Update on first bladder instill

[toby75]

Ziggy-question about smoking....

Ziggy

I saw that you have quit smoking after smoking for years. My question is, have you noticed a difference in your bladder? Has it helped at all? I still smoke and my husband actually quit using chantix too, but I wonder if my smoking truely causes problems with IC. I know smoking is generally bad for your health but I want to know how bad it is directly on the bladder?

thanks
Amy

[Zygala87]

Hi Amy. I am a little unsure if it has helped my bladder. I am doing very well. It may be the diet or the Elmiron. A Hydrodistention, when I first discovered I had IC, helped me a lot. It brought me down from a 10 to a 2 in pain. This was before I stopped smoking. Maybe I would have returned to pain hell had I not stopped smoking. I just never liked my addiction controlling my whole life. Hurting my Husband and my kids and grandkid. The last straw is the cost. Cigs. cost from $30 - $40 a carton. Money I now spend on myself for nice cloths, trips, gifts. With my morning (one cup) of coffee I crave a cig for about two minutes. I chew on a mento and put my mind someplace like my computer. Than it is forgotten. I will never nag anyone to stop smoking as I know what it is like. It is all up to you to make that decision. All I will say is CHANTIX does WORK when nothing else ever did and without much cravings. I go to bed and think "gosh I haven't even thought of smoking all day" I would have bet my house that would never happen. Keep in touch please. I care, Hug, Ziggy

[toby75]

Thanks Ziggy! I too will say that the first hydrodistention I had on my bladder to diagnose my bladder issue brought me 8 months of pure 100% relief! During that time I took no meds, ate what I wanted, I only had bladder problems for 3 months prior to my diagnosis, and had never heard of IC until the uro told me after they hydro. Since I felt so much better I never took the time to research IC because I thought it was gone,out of sight or pain, out of mind.

8 months later I had major surgery and my IC came back 10 times worse. I have not had any relief since then,I take pain management 24/7. I had another hydro done but did not get relief from it but I also think too that since I had been on pain meds daily I couldn't tell.

I pray I am in that group of people that will continue to get relief from hydros. I plan on another one soon and getting off constant pain meds before so I can see if I get the relief!