vaginal/bladder pain after bowel movement - anyone??? desperate for an answer

[judy45]

Since the beginning of september I have been experiencing yet another symptom! Everytime I have a bowel movement it flares my bladder and my entire vaginal area. It is not what I am eating, after 3.5 years I know my trigger foods, and honestly it is a deeper pain. Also I will be completely pain free until after the bowel movement. No pain before or during. My PT has no idea, and neither does my urologist. I just can't seem to get a grip on this. Has anyone experienced this? If so what did you do to help alleviate it? Thanks!

[KarenAnne]

I see Erica Fletcher in Narberth, Pa. for physical therapy. When I have this symptom, she usually finds my pelvic floor muscles are very high tone. She is very experienced & even teaches other physical therapists in pelvic floor disorder. Maybe she can tell your therapist what she can do to help you?

[Linda May]

If I have loose stools it helps me, my bladder dont feel as irritatated. If I am constapated I feel worse so it looks like you are just the opposite. you might want to have your intestines checked out for other problems. I wish you the best

[krs72]

When I was diagnosed with IC my uro. said to avoid constipation "at all costs." He said that constipation could make my symptoms worse and cause a flare. I make sure to eat enough fiber and take Milk of Magnesia so I don't get constipated, but when I occasionally do, I will sometimes get some bladder pain and vulvodynia. It's fleeting, but it's there.

[runningshoe]

I can relate. Sounds like a pelvic floor issue for sure. Try a warm bath.

[Mytita]

Since the beginning of september I have been experiencing yet another symptom! Everytime I have a bowel movement it flares my bladder and my entire vaginal area. It is not what I am eating, after 3.5 years I know my trigger foods, and honestly it is a deeper pain. Also I will be completely pain free until after the bowel movement. No pain before or during. My PT has no idea, and neither does my urologist. I just can't seem to get a grip on this. Has anyone experienced this? If so what did you do to help alleviate it? Thanks!

My PT just came home from a weekend seminar on constipation. She is sure it agrivates IC. Probably the first thing she advised is to have your knees higher than your hips while on the pot. This means paint cans on each side for me feet for me. Some people use wooden blocks or stools. Also no straining and she hooked me up to a muscle sensing machine to retrain which muscles I use. It's a process, but I think it is helping. Also psyllium, flax, fluids, oatmeal and fiber!

[alycat]

I've had episodes of this in the past. I had a colonoscopy done, which came out clean (boy did I flare during prep though). Reading every one else's responses, I'm pretty sure it must be a pelvic floor issue. I've definitely found that keeping regular, keeping high fiber, etc really helps. If I slack on that, I start to feel the pain.

Do be cautious about fiber supplements though. When I was told to take one for a while, we discovered many of them have trigger chemicals in them. I ended up on plain benefiber, which was pretty tasteless.