So what is going on Teenagers

[Kiyoka]

I'm not exactly a high school person, But I know there are someone out there that just don't know where to begin. I just wanted you all to know that you are not a lone and if you ever need to post something in the college post your welcome to. We are all going though the samething. So what is going on in high school, jr high? Any good study tips..I really need them?

[marissa22]

thanks for posting on the teen board. I wish it would become more active. Oh, and study tips -- not that I'm that great at studying, but I figure the most effective way to study is to tape my notes to the bathroom wall since I spend so much time in there (sad, but true). And it really ended up helping, I just aced my chemistry test with a 98! talk to you later.

Love,
Marissa

[Kiyoka]

Hey Marissa, Thanks for the study tip, I just a have my own bathroom to tape it too. I'm living in the dorms right now..I but I guess I can tape the notes somewhere else.hmmm...but very good idea. So where are you from Marissa? how old are you? I'm from New Mexico, and i'm 21. I hope all is well for you. i'm here if you ever need to chat Marissa.

grouphug

[marissa22]

Hey, I'm sixteen (almost seventeen!) and from Kentucky. So you live in the dorms? I don't honestly think I could ever share a bathroom (especially after living with IC). Cheers to you for surviving that. Talk later.

Love,
Marissa.

[Kiyoka]

Hey Marissa, that is cool. I Know a person with ic from your state, her name is Vicky. she is 18 I think. Yes I live in the dorms community showers, and bathrooms. I don't mind going there......its' very quiet in the dorms i live in right now. Maybe I can get Vicky to post next time she is on IM. How is school doing? Do you think it's a good idea to meet other with ic? I do, but I wanted to see what the younger aged people would think. See ya later

[marissa22]

That's really cool that you know somewhere from the area with IC. I think it's a great thing to meet other people with IC. I know it's so frustrating to me because my friends don't get what I go through with IC, so I really enjoy talking to other people who I can relate to. School is alright ... I've been missing a lot lately for doctor appointments and such but spring break is almost here so I can get some real rest.

Love,
Marissa

[Kiyoka]

Hello, long time no see. How are you feeling Marissa? I hope well, yeah I know what you mean by missing class, it's kind of a pain..but when you get things under control it would feel so much better. I know you will still do great in class even if your missing class. I hope all goes well for you. I would love the chance to get to know you better, and if you need any help at all, i'm here for you and every single person on this board will do ther best. I can't wait to hear back from you.

Love,

[marissa22]

Hey. I've been feeling a little better recently, but still kind bad. I'm going back to my doctor Thursday to see if we can figure out anything new to try. How are you?! Thanks for the last post, I'd like to get to know you better too. It's nice to hear the supportive responses from this board. Talk later.

Love,
Marissa

[Kiyoka]

Hey Marissa, that is good that you are doing better, I hope all goes well for you Thursday. Please Keep me informed on your appointment. I'm doing pretty good health y's. I'm home from Spring Break, came home to eat and take my sister and mother every where. How is life going for you Marissa? Do you have any brothers or sisters? Is your family help you out? Have a wonderful day Marissa.

Love,

[Kiyoka]

Dear Marissa, I hope your appointment went good. How are you feeling? Does it hurt to get a Interstim? Wow I read some of your other post and you have been though a lot, I should be asking you the questions. Did you just know that Interstim was the right thing to do? what does it feel like? I hope I didn't ask to many qustion. have a wonderful day.

[MelanieJean]

Hey Marissa. It' nice to meet you. I totally know how it is to be soo frustrated with your friends when they don't understand. It's difficult for people to comprehend what's going on when they have no basis for understanding. But, Kiyoka and I are here for you. I know how hard it is to live with IC and be functional everyday, and Kiyoka knows all about the issues with school and IC. We make a pretty good team, if you ask me. If you ever need anything at all, just ask. I'd love to help you out. It makes life easier to be able to talk to people about your problems without worrying about whether they're going to judge you. You have enough to worry about as it is!!! ~mel~

[Alexa]

Hey guys, I was laughing when you suggested taping your notes to the bathroom walls!! Sounds like you're very efficient! Are your teachers supportive? Do they understand about IC? When I was in high school (not thaaaaaaaaat long ago!) I wasn't diagnosed yet, but I certainly had all the symptoms. What meds are you guys on? Marissa how did your doc appointment go?? Kiyoka hope you're enjoying your spring break!

Hugs to you all,
Alexa

[marissa22]

Hey Thanks to everyone for the replys and support.

My doctors appointment went a lot better than I thought it would. It turn's out I have a bladder infection, and I've never actually had one before. So it sucks that I have it, but I'm thrilled that it's something that can be cured. I've been on the antibiotics for four days though and I haven't noticed any change. Does anyone know if that's normal or not?

I have two sisters (14 and 22). My little sister is not supportive at all, but I guess she's just too young and maybe I shouldn't expect her to try and understand. My older sister has real bad asthma so she understands living with a chronic medical problem. My mom has been supportive through all my health problems. She's had bladder problems for most of her life, so she understands IC more than most of my family. The rest of my family -- they're supportive in ways -- but don't really understand what IC is and how much it effects every day of my life.

I knew Interstim was the right thing to do. I just kind of had a feeling that it would work. My first urologist was an idiot, pretty much, and he just didn't want to really let me try anything except Elmiron to help IC. And when I asked him about a TENS unit, he told me there was a doctor in the building who did a similar thing called Interstim. And when I met that doctor he was so nice, and he told me I was the "perfect canidate" for Interstim. And I was desperate for a treatment that worked so I didn't have any second thoughts about the surgery. And then it worked!

The interstim surgey didn't hurt that bad. It's really painful when you wake up after surgery and it lasts the throughout the next couple of days, but I thought the pain faded pretty fast. It wasn't near as bad as I was thinking it would be. The doctor told me normally the implant (it's about 4 inchs by 4 inchs and then 1 cm thick) goes in the lower back. But he didn't think it would fit there for me so the he implanted it in my butt. Which is weird, but I think it made the surgery hurt less since it's not in an area that you move around a bunch. There are now three scars, one is like a tiny circle, one is about a cenimeter, and then the big one is about 7 inchs but it's still fading.

The actual sensation that you feel is really weird. The first time I felt it I hated it. I couldn't keep it up very high at first. During the trial I dont think I ever went past a '4' on the little 1-10 scale level. But now Ive got to where I keep it turned up high. The trial is so different from actually having it in you. It feels so much more comfortable and normal when it's inside of you. The sensation is was honestly really uncomfortable for me. It doesn't exactly hurt. It just feels weird, the feelings in your vagina and its just constant. It reminds me of an air conditioning system. It's just like having this constant buzzing in you. But after a while you just get used to it and don't even notice it. It's not painful or anything unless you turn it up way too high and then you start getting all these stabing pains, yeah, I advice no one turn it up really high just to see what happens. The worse thing about it is that it causes really bad retention sometimes. and I hate retention, but I'm learning to control that better.

So what treatments have worked for you all? or have you not found anything that works good yet? I'd be really interested to know.

[Kiyoka]

Hey Marissa, I was great to hear your story. It doesnt' mean something is going wrong if you can't tell if the antib. is working, just keep taking the whole ten day or what ever you doctors wanted you to do. What antib do they have you on? Do you have an email address?

I guess here is my treatment story. it's not really fun and nothing really happens. Before they know it was ic they put me on Pydridium plus and an antib. when I had my cyo/hy. she put me on Elmrion, pyridium, antib., and something for over active bladder. I kept having this horrible side effects for everything that they put me in the hospital over night, it was during midterms. I think the hyd/cyo something happened and it gave me infection. She didnt' give me anything for the pain since my body can't handle very much, when I was younger I didn't take meds at all. I was throwing up everyday, headach, dizzy from all the meds they give me, my urologist took a leave of abuse to take care of her kids. I thought it would be only four mouths, NOPE I havne't seen her yet and it will be 9 months now since I seen a urologist. There is only two others in new mexico that even work with ic and the two where 3.5 hours away, and going to school you can't leave for very long. I stopped taking my meds after five months, since my doctors wasn't there to check on me, and fix everything. I felt so much better when I stopped taking all those meds. I had five uti s since I found out I have ic.

[marissa22]

My uti is finally starting to feel better. I just finished the meds, it was Ciproxr at 500mg for 7 days.

That must be really hard going that long without an urologist. It really upsets me how little most urologists know about IC. They should have to learn about it in med school or something, you know, theres just so much ignorance about IC in the medical community. Id love to stop taking all my meds. I really cant tell how much they help, I know they do some, but its not a huge amount. Ive tried going off like the Elavil, but I get real bad weakness in my legs and literally couldnt get out of bed.

oh and my email address is [email protected].

Love,
Marissa.