In pain

[isles]

I am experiencing a flare right now and struggling with maintaining peace. I've been reading the Word and feel a lot better praise God but I'm sensing a severe ache in my abdomen area. I took a baking soda bath which helped somewhat although I was still burning when I was in the bath. I tried to lay down with a heating pad but I just took some dayquil too because I'm experiencing flu symptoms too. The combination of a sore throat, congestion, nausea and a flare is just too much to handle! Not sure what I should do.

[Moonheart]

Hi,
Do you normally take any pain meds at all?
Have you tried Pyridium or anything like that? Anything stronger?

I'm a Christian as well, and I found that I struggled for a very long time with thinking that I didn't have enough faith, I wasn't really letting the Lord handle things,etc. and I thought it was my own fault I was in pain.

Finally, I realized that it wasn't my lack of faith, I really did have a severely painful disease and that it was okay to take pain meds for it, and that not being in pain actually helped me to maintain my relationship with God.

Hope you feel better soon! Take care and God bless,
Moonheart

[petrie86]

Did your dr pescribe you any pain medications?? I would try drinking alot of water today. I will pray for you.

[isles]

Thanks moonheart and petrie.

I too believe that God created medicine for our healing and that it's important to take it when I'm in pain. The problem is that Pyridium makes me very sick; no matter how much I eat before taking it. I am on a light dose of macrobid that my doctor told me to take everytime I feel a flare/infection coming up. 8 hour tylenol helps but with the flu, I'm finding it hard to sustain food and I don't want to take too much medication on an empty stomach because that will create acidity which further aggravates my urinary tract.

I was very sick with IC in 05. I gave my life to Christ in January of 06 and I was in remission that entire year. I don't think I even had one infection that whole year; a few symptoms of a flare that cleared up with a lot of prayer, reading the Word, and drinking a lot of water. I changed my diet drastically and I was feeling great. In Jan of 07 I was praising God for everything that He did for me and a week later, I had the worst infection I've ever had since I discovered this illness. I had that one in Jan that lasted two weeks and now I'm having one now. It's a strange battle. I feel like Job; still I am trusting God for my healing. Above medicine and physicians, I know He is the ultimate healer of my body. I do feel better. I've been laying down with a heating pad and drinking water in intervals. Thank you God!

Thanks for listening to me share my feelings. God bless!

[RAS6]

First of all thanks for sharing your faith. Your words were a real encourage ment to me. I am having a rough flare week too! It is nice to know that God does care about us and he knows that we are hurting. I couldn't help but think of the verse that talks about how God knows when the sparrow falls from the tree. (I am terrible sometimes with remebering chapters and verses. My memory is pretty bad due to all the meds!)
I also have little to help me through flares besides heating pads and water and rest. My Vicadin helps with everyday pain but does little when I flare. I also get VERY sick when I take pyridium, something many Doctors I saw didn't understand. It isn't always the answer for everyone! One thing I noticed is that you were taking Dayquil. For me I can't take any of those because of the citric acid and artificial colors. If you are feeling better now that may not be what was bothering you, but I thought I would mention it. I wasn't even aware that I shouldn't limit my label reading to food. I was so upset when I flared after my last bout with a cold b/c I was downing dayquil and nightquil and they both had citric acid. That is always a trigger in my case. I even struggle with what coughdrops I can tolerate.
Hope you continue to feel better! I will be praying for you!