sitting in car - crotch question

[runningshoe]

Hi,
I have been in a flare for 4 weeks now. NO FUN. I drove to the dr today and was very uncomfortable. Vaginal area is sore now too for sitting. Do you guys get that? My dr says all the nerves are attached and you can just feel it in different places. What do you think????

[petrie86]

It seems that everytime I get into the car I get uncomfortable... why is that?? It hurts to put the seatbelt over my bladder! I agree with ya!

[lnseagraves]

me too. Sometimes just riding in a car is enough to force me into a flare. I'm nervous as hell for an upcoming job interview that I have... its 2 hours away!!!!! Sigh..... lots of pyridium and lots of breaks along the way....

[runningshoe]

but does your whole vaginal area feel sore - irritated? I also can't stand the seat belt over my bladder.

[petrie86]

no it doesnt feel sore and irritated. Maybe you have pfd??

[lnseagraves]

yes, quite often it does. The seat belt gets really uncomfortable. I kind of recline the back of my seat a bit so that the angle of the belt doesn't cut into my pelvis as much. It also relieves a lot of the pressure on the front of my crotch, so to speak. It took a little while to get used to driving somewhat reclined, but my seat rises so I sit up higher and it works out.

Also, in winter, I will wrap my coat around my midsection before putting on the belt. This acts as a buffer between the belt and pelvis. Again, it relieves some of the immediate pressure but I'm still secure in my car.

[lnseagraves]

PS, I dont have PFD. It is just the pressure of the belt and the jiggling of the car and the hard seat really irritates my bladder and flares my IC. We're all different, though.

[mich2604]

I get this too. It feels all iritated........its getting into and out of the car that causes me most iritation.

most days i would rather stand.

[Emma's Mommy]

i sit on a pillow in the car....it helps keep the pressure off an already hurting area

[traceann]

Another idea that worked fabulously for me when the vaginal/vulvar area was screaming in the car (or at home) was to basically sit on a frozen water bottle - holding it between your legs right up against the vulvar/perineal area, lol. Fit perfect in the right area! I'd slip it into an old sock, and then into a ziplock bag to protect from any melting water, etc from making it look like I peed my pants, lol. My freezer is never without one in it!!!

[runningshoe]

Ugh! I am just having such a bad afternoon. When will this end? I have had a couple of good days but today was so bad. I was careful with what I ate....Over the past month I have had buring, aching, cramping, pulling, urgency and now just this general feeling of irritation. Why do the symptoms vary so much??? I just want to be back to normal!

[traceann]

LOL, I think you can count every ICer in on that right with you!! So frustrating sometimes (ok, most times ) isn't it?

[lnseagraves]

I dont think I remember whats normal.... how upsetting is that? I can have really GOOD days. But I don't remember what not burning when peeing feels like... or even not having to worry about where a bathroom is! Foreign concepts to me!

[traceann]

LOL, I know exactly what you mean! It amazed me how much I had built my "existence" around bathrooms - will I need one, will I find one, better not drink too much so I don't have to stop somewhere etc. It was just part of my life for so long....odd how we adjust!

[runningshoe]

I just want to out of pain and not think about my crotch for a day! I can't believe I was in remission for so many years but I don't even remember it.