sylvieCT
10-23-2004, 01:04 PM
My name is Sylvie. I am a forty-one year old woman. I have a beautiful family - three great children and a supportive husband. I am a classical musician. I work full time and teach music lessons at home as well. I actively participate in our music program at Church. I love to go camping and spend time at the beach.
Last year I went to the doctor with what I thought was a pretty bad urinary tract infection. The doctor took a sample and, although she didn't see a bad infection, she thought she saw extra protein in the urine which could be a sign of infection. She put me on an antibiotic for five days. Five days later, I called the doctor to say that I felt worse. My symptoms were constant urination and severe abdominal pain and pressure in the bladder area. She was moving offices and was not available for two weeks. I spoke to a doctor on the phone who was covering for her while she moved offices. This doctor prescribed another antibiotic that I took for seven days. After seven days, I felt even worse. I was hardly able to walk. I finally went back to my original doctor. I could not drive and needed the assistance of my parents to help me into the doctors office. My doctor was very caring and very concerned. She took another urine test and sent it to a lab for a better diagnosis. In the meantime, she put me on another course of antibiotics and gave me some medications to soothe the constant urine problem. Again, I waited. I did not hear back from the doctor. My condition seemed to be getting worse. When I finally called the doctor and pushed for my results from the lab - I was told they were negative. There was no infection. The doctor felt that the results simply proved that the antibiotic was working so I continued to take it and I got worse. After several more weeks, the symptoms were starting to really frighten me. I decided to go to the emergency room. At the emergency room, they told me I had pelvic inflamatory disease. I was given more antibiotics and injected with antibiotics. I went home feeling hopeful with this new diagnosis. After completing the new treatment, I was so ill I thought I had cancer. I called my doctor in tears. She then ordered a series of x-rays. - every kind imaginable. I had no kidney stone. I didn't have anything except an "extended abdomen" from all the medications. I was referred to a uroligist. He said he saw nothing wrong with me and sent me home. He saw me for five minutes and diagnosed me that quickly as well. Desperate, I contacted a family member who worked at a doctors office and the doctor was willing to see me. He again diagnosed me with pelvic inflamatory disease. He put me on more antibiotics and started a series of antibiotic injections over the course of many days. Still, no results. I was in severe pain and discomfort - bed ridden. My mother recommended going to a gynocologist who had an outstanding reputation. This doctor told me I did not have an infection and never did. They took me off all antibiotics and started giving me medication to soothe my bladder. I wore medical patches and took medication to help soothe things. This entire time period lasted about two months. I missed work and life during this time. Finally, I was able to resume some of my activities, but I never fully went back to feeling like I was urinating like "a normal person." I lived with it.
Then, about seven months later...the whole nightmare started again. I was urinating maybe thirty times a day or about every fifteen minutes. I felt enormous pressure. I like to say it feels like a baby's head is crowning. My groin area just ached right down to my thighs. I thought.."Oh no, another infection." I went to my original doctor and heard the same words..."we see a little protein so we are going to put you on an antibiotic." I took the antibiotic and felt worse. This time, I went directly to the doctor who told me I didn't have an infection to begin with. He listened to all my symptoms from urinating constantly to severe pressure. He thouroughly examined me and reassured me that my bladder wasn't coming out which is what I thought was happening. He looked over all my past records and asked me if I ever heard of Interstitial Cystitis. He gave me books to read, educated me on diet, and started me on Elmiron.
That was four weeks ago. I am still in a relapse, but I feel sane and grateful to have a diagnosis. I wish is was something that went away for good with a magic pill, but knowledge is power. I am working really hard on my new diet. I was drinking up to four cups of coffee a day for twenty years! And, I was a chocoholic! The last relapses took me out of work and I was unable to do anything. Matter of fact, I was crawling on the floor at one point. This time, I am coping with the symptoms and maintaining my life. My work has been understanding and set up a family medical leave for me if I need it. I can play my music, continue to teach, and enjoy life. Using a heating pad at work and while I play music has been the most helpful thing for me. I don't feel great and it is not fun to urinate every twenty minutes and feel constant pressure, but knowing what it is and that I can help make it better has been a great relief for me!
Thank you for reading.
Last year I went to the doctor with what I thought was a pretty bad urinary tract infection. The doctor took a sample and, although she didn't see a bad infection, she thought she saw extra protein in the urine which could be a sign of infection. She put me on an antibiotic for five days. Five days later, I called the doctor to say that I felt worse. My symptoms were constant urination and severe abdominal pain and pressure in the bladder area. She was moving offices and was not available for two weeks. I spoke to a doctor on the phone who was covering for her while she moved offices. This doctor prescribed another antibiotic that I took for seven days. After seven days, I felt even worse. I was hardly able to walk. I finally went back to my original doctor. I could not drive and needed the assistance of my parents to help me into the doctors office. My doctor was very caring and very concerned. She took another urine test and sent it to a lab for a better diagnosis. In the meantime, she put me on another course of antibiotics and gave me some medications to soothe the constant urine problem. Again, I waited. I did not hear back from the doctor. My condition seemed to be getting worse. When I finally called the doctor and pushed for my results from the lab - I was told they were negative. There was no infection. The doctor felt that the results simply proved that the antibiotic was working so I continued to take it and I got worse. After several more weeks, the symptoms were starting to really frighten me. I decided to go to the emergency room. At the emergency room, they told me I had pelvic inflamatory disease. I was given more antibiotics and injected with antibiotics. I went home feeling hopeful with this new diagnosis. After completing the new treatment, I was so ill I thought I had cancer. I called my doctor in tears. She then ordered a series of x-rays. - every kind imaginable. I had no kidney stone. I didn't have anything except an "extended abdomen" from all the medications. I was referred to a uroligist. He said he saw nothing wrong with me and sent me home. He saw me for five minutes and diagnosed me that quickly as well. Desperate, I contacted a family member who worked at a doctors office and the doctor was willing to see me. He again diagnosed me with pelvic inflamatory disease. He put me on more antibiotics and started a series of antibiotic injections over the course of many days. Still, no results. I was in severe pain and discomfort - bed ridden. My mother recommended going to a gynocologist who had an outstanding reputation. This doctor told me I did not have an infection and never did. They took me off all antibiotics and started giving me medication to soothe my bladder. I wore medical patches and took medication to help soothe things. This entire time period lasted about two months. I missed work and life during this time. Finally, I was able to resume some of my activities, but I never fully went back to feeling like I was urinating like "a normal person." I lived with it.
Then, about seven months later...the whole nightmare started again. I was urinating maybe thirty times a day or about every fifteen minutes. I felt enormous pressure. I like to say it feels like a baby's head is crowning. My groin area just ached right down to my thighs. I thought.."Oh no, another infection." I went to my original doctor and heard the same words..."we see a little protein so we are going to put you on an antibiotic." I took the antibiotic and felt worse. This time, I went directly to the doctor who told me I didn't have an infection to begin with. He listened to all my symptoms from urinating constantly to severe pressure. He thouroughly examined me and reassured me that my bladder wasn't coming out which is what I thought was happening. He looked over all my past records and asked me if I ever heard of Interstitial Cystitis. He gave me books to read, educated me on diet, and started me on Elmiron.
That was four weeks ago. I am still in a relapse, but I feel sane and grateful to have a diagnosis. I wish is was something that went away for good with a magic pill, but knowledge is power. I am working really hard on my new diet. I was drinking up to four cups of coffee a day for twenty years! And, I was a chocoholic! The last relapses took me out of work and I was unable to do anything. Matter of fact, I was crawling on the floor at one point. This time, I am coping with the symptoms and maintaining my life. My work has been understanding and set up a family medical leave for me if I need it. I can play my music, continue to teach, and enjoy life. Using a heating pad at work and while I play music has been the most helpful thing for me. I don't feel great and it is not fun to urinate every twenty minutes and feel constant pressure, but knowing what it is and that I can help make it better has been a great relief for me!
Thank you for reading.