in research about IC and they're looking at a relationship between endometriosis and IC. Have you had other gyno problems? I believe they will find a cause and cure in our lifetime. I pray for you and all other survivors of IC and thank God for this network. Can you imagine how isolating it must be for someone with IC and no others to communicate with? I wish you all the best!
HOPE

[DanaW]

My IC came to a head when I started taking a liq. vitamin and mineral suppliment. (last July) I've always had to go to the bathroom more than others, though, my whole life. And, I had some episodes where I went to the ER thinking I had a bladder infection, but, didn't. But, after taking those vitamins, that was it. I rarely go a day without pain. I always have urgency and I always go alot but, the pain is the worst. (along with my Fibro. pain)