Having a mild flare

[Shannonmarie018]

I've been having a bit of a flare for the last week or so. I've been taking elmiron for almost 4 months now and I was starting to feel a lot better. I don't know what I ate or drank last week but it really messed me up. I'm not as bad as I've been in the past. Just going more than often but not nearly as bad as I used to be. After I urinate I feel like I still need to go a little bit, but I've had this problem before and I know I don't have a bladder infection. I know what it's like when I start to get a bladder infection and I'd be at the doctor's by now. My question is does this happen to everyone? You're fine for awhile and then one day you start flaring for no reason. My doctor has me take proced for when I'm having problems and that doesn't even feel like it's really helping. I've just been drinking water straight and eating really bland foods again. I had some beer last week and of course sex always makes me flarey too. I think that has something to do with it. I don't know if I should call my uro. I'm not sure if there's anything he can really do for me. I'm supposed to go back in August after I've been on elmiron for 6 months to see how I'm doing.

[born2swim]

Well I'm new to all the IC stuff, but my doctor said IC comes and goes like allergies. There are people in remission for years then it comes back. Most of their patients do very well with their treatments and when something comes up, they come in for rescue instillations (with Elmiron, lidocaine, bicarb, and saline). That helps some people tremendously they say.

I hope you get to feel better soon. I'm glad it isn't as bad as it was, but I know it must be frustrating that it is back. It couldn't hurt to check for a UTI if you are prone to those. If your uro has another med that may work better for you, it is worth a call. Just say that you are in a flare, following the diet, sipping water slowly during the day, and the med they have you on isn't helping much.

I find that the only thing that dulls my urgency/frequency feeling is Ultram. For some reason that messes up the nerves from my pelvis and I don't feel as strong of a feeling. It is still there, but it is weaker. Still drives me nuts, but weaker. It maybe be enough to get you past your flare? I'd ask my doctor if there is another med to try. I was just give Urispaz today. I hope that helps me right now.

Feel better!

[Roxie2007]

HI! Why don't you try AZO (it's over the counter) instead of Prosed. Prosed didn't work at all for me. AZO coats the bladder and is an anesthesia. It really helps!
Some times I'll have a flare out of the blue too......never really know what set it off or why. It could have something that you ate 2 days in a row.....that may not have caused a flare if you'd only eaten it once......but I've found out that eating the same thing two days in a row is a sure flare!
Hope you get to feeling better soon! Roxie