Prostaglandin E therapy - why it works

[Norman A. Smith]

Why use prostaglandin E for Intertistial cistitis? I.C. is an imflammation of the bladder. Current therapy attempts to control pain. It is not a cure to arrest the cause of the pain. Prostaglandin E (misoprostol) does not directly control pain. Yet, rather it stimulates prostaglandin pumps to produce the protective lining of the bladder. This is the first step of recovery as the bladder now begins to heal.

Misoprostol is a FDA approved drug for stimulation of prostaglandin pumps. It is indicated for gastric (stomach) prostaglandin pump stimulation. In the case of gastric ulcers, misoprostrol stimulates pump activity to protect the stomach. It will also stimulate prostaglandin pumps in the bladder. These pumps will produce the substances that will protect the inflammed lining. Blocking will prevent urine excretes to inflame the lining thus allowing the bladder to heal. The prostaglandin pumps will restore normal function, the pain and symptoms will stop and I.C. is gone.

So, why do I.C. patients take the same drugs to relieve I.C. pain that I think causes I.C.? These drugs work by entering the blood circulation to the bladder. This pathway allows these drugs to perform their anti-inflammatory action. Yet when these same drugs enter the bladder through urine they actively prevent/interrupt those prostaglandin pumps lining the inner bladder. Misoprostol enters the bladder as 85% unchanged - stimulating the prostaglandin pumps to work - to protect.

I believe that anyone with I.C. can have a successful outcome. However, I am aware that many will not succeed. The therapy causes blotting and gas (the pumps in the stomach are working overtime). This will cause a percentage of I.C. patients to stop therapy. Other groups will fail because of reasons related to a history of narcotic/controlled substance usage, continuing to consume restricted drugs/chemicals and non-compliance to taking Misoprostol correctly.

The length of therapy will include reasons listed above and the severity of inflammation. Anti-spasmodic and anti-gas medications are available and will provide some relief to the side effects of the therapy.

How can you research my hypothesis? Take a copy of all of my documents to your doctor, forward a copy to a research medical group or to the National Institute for Health (NIH).

Please keep me informed.

Sincerely,

Norman A. Smith

[donutgirl]

Norman......What is your background? You keep giving us your theory but virtually no information about yourself. We have all been through a lot, so I'm sure you can understand that while looking for relief and new medical practices to help us, we are also skeptical about some things.

Thanks,

Diane

[mayray518]

as intelligent as you seem to be you spelled IC wrong. It is "interstitial cystitis"

[vm]

This is from the ICA's website (http://www.ichelp.com/TreatmentAndSelfHelp/medsguide.html) regarding Cytotec (misoprostol):



Cytotec® (misoprostol)
A medication that inhibits the secretion of stomach acid and is often given to counteract the side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Naprosyn® or Motrin®, which may cause gastrointestinal problems. Arthrotec® is an NSAID that contains misoprostol. One European study found that misoprostol may help with mucosal lining deficiencies, as seen in IC.

and this is an abstract that is linked from the ICN on its "Other Treatments Studies" page:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11191738&dopt=Abstract

This is a link to a European study on misoprostol and IC:

http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?Aktion=ShowFulltext&ProduktNr=224083&Ausgabe=225682&ArtikelNr=19679

Not a new idea, but one I hadn't really heard about before.

[sylvieCT]

Norman - Could other drugs have the same effect? I was never on any type of the drugs you mentioned, but I was on lithium for a long time and I have often wondered if it caused this.