Less pain during Period??

[Sara N.]

Hi, I'm not sure yet if I have IC...the urologist that I was going to for a while said I do not, but I have something wrong with me that NO ONE can figure out...so maybe i'll never know...but I have a mysterious pain in my urethra sometimes after I urinate, only if I didn't have to really go too bad. Last year I got my first UTI and then things definitely got worse...now not only do I have the "mysterious pain", but I also have burning in my urethra, recurring UTIs, and painful urination...still no one can figure out what's wrong. I've kind of learned through years of having the first mystery pain, how to help not to get it,but when I have an infection there's no knowing when I'll get pain because as most of you probably know, UTIs can make you feel like you have to urinate VERY bad, but in fact you don't...so of course that causes the pain when I urinate....anyways back to my original post lol <img src="graemlins/blink.gif" border="0" alt="[blink]" /> I've noticed that I don't seem to have the urethral burning while I have me period...if anyone on here has urethral burning, have you found that to be true for you too? Or does anyone know what the connection could be?
Sorry this is sooooo long! [img]biggrin.gif[/img]

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

[Shelleynz]

Sara, I used to get that urethral burning during urination and afterwards just like you. My urethra used to feel irritated all the time and the burning was worse if I went before I really needed too. The most successful treatment I've tried for these symptoms is Neurontin - great for burning & tingling. I was taking 300mg 3x/day but have had to cut back to just one tab./day b/c I can't afford it.
I hope this helps.
Shelley

[Rob]

Seems to be all women here, but y'all struck on something I have been wondering. I had lung surgery in March 2001 and then "ended up" with IC in July of the same year.
I don't believe I was cathed (is that a word?) unless it was during surgery, so I was assuming maybe there was just some strange bacteria/fungus/virus/something that might have been "introduced" during the surgery.

[ICNDonna]

Rob, sometimes I think that we actually have some kind of IC "gene" --- but that it can lie dormant until some kind of traumatic event, such as a major surgery, triggers it. I know I developed IC following abdominal surgery.

And you may have been catheterized during surgery --- it wouldn't be unusual for a major surgery.

Donna

[Yvonne47]

Hello: I never had any surgery prior to my IC only, UTIs. <img src="graemlins/eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />

[nccarol]

I had the UTI's I think first and then IC and then surguries but the IC got severe after the ovarian surgery. [img]confused.gif[/img]

[wornout]

Hi:

MyIC definately got worse after a D & C, lap and hysterscopy this past spring...went in with a urinary tract infection...and the uro completed they cysto/hydor anyway.

[kimberlyJB]

I absolutely have less pain during my period everytime. Sometimes it lasts for the whole period sometimes just for the first day or two. But it the greatest relief that I get.

IC has many variations. Mine emerged after a very bad bladder infection in 1998. It got worse in 2000 and even worse after pelvic surgery this year.

I have a question for those of you who feel that surgery either triggered or worsened your symptoms: does it get better?

[awake4]

I'm not sure what caused the onset of my IC I think it was recurrent UTI's but I look forward to having my period now because thats the only time I get relief, I never thought I would look forward to my periods but I do feel better during it the whole time but as soon as it's over the pressure is right back, good luck to all of you and I'll keep praying for a healing of this awful disease.

[Cawaggi]

I'm one who has less pain during my period, and then the week after is almost pain free. Ovulation starts the cycle again though...