Is there any correlation between IC and endo?

[alyssa2181]

I was diagnosed with IC in December of 2006 at the age of 18. As hard as it was to believe, the hydro and cystoscope showed that I had it. Luckily I found this site and it has helped me a lot! Nobody knows what we go through! I have noticed that there seems to be a trend that several people who have IC also have endo. I recently talked to my gyn to see if he thought that I should be checked for endo as well. He said that he hasn't heard of any relationship between endo and IC but if I wanted to be sure then he would do the laparoscopy. What are the differences in the symptoms with IC and endo and would it be worth the laparoscopy to find out?

Thank you for all the support!
God Bless!

[leelee88]

I have Endo and the differnence is that the endo only hurts really bad when its that time of month and yes it kind of feels like IC pain but I am on continious birth control pills so I never have a period, but even though I dont have a period still around that time of month I still have some cramping..IC pain to be is more of a sharp burning feeling right below my belly button.. Hope this helps

Ronda

[Moonheart]

I supposedly had my endo taken cleared up, but I still have all the cramping and all. So I thought that the IC had cramping also, but maybe my endo is active as well as the IC.

[GriffsMommy]

I don't know if there is a correlation or not but it seems if a person has IC they usually have something else chronic as well. Some people have a long list of health problems. Many people believe that both IC and endo are autoimmune which may be why a lot of us have both. I know that endo is herditery because my mother have it and so do I. Some people have said that IC is herditery as well, thank goodness my mother doesn't have IC, I don't know if I would wish this on my worst enemy!

[ICNDonna]

I didn't develop IC until after I had a hysterectomy. It's very possible to have both IC and endo, but I honestly don't think the two are connected.

Donna

[HGC]

I believe there is some correlation (just my opinion) between having IC and Endo. I have both. If you Google IC & Endo you will find they call them the Evil Twins.

[L. Thomas]

According to my urogyne IC mimics a lot of things including endo,UTI as well as yeast infections. My IC manifested itself with "walking farts" so I was originally treated for colon and rectal problems...who would have thought they would be connected? My urogyne said he had seen my combiantion of symptoms maybe 20-30 times in his career (IC specialist and sees 100's annually)
You just never know

[Katrina]

A large amount of patients have both and do know of some patients with IC that believe their IC was caused in part to a hormonal imballance.

I have both endo and IC and I know of some doctors believing there may be a connection but other than huge correlation in symptoms, both often being bothered by hormones, and the large number of patients with both there isn't a definate connection (that we know of) like there is some other things like PFD.

I have heard of something called the fibro 5...fibro, endo, IC, chronic fatigue syndrome....so are they often together yes but the reason why is not known.

I have Endo and the differnence is that the endo only hurts really bad when its that time of month and yes it kind of feels like IC pain but I am on continious birth control pills so I never have a period, but even though I dont have a period still around that time of month I still have some cramping..IC pain to be is more of a sharp burning feeling right below my belly button.. Hope this helps

I guess it is different for everyone but my endo pain was pretty constant...just worse around period...same was true for my IC pain. sharp burning pain is more PFD to me....but to describe a difference in the pain....endo is cramping somewhat sensitive to the touch if you pushed on it like a bad brewse would be where as the IC was more sensitive to even a slight amount of pressure like a balloon that could pop in me.

HGC is right, they are called the evil twins.

My own opinion is that there is a connection between many of these things and that finding it may be the sollution to getting some relief...can't wait for the multiple illness study!

[Babs RN]

I have been diagnosed with both and I would have to say before my hysterectomy the pain from the endo was "crampier" than my IC pain, shot down my legs alot more and felt like Freddy Kruger was flexing his fingers in my belly.


Hugs,
Barb

[CCB]

When my daughter was just starting her menes 12.5 yr old. she would get very moody and very painful cramps and would be in such pain that she said that if she took a knife and stabbed it in her stomach it would hurt less than the pain she is having. I asked her doctor then about this and they said PMS. to young for anything else. This went on for years moody and in pain. Then she was told she has IBS (2002) and Fibroymalsia which came after a car accident (2000) and now IC which showed up right after a car accident last year.
I now think maybe endomititirs and want to rule this out or in. She's been referred to a pelvic pain clinic at UCSF and maybe they will help.

[Katrina]

Grr too young, grr! I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at age 10....some of us just don't need to get "old" or older to get sick.
Good luck!!

[GriffsMommy]

I sometimes wonder if in my case my endo actually CAUSED my IC. My endo grew through my bladder wall and they had to remove it from my bladder. I really wonder if that surgery injuried my bladder lining and caused the IC to happen.

[almaarlt]

Here’s a study that was done on this issue:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12500828&dopt=Abstract

From what I’ve read, not enough research has been done to determine what the link between endo and IC is. Most doctors chalk it up to the fact that both are autoimmune disorders.

I started having symptoms at age 12, but it took me 13 years and more than a dozen doctors to get my endo diagnosed. It wasn’t until an endo expert (only a handful of them in the US, despite what most doctors say about their skill) told me that his clinic regularly screens for IC during endo excision surgery, did I find out about my IC.

My personal feeling is that IC and endo (and the link between them) aren’t treated seriously enough by most medical professionals.

[CCB]

Thanks Almaarit, very interesting research article on the evil twin endo and ic.

When my daughter 22yr. was to have her bladder biospy, we asked her urologist to check for endo, he consulted her gyn and the gyn said he didn't see the signs (???). so no laparoscopic to find her endo.

This article says that its very important for the the gyn and urlog. to work together as a team. "Through our study, we showed the high pevalence and association of ic and endometriosis."
Which came first, the chicken or the egg..... and why don't doctors know about this and look for it while they have their paitient anesthetied getting the bladder biospy?

I will present this article to her gyn and urologist and get their view on this.
Maybe it will help getting her help in this area...thanks

[Katrina]

Thank you so much for sharing that link!!!
I find it hard to accept that most doctors caugh it up to both being auto immune disorders since I suspect many doctors will have difficulty believing that is for sure in everyone with IC but when it comes to finding a connection I get where more will say that!! I hope there is more research in the future!!!