Bacterial Origin?

[Jilly]

I know this might sound crazy but I really think mine is related to bacteria. I've never had a bladder infection until this. I work for a construction company and for a yr I was on a jobsite. I don't know if any of you have ever used a port-a-potty, well a construction worker's port-a-potty is 100 times nastier. I am a clean freak and absolutely refused to use the bathroom. For about 6 mos. I would wait until I got to the other office or home to use the bathroom. After about 6 mos. I had a really hard time going to sleep and had problems with urgency/frequency. I went to see a urologist 2 yrs later when I was diagnosed w/IC after I had a cystoscopy. I think there maybe lots of different ways to develop IC, but I feel mine was bacterial related. I think I had a bladder infection that went on too long without being treated. It took me 2 yrs to received any medication. Anyone else think they got IC from bacteria?

Thanks,

Jill

[kimmi158]

Hi,I'm not a doctor so I really don't know.
But my opinion is that it is possible.I used to do the same thing in school.I would go for 8 hours or more with out going to the restroom.
I always had uti's and yeast infections.
WHEN I was 15 I got mono.I think that caused alot of my health problems because I havent been the same .I stay tired all the time even when I sleep all night I wake up tired.
But I do think it my be possible,but that is just an opinion because like I said i'm not a doc .I really wish I could tell you more.
I am doing some reading right now and I will see if it has anything about this.
Lots of hugs,
Kim

[kimmi158]

I was looking at Dr.Kaufman's transcripts.
I found a q/a on bacterial origin.
You can find these transcripts go to icn announcements it is the first message board,
then after you click on announcements go to Dr. kaufman guest lecture trans. click on that then go to icn spotlight read trans. now .click on there and scroll down until you come to the q/a on bacterial org.
It would be good if you read all the q/a it has alot of info.
Lots of hugs,
Kim

[shell]

I've also wondered if there could be a bacterial origin as one possible cause. I developed IC at age 18 and had not had any medical problems up to that point - I had not even been to see a doctor in 13 years. I had not had any surgeries or accidents, had not been on any medications, was not yet sexually active, and no one else in my family had it.

My only other guess as to the cause for me would be chemical. Maybe some chemical or preservative in foods and/or drinks is to blame.

I do think, though, that what we are currently calling IC is really several different illnesses that have some similar symptoms. That would explain why we all have different symptoms and respond differently to treatments.

[kimmi158]

I'm not a doc. but I do think that one day they may find a connection.
I think its kinda funny that almost everybody in the small town I was from had kidney stones and alot had bladder problems.
I'm beginning to think everything we eat and drink is bad for us
Everyday they come out with ,milk is bad for you, then the next day they say it is good for you.I don't think anybody knows anymore the longterm effect of the chemicals they are putting on our food and in our water and even in our medicines.

I'm sorry it took me so long to answer,I had dmso yesterday and I really feel bad so if it takes me a little bit to answer your questions please bare with me for a couple of days.

Lots of hugs,
Kim

[Ruthie]

Jilly,

My opinion is that it may begin from a bacteria, yep, the nasty bladder infection from hell when I was about 19, I had started using a diaphram, and lost weight, didn't get the size changed. (weight loss or gain of 10lbs you are sopossed to) anyway this weird infection (bladder) first they thought pelvic inflammatory, left me hospitalized for a week, they looked in my bladder no hunners ulcers then, but I was urinating about every 20 minutes. All I know, is 10 years later they figured it out to be IC.

Maybe its some strange infection or virus, that doesn't show in the urine, but hides in the bladder, and likes acidic systems?

What is weird, is how it goes away, and then comes back out of the blue...

[darlene]

Nobody really knows. My vote would be that it is an autoimmune disease, perhaps triggered by a virus or a bacteria. I have IC and another autoimmune disease(crohn's disease). We may have genetic defects that make us vulnerable to autoimmune diseases. Vulvodynia sure sounds like another autoimmune disease.

[MSBIGFULTON]

I AM DEFINITELY NO EXPERT, BUT ALL OF MY PROBLEMS BEGAN AFETR I HAD ANKLE SURGERY AND AFTER THE SURGERY I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME URINATING, SO THEY USED MY FRIEND THE CATH. AND I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS EVER SINCE..FROM A UTI TO YEAST AND SO ON....BUT I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY EASY TO CATCH COLDS ETC...A WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM..BUT MOST PEOPLE WITH KIDNEY/URINARY PROBLEMS USUALLY HAVE IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEMS....JUST ANOTHER POSITIVE HUH?