vacation flare

[MomforGod3]

Okay I have a question for you all. I recently went on vacation the first one in two years because the last two years have been filled with surgeries and hospital stays. Anyways, we drive to N.C. from FL. and when we got there Sunday night I was okay but by Tuesday I was in a flare, within two days I was fine now we are back in FL and I'm flaring again. Anyone out there had that happen to you?

[ICNDonna]

It's not unusual to flare after many hours riding in a car. I hope you feel better quickly.

Donna

[MomforGod3]

Thanks Donna I hope it gets better soon too. Sometimes it drives me crazy not know what causes the flares. I eat the right things, excise and do the instillations. I have a question do you all hurt sometimes only on one side of your bladder and do you all feel bloated alot too?

[Shirl]

Confused IC Patient With Lots of ????
I am 54, had a complete hysterectomy at age 38, also had severe endometriosis which was discovered during my hysterectomy surgery. I have been on Premrin .25 ever since. For the last 7 years, I was getting what I thought were UTI's about 2 to 3 times a year. Urine cultures were always negative but I was still treated with antibiotics (Cipro/Macro). I saw a urologist during this time frame. The urologist suggested my gynie treat me for the "so called" UTI's so I turned over my urologist records to my gynie and in Nov. 2006, I was tested and began treatment for IC. (My gynie became very suspicious since all my cultures were neg.) I have been on Elmiron 3 x's a day. Although I am grateful to my doctor for finally figuring out what was wrong with me, I really have been on my own as far as seeking info on this condition. I actually thought since I started taking Elmiron, I would never have the pain and discomfort that brought me to the doctor in the first place.........I guess I was wrong!

Since Nov.2006, I had one flare from what I think was due to eating food with MSG. The flare only lasted 2 days. I am currently having a flare which started this past Wed. I always have the same symptoms, lower abdomen pain and pain in my lower back, fatigue. No burning/pain while going to the bathroom, no getting up in the middle of the night. Not sure why it happened this time.

How long do these flares last?? I know it probably varies from person to person. Do you call your doctor every time it happens? Or, do you just deal with the discomfort?

[MomforGod3]

As for me for the most part I just deal with the discomfort if it's like REAL bad I have in the past called the doctor's office thinking I had a UTI but, like many of us IC people we have been made to feel stupid so I just hate calling them. There are very few staff there who are great but I always seem to get the other staff who are not so great. Do you have any pain medication and if so does taking that help, if you don't I would get involved with a pain management doctor now before the pain gets out of control it may not get out of control but it is better safe than sorry. As to how long the flares last wish I could answer that you just never know. I know that one of the things that helps me is the installations I hate doing them but they do help.