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Stress is a factor for me too, it did not take research for me to no that. I wish they would research for more treatments or a cure for IC. Thats where they need to put there time and money into.
i read the article and im definately trying to get all my stress and anger in check. its hard though when you have certain family members that bring on this stress and anger,yet you dont want to cut them out completely. i'm learning slowly to not sweat the small stuff for my health.
Newly IC diagnosed as of February 2011.
Medications I'm on that seem to work:
Zoloft- one once a day
Butrans pain patch 5 mcg (THANK GOD FOR WHOEVER INVENTED THIS!SO MUCH PAIN RELIEF ITS UNREAL,I AM IN NO PAIN AT ALL UNLESS I STRESS OR SCREW UP ON THE DIET)
Failed Meds:
Elmiron-after 4 months,digestive side effects got to be too much
tramadol-allergic
DMSO treatments(5-6)
probiotics
THERAPIES:gardening,cooking,IC Diet,Counseling,Lots of warm baths,stress reduction,heating pad or ice packs,meditation/deep breathing,listening to relaxing music,having fun on pain free days,drinking chamomile or peppermint tea,pelvic floor physical therapy
AROMATHERAPY-candles,incense
Village Naturals Aches and Pains Peppermint Bath Salts
Johnson and Johnsons Lavender Melt Away Stress Body Wash/Lotion
ACUPUNCTURE/HERBS
Significant pain relief so far.
MAY TRY:yoga,swimming/hydrotherapy and anti-candida diet if i can kick my sugar addiction
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***TO MY IC SISTERS AND BROTHERS:WE ARE OUR OWN ADVOCATES!,PLEASE DO AS MUCH RESEARCH ON YOUR OWN AS POSSIBLE AND TRY DIFFERENT TREATMENTS TO GET WELL.NOT ONE TREATMENT WORKS FOR EVERYONE.MOST IMPORTANTLY,TRY TO KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE,DISTANCE YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVITY/NEGATIVE PEOPLE AND NEVER,EVER GIVE UP!***
Add me on facebook Angela Hasic
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Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life.
I know that stress doesn't cause IC but it definitely makes it worse!! I have a hard time keeping up with all the demands at work, home, etc. because of having ADD-PI in addition to all other ailments and stress makes it hundred times worse. Yesterday, I was enjoying fairly painless day until later when my boss stormed into my office asking why I wasn't done yet and that I'll need to start working overtime and Saturdays to get caught up. Vicodin here we come again...
I have personally never noticed any relation to stress and my bladder symptoms. Not sure why that is.... I suffered anxiety in late 20's and since then it pops up here and there but mostly not. I DO notice my IBS gets much worse with stress and anxiety though. So maybe I experience my stress through my gut instead of my bladder. If I'm upset I feel "sick to my stomach" and will get diarrhea or be nauseas.
Cindi
Gelnique for frequency/urgency - works great
Macrobid after sex
Prilosec, continuous birth control pills
synthroid .088mg, mucinex-d, restasis
Supplements: Desert Harvest Aloe vera, Cysta-q, prelief, magnesium and calcium, Vit D, flaxseed oil
Diag Mild IC Jan 11 but have had symptoms for 25 years. Also have GERD, TMJ, IBS-C, chronic dry eye syndrome, hashimotos thyroiditis, non-allergic rhinitis.
I know that stress doesn't cause IC but it definitely makes it worse!! I have a hard time keeping up with all the demands at work, home, etc. because of having ADD-PI in addition to all other ailments and stress makes it hundred times worse. Yesterday, I was enjoying fairly painless day until later when my boss stormed into my office asking why I wasn't done yet and that I'll need to start working overtime and Saturdays to get caught up. Vicodin here we come again...
I wouldn't quite say yet that stress definately does not cause IC. I don't think they have totally excluded that. One of the theories is that cortisol which is a hormone that is produced in stressed individuals is related some way. Here is an article about some research on cats that develop similar problems while stressed.
I don't like to say that stress causes IC though I realize nothing is ruled out yet but if there was a connection it would be something about how our bodies deal with stress or maybe don't deal with stress. Generally when I'm actually aware of stress it goes straight to my gut.
It seems like there are too many conditions like IBS, TMJ which alot of us have or fibro that weren't taken seriously because of misconceptions about stress. I have pretty bad TMJ that is under control as long as I have a good night guard. I had a dentist ask me in a whispered voice if I was stressed out and I was like not that I know of....I just clench my teeth at night!
You know what I mean? I get nervous that certain conditions won't be taken seriously as if we're somehow "causing" it. It makes it somehow seem less valid....
Cindi
Gelnique for frequency/urgency - works great
Macrobid after sex
Prilosec, continuous birth control pills
synthroid .088mg, mucinex-d, restasis
Supplements: Desert Harvest Aloe vera, Cysta-q, prelief, magnesium and calcium, Vit D, flaxseed oil
Diag Mild IC Jan 11 but have had symptoms for 25 years. Also have GERD, TMJ, IBS-C, chronic dry eye syndrome, hashimotos thyroiditis, non-allergic rhinitis.
I got Sjogren's in my early thirties, immediately followed by i.c. It was the happiest time of my life. I had a stressful period in my twenties, due to the death of my brother and having to deal with a serious flare of Crohn's disease at same time (I didn't know he was dying because I was in the hospital.)
However, when I flared after a near fifteen yr remission I was terrified and my PCP wouldn't cooperate with treatment I kept doing during remission. But when that was settled the symptoms reversed themselves.
Now I am flaring in vaginal wall under bladder and had an knock down, drag out with new pcp. Things were settled but I think the stress is keeping things going.
Thanks for posting the article regarding stress. I've had IC for twelve years now but have been so fortunately to have the meds I'm on (Elmiron, Amytryptilene, Oxytro) keep my symptoms on a very low level most of the time. Unfortunately, I went into a flare a couple of months ago that I haven't been able to pull out of and it's really been challenging for me to keep from getting overly worried and stressed about it. The longer it goes on the harder it is not to get upset over the pain, exhaustion and not being able to eat much of anything. I'm having bladder instillations right now but so far after four of them, I'm still not pulling out of it. So, thanks for the reminder that keeping my emotions from getting the best of me will work in my favor. I pray I'll be out of this very soon. It rearlly wears on you after a while. Hope you continue to do well with your meds!
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