New_Question about blood in urine

[2turtles]

I'm a newly diagnosed IC patient. I'm 33 years old and after years of what I thought was random pain in my pelvic area, back, sides, kidneys, etc, I was finally referred to a uro. He did a cysto and my bladder looked like it had gone through a cheese grader. I had a uro appnt on tues and that showed blood in my urine, but everything else looked good. He sent it for a culture, but didn't think I had an infection. The next day, there was so much blood, my urine looked like kool-aid. I'm having UTI symptoms, but those are also IC symptoms. My question is, will IC cause that much blood? I've been feeling feverish and have the chills, although my actual temp is normal. How do I distinguish between IC and UTI????
This seems like a frustrating journey I'm just now beginning, but hopefully I'll be able to get rid of the pain now that I know what I'm up against!

[marar76]

Did you have a cysto hydro done ever? I hope you get this figured out and feel better!

Rachael

[Linda May]

Ic

It is hard to tell the difference in a uti and flare. I noticed the last two times I had a flare my stomach feels tight and bulging out and it feels like my bladder is going to pop open. If you feel like something is really out of wack you need to call your uro. I wish you the best and this is a very informative forum so you are taking the right steps so far. Also stick with the IC diet.

[too_young]

Oh gosh thats exactly how I was/am! I went to my Uro finally today. I was passing very large and clumpy blood clots it was very gross and super embarrassing to walk out of the bathroom with a sample of what looked like clumpy kool aid and everyone asking if i was on my period. My urologist gave me an anti biotic,pain medicine,and zofran for nausea you should definitely see your doctor for some relief.

[ICNDonna]

That much blood usually means infection. I'm glad they are culturing it. Let us know what you find out.

Sending welcoming hugs,
Donna

[traveller]

blood in urine

My first symptom (in late 2004) was excessive quantities of blood in the urine with no pain. I was under investigation for that and no infection or any other anomalies were found. I was told the blood was likely the result of intensive running. I cut back on running/exercise, and after about 3 months, the blood stopped but the pain started. About 6 months after experiencing excruciating pain everyday (not really frequency, just outright pain), I was finally diagnosed with IC by a recognised expert in the field. One of the reasons my diagnosis was delayed was that blood in the urine was not considered a symptom of IC. To this date I have never received an adequate explanation as to whether or not, in my case, blood in the urine was related to the onset of IC. I wonder if others have had a similar history. I have given up asking about it.

Luckily with diet modification and elmiron/elavil/cetirizine/occasional bladder installations (heparin-based), my symptoms are, for the most part, under control. Often a small dose of AZO will get rid of a flare. In my case, I am certain that elavil is the main factor in my recovery because last year when I stoppped taking it the horrible pain symptoms returned. They almost immediately abated once I began the elavil again. I have tried botox injections, but they had no effect.

I don't post very often, but I am extremely grateful for this forum.

[Mothergoose]

I always had bladder symptoms of some sort or another, and pain, but I too was running everday,on trails so I could pee when I needed too, then one day I got a lot of blood in my urine and things went down hill from there.

The reason for the blood was never confirmed and it was quite a while before I got a diagnoses of IC over the next 10 years I got worse and wors, until prprer diagnoses a couple of years ago. With diagnoses, treatment and diet, things have finally startedto improve.

I still get blood from time to time with and without infections. I have had so much blood when I wipe it looks like I have my period, I had a hysto a long time ago, it was thought to help with my pelvis pain, it did help I had andeomyosis my uterus needed to go, I bleed way too much and for about 25 days out of every month, but I now know and my uro thought at the time this was not the root cause of most of my pain.

As for the blood I get now a days sometimesit just colors my urine, and other times it is there when I wipe. My Dr.s put it down to being part of my IC.

MG

[traveller]

blood in urine again

We know that sometimes IC can start with an injury to the bladder (surgery, car accident, etc.). I wonder if some of us had sensitive bladders to begin with (as in a weak GAG layer), and IC slowly developed because of many small injuries to the bladder through exercise/sports? I do empathize with 2turtles--seeing red-brown urine is quite alarming. When I was going through that, two urologists told me that sometimes blood in the urine can appear (with no infection) and then disappear for no apparent reason. It does need to be investigated, however. Good luck 2turtles!