Living with Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
in Health ·
I’ve been wrestling with these issues for about 15 years now. It all kicked off during my first pregnancy, and honestly, the cold weather makes everything so much worse. If I feel even a hint of discomfort in my pelvic area, I bloat up like a balloon. There's this constant pressure in my lower abdomen and an urgent need to pee, though it’s usually just a few drops. It doesn't burn, but I'm sitting there like an idiot and nothing happens. Then there's the pressure combined with a stinging sensation at the urethral opening. Don't even get me started on sex... and on the bad days, the pain is so intense I can barely sit or walk properly; I end up wrapped in layers like I'm heading into a blizzard. Now that things are flaring up again and winter is approaching, I'm bundled up like a bear, frantically hunting for wool pants—I can't even remember the last time I wore a skirt. I've had almost every test imaginable except for a cystoscopy. My urethral swabs are fine, cervical tests are clear, urine is sterile, cytology shows 8 cells in the urine, and I even did four consecutive days of urine cultures. Blood work is normal, gynecologist says everything is fine... so what am I supposed to do? I'm starting the whole process over again with a cystoscopy and a urography, but it feels like a total waste of time. Just like many of you, I've cycled through antibiotics and urinary antiseptics. I was on prophylaxis for six months or more and felt a bit better, but then my gut flora went completely out the window. Even cranberry juice makes me nauseous now. I suppose I might be partly to blame since I don't drink enough fluids. You guys gave me the idea of what's happening—maybe I should just move somewhere warm in the South, maybe above 40 degrees, otherwise I'll be stuck wearing socks forever. I'll check with my hospital; they recently got some new equipment that might actually help. Best,