22 yr old male w IC

[listen2dylan11]

My story is really no different than many of yours after pouring through this forum and finally deciding to join. Early on in life I had strange but seldom and rare urinary pain and frequency. The first time I had a "flare" or episode would have been 9 or 10 probably as I can remeber at a friends birthday party that I had to urinate what seemed like every hour or so. Fast forward to about 16, up until age 16 flares were maybe 3 or 4 times a year and it seemed like something I just saw randomly for a day or so. At 16 though I had my first few bigtime flares that lasted for quite a few days and started happening every 3 or 4 weeks. Still life was pretty solid and If I could go back to that kind of IC I would in a heartbeat. Fall of 2009. I had just turned 20 and my symptoms now were out of control. One night in particular I will never forget was in November of 2009 I had just finished running that evening and had put in about 7.5 miles, as before IC dominated my life I loved to run long distance. That night I did not sleep at all. I stayed awake until it was time for class the next morning. I urinated probably 25 or so times that night, I knew for years something wasn't totally normal but now I knew it was time to see a Doctor. Dubbed with overactive bladder, prostatitis, bladder infection, things that apparently never turned out to be true or responded to antibiotics I was diagnosed with IC about 6 months later. Now I am 22 and I basically live with this life sentunce, I have tried so many things to help with the pain and frequency and its funny because my "IC pleatau" or level of severity that I am on now began back in the fall of 2009 when I totally quit drinking everything except water in an attempt to help symptoms, but strangely during this time is when my symptoms reached their newest pleateau. I have been prescribed flomax a drug old dudes with prostates the size of water melons are supposed to take and it helps with the pain a little bit but less with the frequency. Anyway the only side effect i have came across in taking this for about a month is light headedness, which is not too bad between what it does for my ic and the light headedness i'd say it comes out slightly ahead of a draw, so its a go for now I guess.

The hardest part of this for me has been the dating game. My last steady gf and I ended about the time my ic was running out of control, unrelated i think because i know we enjoyed sex and playing around but i have to wonder. I never had any trouble getting a date but after about 1 or 2 dates and the girl sees that I pee every hour sometimes more...she moves on or something I don't know blah blah. I have been out with 7 girls this year...date total of about 17 or 18 dates all together so as you can see 1 or 2 is about the average. I just don't know what to tell someone on a first date "hey i have a weird condition no one can really help so thats why i am going to pee 2-3 times on this date" Its tough and I dont know what to say. I turned 22 about a week ago so I probably have another 50 to 60 years of this hopefully I'll luck out with some remission at some point or something. Is it stupid for me to think this site needs to start a chat for IC singles? I think the only way a girl would never run is if she knew what I was going through.

[ICNDonna]

I'd just like to say to the IC Network. I know you'll find a wealth of support and information here.

Sending healing thoughts,
Donna

[Linda May]

ic

has your uro offered other treatments like dmso or rescue?

[ic and aggravat]

male and new to forum

my name is chrys and im a male. Ive been having ic for several years but now have very embarrassing story. For last two weeks ive had very bad pain that is deep in my rectum. I have hard time doing anything. I also have pain going into private part now and dont know what to do. Does anyone have any ideas? i dont know if its ic or enlarged prostate



ty

[ICNDonna]

Ty, you really need to see your uro.


Donna