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Thought I'd share my experience for other newbies who may not know what to expect.
My uro was 99% sure I had IC based on symptoms & the discomfort I had just from an in-office cystoscopy, but still wanted to do the distention under general anesthesia to get a better look, see how my bladder reacted, etc. He also said that he has some patients who experience a period of lessening symptoms, almost to the point of remission, after the hydro. Some patients get relief for nearly a year and come in every 8-10 months for a hydrodistention and that's their major treatment for the disease!
(I had my procedure on Monday.)
Anesthesia is never fun, and I woke up feeling super-groggy and like I had a UTI. I had to pee 2 or 3 times in recovery & it was very very bloody. He gave me a prescription for pyridium, vicodin & cipro to go home on. The pyridium was probably a life-saver. As uncomfortable as the first 24hrs were, I'm sure they were much better than they would have been without it. I continued to pass quite a bit of blood until about 36hrs later. Peeing was uncomfortable but not omg-scream-grit-your-teeth kind of uncomfortable. I usually don't take pain meds at all, but I did take a vicodin as soon as I got home, and half of one before bed the first night.
He said of course the hydro confirmed IC - when you have IC and get a hydro, the inside of the bladder breaks out in angry red bloody spots all over in reaction. Mine did just that. He said I clearly have IC but shyed away from giving it a grade or class. Said he doesn't like to "rate" it, either you have it or you don't, and he's had patients with mild IC who are wild with pain and patients with severe IC who still manage to work & have a pretty good outlook on life, so the gradient doesn't matter much.
By Tuesday afternoon, I felt chipper enough to go into work for a half-day. Still in pain, but that's been the case for a year now, so my main criteria for deciding I could work was that I wasn't too tired, and the pain was manageable. Tuesday night, I was bushed. Work for 4hrs, then rushing my girls to their 2hr cheer practice, then getting home and trying to prepare dinner at 830-9 at night. I was exhausted. Pain was still at the same level though, the main issue was I was so tired!
I took a last dose of Pyridium Tuesday afternoon, bc I wanted to see where my comfort level was, sans meds. Peeing Wed morning was business as usual! Not great, not horrible. Worked a full day! Ditto for Thurs. I haven't taken anything for pain since Monday night, and nothing for peeing since Tuesday afternoon.
The biggest difference I've noticed since the hydro is my pain is more infrequent sharp and "nervy" pangs , rather than the usual constant dull ache that increases with a full bladder. My number of trips to the bathroom started to decrease on Wednesday, but the sharp pangs are pretty consistent, regardless of whether or how bad I have to potty.
Today is Friday, and discomfort is a little higher than usual. Still though, a sharper but more coming-going quality, and confined to the bladder area. And NO kidney pain. Right flank pain with the left occasionally sounding off has been the story of my life for the past year. Now, my right doesn't hurt AT ALL. Since probably Tuesday! And my left only hurts when I bend over or sit funny.
Uro says it can take 2-3 weeks for the bladder to figure out how things are gonna be, and at that point we'll see if the hydro has helped the situation or just left it the same
I'll update again as I see or feel any differences!
-Ivy
My uro was 99% sure I had IC based on symptoms & the discomfort I had just from an in-office cystoscopy, but still wanted to do the distention under general anesthesia to get a better look, see how my bladder reacted, etc. He also said that he has some patients who experience a period of lessening symptoms, almost to the point of remission, after the hydro. Some patients get relief for nearly a year and come in every 8-10 months for a hydrodistention and that's their major treatment for the disease!
(I had my procedure on Monday.)
Anesthesia is never fun, and I woke up feeling super-groggy and like I had a UTI. I had to pee 2 or 3 times in recovery & it was very very bloody. He gave me a prescription for pyridium, vicodin & cipro to go home on. The pyridium was probably a life-saver. As uncomfortable as the first 24hrs were, I'm sure they were much better than they would have been without it. I continued to pass quite a bit of blood until about 36hrs later. Peeing was uncomfortable but not omg-scream-grit-your-teeth kind of uncomfortable. I usually don't take pain meds at all, but I did take a vicodin as soon as I got home, and half of one before bed the first night.
He said of course the hydro confirmed IC - when you have IC and get a hydro, the inside of the bladder breaks out in angry red bloody spots all over in reaction. Mine did just that. He said I clearly have IC but shyed away from giving it a grade or class. Said he doesn't like to "rate" it, either you have it or you don't, and he's had patients with mild IC who are wild with pain and patients with severe IC who still manage to work & have a pretty good outlook on life, so the gradient doesn't matter much.
By Tuesday afternoon, I felt chipper enough to go into work for a half-day. Still in pain, but that's been the case for a year now, so my main criteria for deciding I could work was that I wasn't too tired, and the pain was manageable. Tuesday night, I was bushed. Work for 4hrs, then rushing my girls to their 2hr cheer practice, then getting home and trying to prepare dinner at 830-9 at night. I was exhausted. Pain was still at the same level though, the main issue was I was so tired!
I took a last dose of Pyridium Tuesday afternoon, bc I wanted to see where my comfort level was, sans meds. Peeing Wed morning was business as usual! Not great, not horrible. Worked a full day! Ditto for Thurs. I haven't taken anything for pain since Monday night, and nothing for peeing since Tuesday afternoon.
The biggest difference I've noticed since the hydro is my pain is more infrequent sharp and "nervy" pangs , rather than the usual constant dull ache that increases with a full bladder. My number of trips to the bathroom started to decrease on Wednesday, but the sharp pangs are pretty consistent, regardless of whether or how bad I have to potty.
Today is Friday, and discomfort is a little higher than usual. Still though, a sharper but more coming-going quality, and confined to the bladder area. And NO kidney pain. Right flank pain with the left occasionally sounding off has been the story of my life for the past year. Now, my right doesn't hurt AT ALL. Since probably Tuesday! And my left only hurts when I bend over or sit funny.
Uro says it can take 2-3 weeks for the bladder to figure out how things are gonna be, and at that point we'll see if the hydro has helped the situation or just left it the same
I'll update again as I see or feel any differences!-Ivy
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