hormones?

[NB]

Marni and i were talking about how we always wonder what causes IC and she has a theory about it being hormones.
Is it possible that we may have some hormonal imbalance? Marni pointed out that women who have a hysterectomy often come down with IC. Also, there are women who go on the pill and they feel better. And notice how men rarely have IC.

[Kara]

My IC got worse when my periods came so I asked my Gyn to let me stay on my pill to not get a period again and he said, SURE!!! Anything I can do to help you out on my end. So I don't get periods anymore and it has been a heavenly relief to my IC. With my period I would pee every 5 minutes and had to call out sick for a whole week. I don't work anymore. Because of this birth control issue, yes I think hormones do play a part in IC weather making it better or worse. Everyone is so different. If they find a cause and a cure, maybe one day we will know for sure if hormones and IC go hand in hand????

Still waiting for answers.........


Kara <img src="graemlins/eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />

[NB]

Kara,

Is it considered safe to stop our periods using the pill? I'm thinking of considering it but if there's a chance of screwing up my system then i won't even bother asking my GYN if i can. Thanks.

[lainie]

HI guys, I have similar concerns and always thought that I was just thinking things to death, but....that's me -constant worrier! Anyways, last July, we decided to try for a baby and I stopped the pill..then in September, I started getting all these bladder problems and was diagnosed with IC...
In the past year, I have had irregular periods and am not ovulating, and have low progesterone levels..we are going to a fertility clinic next month...also, for the longest time, I had this yucky discharge and nobody could explain it..it finally cleared up with some "metro-something" gel....
I just think that this all seems too coincidental that all this happened once I stopped taking the pill..I had only ever had one bladder infection and maybe one yeast infection in my life so..it makes you wonder, especially since it is mainly women who get this..I asked my uro. about the discharge and he said there is no connection..maybe I am just one of those LUCKY ones!! Anyway, just wondering what you all thought of this?! Lainie

[Kara]

NB,

It's perfectly safe!! I would not have done it, if it wasn't. They also use patches now and inserts that push the period away. This is not a new method. I also have endometriosis so it keeps that under bay. I had one of the best OBGYN's in MA and he would never let me do it if it wasn't safe.

Kara <img src="graemlins/blink.gif" border="0" alt="[blink]" />

[JOJO]

Hi
I don't know if hormones are the cause, but I truly feel they play a role though. In alot of illnesses many autoimmune you find that during menstrual cycles other diseases also goe into flare ups as well. Like Lupus for example. I also wonder if the overproduction of cortisol plays a role that is a stress hormones that shoots out when we are under stress. I watched something on TV the other night and they were saying it was the most damaging. They did a study where people that were under severe stress there brain actually shrunk do to over production of cortisol.Whatever the cause is I just wish someone could get a clue already. I know it takes time. But when your suffering you dont want to hear that, thats for sure-JOJO

[april582]

My symptoms get worse the week before my period, but I actually seem to get BETTER during it. I know, it's weird. I've only been diagnosed with IC for about 2 months, and it might just be a coincidence... but I don't know, it sure seems like my bladder feels alot better during my period.


-April

[snowgirl]

I also take the pill continously for the pain from IC with periods. I could not stand the pain before my period.... pelvic pain, bearing down pain. I would pee all the time even more so. When my bladder reached it's capacity I was in so much pain. So, we take the periods away. I have been on the pill continous for 11 years now. I tried to come off of the pill and have periods. Well, that was the worst darn pain I have had in 10 years. Just saw my gyn. He said he is going to ask me every year at my annual if I am ready to come off the pill. Well this year I am not. Not sure I will every be ready. So 11 years later and I am here to tell you it is safe and I also have one of the best gyns at U of Michigan hospital.

Vicky <img src="graemlins/hat.gif" border="0" alt="[hat]" />

[ICNDonna]

I'm one who developed IC following a hysterectomy --- but --- my ovaries were left in place so I still had the hormonal changes.

I did have one ovary removed when I had a laparotomy for lysis of adhesions caused by the hyst, but still one ovary in place. I even got the pleasure of doing the menopause thing with the hot flashes, etc.

Donna

[Tam G]

My IC symptoms started when I started taking birthcontrol pills as a teenager. After doing some Internet research and reading books, I believe they caused my IC. Research has indicated bcp & HRT pills cause autoimmune diseases from the synthetic hormones they are made of. If I had it to do over, I would have never taken bcp for 13 years or at all. I use natural progesterone cream to balance my hormones and keep me from being estrogen dominant. It has lightened my period and drastically reduced PMS, anxiety, etc...It is made of the same molecules in our body. I'm 38. I also use natural thyroid medication (Armour) after being diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed by symptoms rather than TSH thyroid bloodtest, which is considered unreliable by a small percentage of doctors because the thyroid hormone continuosly fluctuates in your bloodstream. See these websites: www.johnleemd.com
www.thyroid-info.com/
www,drsiegal.com/index2.html

[Alleycat]

I got married in Oct. of last year and I started on my birth control like in Nov. I was getting a bladder infection in Dec. and thats when all this started. Im not sure if thats what caused it but when the subject is brought up that birth control/hormones may have caused IC....I was taking it and then after I got symptons. I had never taking birth control pills before either..for like acne etc.. So it could be a possiblity. Just wanted to share with you all.

Hugs XOXOXOX <img src="graemlins/grouphug.gif" border="0" alt="[grouphug]" />

~Alison~ <img src="graemlins/hi.gif" border="0" alt="[hi]" />

[Hope]

For me, absolutely true that hormones play a part. I flare at ovulation and it continues, although at a lesser level until I get my period. The day I get my period and for the next week is my best. I try to plan trips and fun activities during that week. I am hoping that when I reach menopause - I am 45 now - things might get better. I have always been sensitive to mittelsmertz -- ovulation time. As I am in the glorious perimenopause stage, my ovulation times are getting much more uncomfortable. Maybe that's why I got IC at 41.

Who knows. Feel good all,
Love, Hope <img src="graemlins/hi.gif" border="0" alt="[hi]" />

[Lyn40]

My experiences with hormones are very similar to Hope's. I started IC at age 40, at which time my hormones began to change. Its like an explosion went off in my body. I could write a book on that alone! I have most recently gone 4 months without a period. During that time, I rarely went 2 or 3 days in a row without a flare. This last week, I had a period and suddenly feel better than I have in months. That is a consistent pattern to feel much better right after a period. What is more interesting is that those 4 months I was very depressed and am now happy and myself again. Could it be because my pain is gone and now I feel good or is it hormonal mood swings? Nevertheless, hormones definitely play a big part in my IC.

Kim

[Mal]

I've thought about the hormone issue as well. Reason being, I was going thru in-vitro fertilization when I began showing symptoms of IC. At the time, I had taken a number of hormones to go thru the IVF process, so I know the hormones in my body were completely out of whack when I began showing IC symptoms. I came up with the first UTI and the start of IC symptoms after my retrieval. Amazingly, the Dr's retrieved 23 eggs from me. They were also worried of the possiblity of me developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, but I didn't. I just developed the onset of IC. [img]frown.gif[/img] Sad, huh? I think ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome would have been much easier. Hormones are definitely a thought to contributing IC factors, in my book.

Mal

[sonick]

Hi gang,

From a male perspective here, I've been battling IC for a couple years now, and I have just now started to examine the possibility of a hormonal cause for my IC. I noticed that around the same time my IC symptoms started, my libido dropped, not as *ahem* potent, less energy, my spare tire gained about 4 inches, the whole nine. I noticed that a lot of these symptoms seem parallel in a LOT of IC patients, men and woman alike. I'm starting to wonder if testosterone is a catalyst for IC, both in men AND women, since we both use the testosterone for the same reasons. If my test comes out low, and a supplement shows any sort of improvements, I'll keep you posted!

Pain free days to ALL of you,
Jayson
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