Is it a flare?

[nineteenwinters]

So I think I am in my first flare since I was diagnosed and started the IC diet. Yesterday I had this weird tickling feeling in my bladder. I am sure you guys understand; it's like I could just 'feel' my bladder more. I still only was urinating every 2-3 hours.

Ever since 5am this morning I have had to urinate every 15-30 minutes. I am not sure if my bladder is emptying fully. I do not have the 'pee and then need to pee again right after' so I think it must be mostly. It's just that in 15 to 30 minutes I will feel I have to go and when I go it's just a small amount of urine. It's not like 'dribbles' it's just not the equivalent to 2-3 hour void for me.

Is this a flare or am I just having a bad day? I took some Pyridium, 2 Prelief, and a Nucynta (I do not have any pain but for some reason the pain meds help with my frequency). I am going to try some Tums and Baking Soda in water next time I get up.

Now I have to figure out why I flared. I had half of a small Root Beer on Tuesday at lunch. I am totally stupid because I got brands mixed up and accidentally had one that had caffeine in it! Oye.

Or it could be the salad dressing I had last night. It's a ranch I made myself. It has buttermilk and yogurt and 1/2 a teaspoon of light mayo. I made it for the first time last week. I took a Prelief before I ate it and I did not flare (it's been 5 days). Last night I tried some again without Prelief.

I am just curious as to which flared me (if this is a flare). If it was the dressing I think it's odd that I had weird feelings all day yesterday before I ate it even. If it is the soda why did it take so long to 'flare' me? I thought liquids triggered flares pretty quickly (no more than like a day)? Or do you think the caffine can stay in the body longer?

Ho hum. I am just a little depressed by it all. My first flare while on medication. I know I have to get over this; I know I am going to have many more flares down the road and I can't get so worked up about them. I think I just needed to vent.

[nanawaggs]

Hi, nineteenwinters ~ Wow, sounds similar to my situation last week....had a root beer and a tad of ranch dressing and bam, couldn't even get out of the restaurant without going 3 times and stopping on the way home.

I'm definitely not an expert on "tracking" foods and their effects on me so I feel like a sitting duck most of the time I try something not absolutely what I'd call IC Safe.

You may consider having your urine checked for an infection. My doc did and I'm now on antibiotics while they wait for the culture due to white blood cells in the "dip stick" test. (still don't think it's an infection, but oh well).

Hope you find out what happened and start to feel better soon.

[ICNDonna]

It could be that you can tolerate a small amount of a trigger food or drink, but if you combine two or more, it could cause a flare. I know there are some foods I can have occasionally, but not more than one in a day or two.


Donna

[earthlady]

I'm with Donna. Maybe a small amount of one thing is ok but a small amount of a couple things is not. By the way- I did the same thing when I went to try a low acid blended decaf coffee drink. I'm certain the barista did not use decaf as I was in trouble the next day. I found out that caffeine is way way worse for my bladder than acid. My flares never came on within a couple hours of eating or drinking something but would effect me a day later. Made it really hard to figure out what the triggers were. Once I figured that out I would have to go back a day or two to see what I had to eat or drink. How time consuming this whole thing is- isn't it?

[Toto]

I really hope you feel better soon. I experience the same symptoms as you on an ongoing basis. What's puzzling is that my diet has remained the same for YEARS... I wonder if our bodies can suddenly get so extremely sensitive to foods. I suppose it's possible because of more people being diagnosed with wheat issues. Or I wonder if the IC or other related conditions start to come up, and therefore, foods irritate because of the new condition. I ponder these things.

Anyway...feel better!!!!

[nineteenwinters]

Thanks all!

I do not think it's an infection because I am feeling better today already. I have been on Pyridium and Nucynta since yesterday but even on them yesterday I will still having to go every 30 minutes. Starting last night I only took 1/2 a Nucynta and a Pyridium and I only woke up every 3 hours which is pretty normal for me so I think I am over the worst part of the flare now. I am still convinced it was from the Root Beer as I was feeling funky a full day before I even tried the dressing. And since I have had the dressing before and didn't experience any problems I am still going to keep that on my menu. I might just try taking some Prelief before it.

I really wish I didn't have the Root Beer with caffeine in it. Now I won't know until I choose to be brave and try some again without if it's just the caffeine or the soda in general.

[nineteenwinters]

Ugh. Just an update. My period started this morning and brought a flare from hell. I am having pretty bad retention. I even drank 7 glasses of watertrying to help the retention. All it did was make the retention worse because now I really had to pee and couldn't. Then I had the bowel movement from hell. It was halfway in and halfway out (sorry forbthe tmi) and I couldn't pass it. I couldn't stand up up either from the pain. After 2 hours trying to pass it I had to make my mom go to the store for milk of magnesia. After I took that an hour later I was able pass the stool. My anus and urethra are on fire. Took a couple of baking soda baths which helped a little. Then in the middle of my bathroom marathon my period started. So now I had retention with frequency, a anus and uretha that are on fire and cramps! Not to mention the diharea caused by my IBS.

After all of that I started throwing up which I haven't done since elementary school. Then my body started getting aches all over. Now I have a fever of 102.8. I think its the flu but if it doesn't get better by tomorrow I'll have to call my Uro to see if it's an infection. My kidneys hurt but that could just be from the flu since I ache everywhere. Now I am trying to get sleep in the middle of bathroom runs to vomit or have diarrhea with a ice pack in between my legs a heating pad on my tummy (Nucynta does nothing for cramps which seems odd to me) and a wet washcloth on my head. Exactly when am I supposednfo get use to this?

Posting from phone sorry for typos.


Exactly when am I supposed to get better? This sucks.

[ICNDonna]

It does sound like you have something other than your IC going on. With a temperature over 102, I think it would be a good idea to get medical attention. Is there an urgent care center near you. If so, you could call them and ask if you can have a family member bring in a urine sample for testing (to avoid contact and possibly exposing others). I have always considered anything over 102 to be the point where attention is needed.

I hope you can get some help today.

Donna

[nineteenwinters]

I am debating that. I had a culture taken Tuesday so I am thinking if I had an infectionit would have showed even just a little. Today my fever is 101.6 so at least it's going down.

[Toto]

Oh gosh...you poor thing!!!! (vomiting is the worst)

The vomiting and temp would alarm me. Either you have some type of infection or a stomach flu! I think it would be good to get checked. A fever of 101 is still high.

Feel better and keep us updated!

[nineteenwinters]

I am calling the doctor tomorrow. Even with Tylenol now my fever won't drop past 101. I am in so much pain.

TMI BOLOW;

My anus hurts so so bad. I can't even walk normal because of the pain. It's also leaking blood (not more than when you have Hemiroids) and fecal matter and mucous. Everytime I have to poo I throw up. Thank goodness I have those adult diapers since I am leaking. I took a full dose of Milk of Magnesia, full dose of fiber pills and a full dose of stool softeners. They're not working. I took some vaseline and triednto manually break up the poo but oddly there is nothing there as far as I could go. I am going to use the vaseline everytime I have to poo, I was able to pass a small non-liquid poop with it. The biggest problem is my retention. Probably have 95% at this point. Its due to the 'need to poop' feeling. Even without all this drama if I have to poop I will get retention and/or frequency.

I really hope my Uro can help me. Between the pain and the retention and frequency this is as bad as when I had to go too the ER. Not a choice for me unless I break something or am dying. It was about 5K the last time I went and I can't afford that again.

What's sad is that now I don't know if the rootbeer flared me or if I was just getting sick. :/

Posted from my phone, please excuse typing errors.

[Toto]

Glad to hear your calling the doctor. You suffering is horrible!

If you didn't have the fever I'd think the constipation is the issue. However, definitely sounds like a virus of some sort. I wish you have some anti-vomit meds so you don't get dehydrated.

[nineteenwinters]

I do have some but they're not working for this for some reason. They worked great after my cysto so I don't get it.

I am drinking a lot of water. Even though it's horrid for the frequency and it flares me to do so. It's actually pretty easy today because I am so thirsty all the time. I made apple juice in my juicer and I downed that in under 5 minutes!

Yeah I think it's either a stomach bug or my period is so messed up from all this drama that it's causing the horrid constipation. I just hope there's something he can do for me.

[Toto]

Oh really? What are you taking? I take promethazine. Though I'm not sure how well it works exactly. Haven't tried it in the middle of a tummy bug. I knocks me out though. In fact I just took one now, figuring that and the klonopin just might knock me out I'm praying.

The worst part of being sick in the way that you are, is that the thirst is horrible after vomiting. So of course we have to drink. But then we desperately want to sleep and rest but can't because of the darn bladder symptoms. REALLY sucks eh?

I was also told to get stool softener and constipation pill, forget the name. Though I'm afraid to take them for fear of having sudden diarrhea. I'm pathetic eh?

By the way, it's really helping me to cope by having someone to chat with about all these ailments and troubles. Couldn't do it alone. So thank you!

[nineteenwinters]

I can't think of the name offhand (it's in the other room). It's a small tablet you dissolve in your mouth. I got it from the ER when I had to drink all that dye for my CT.

You're far from pathetic but don't be afraid of Fiber and Stool Softeners. Just make sure you get a SS that doesn't have a laxative in it. The SS doesn't make you have to go it just makes going easier (thus helping constipation). I take mine at night and I usually will have to go 2-3 hours after waking up. I have never had diarrhea from it. I too was concerned about that. Same goes with the Fiber. Now Milk of Magnesia will make you have to go and because it's going to unclog you you will often have diarrhea at least for the first hour. After that I always go like normal.

Yes I totally agree about the water. I know it helps some people to have 6-8 glasses a day but that causes me major flares. I did drink 8 glasses yesterday just because I don't want to get dehydrated. I am in a flare but I have no idea what could be causing it. Maybe everything; Bowels pressing against my bladder, hormones from my period, or water.

It is very nice sharing with people going through the same things you are.