IC Confirmed and I feel better!!!

[inspireme]

Well my diagnoses of IC was confirmed yesteday when I had a hydrodistention of my bladder. They also found endometrioses that they removed. I think that my illness was caught early and I am doing bladder installations at home. I feel better already however it is very sad to have this. I am very upset about the fact that sex is very painful. Not the actual act of it but two days after I am in a lot of pain. I feel like someone is trying to pull my bladder out through my urethra!!!! Can some relate to this? Does anyone have any advice ? I just got divorced and I have a new man in my life and it is all good but I wish I didn't have so much pain. My new partner is very understanding but now i feel more lust then I have in a long time and can't act on it. I have had to become very creative which has been fun but I still miss good old sex.

Happy New Year to all.

Together we can beat this!!!!

Carin

[ICNJess]

Hi Carin,

Sorry you got dx'd with IC, but glad that you are feeling better!! Maybe after the instills begin doing their job, you can incorporate sex back into your life. Until then, have fun coming up with new creative things. ;) LOL Good luck, and here's to feeling better and better!!

Hugs,
Jess

[vm]

Glad you have a name for what's been going on. :) Sad it is IC, but most of us do eventually find treatments that help us get our lives back.

For sex make sure to use lots of lube and experiment with positions. You'll find which ones hurt and which ones don't. :) Like Jess said, once the treatments begin to help you - you may find sex is easier and less likely to lead to discomfort. I no longer flare from sex unless I do something really stupid. LOL

[Katrina]

:hi: Carin, One thing I would like to add to the sex advise :) is rest those musscles a lot before and a lot after. To me resting and using anti inflammation things on the bladder afterwards are the best ways to avoid the after sex pain. So I recommend laying completely still afterwards (ofcourse after urinating) for atleast 15 minutes and alternate heat and cold at the bladder and pelvic floor musscles to help relax things.

Since one other possibility as to why sex causes flares later is that hormones cause changes in us that can cause pain. So treating sex like cheating on your diet ...taking extra calcium...using extra water and baking soda mix....can also help avoid that pain.

Please let us know if these things help. :grouphug:

[kelly McC]

Sorry you have IC but glad you got some answers. I still am working on sex and pain issue and bless my husband for being so patient. I also have PFD and VV along with IC .
I hope with instills,Pt and lidocaine mixture I will be able to tolerate it easier. For now before hand I take a pyridium plus, my pain meds and use a lub .After I take a warm shower and then use a ice pack. I cant do it often but doing this does help me some.
Kelly

[Sarojini]

Sorry to hear that you do have IC, but everyone else is right -- most of us do eventually find treatments that help us feel much better. Even sex gets easier when the treatments begin to work. In the meantime, I find that taking a Pyridium Plus or even a regular Pyridium before the act can help. Also, some positions are worse for me than others, so experiment to see which one bother your bladder more than others. Lubrication is also key -- we use one called Liquid Silk that can be purchased online at either Good Vibrations (http://www.goodvibes.com) or in the Sexual Health section of drugstore.com (http://www.drugstore.com). Afterwards, it can help to lie down with a heating pad on your lower abdomen to relax things in there -- this can reduce that pain you feel a few days later (it's often caused by inflammation and muscle contractions that occur during the "guarding" reflex, according to my physical therapist). Gentle stretches of the pelvic muscles over the next few days can also help for the same reason. It may be worth speaking to a physical therapist -- even just once. She can recommend some gentle stretches that won't hurt too much and can help alleviate this sort of pain. Also, if you have pain meds and instills to use, don't be afraid to take them during the after sex period, they can help quite a lot.

Good luck :)

And, again, I'm sorry it's IC :( but at least you know and can begin treating it ... hope you feel better really soon!! :D

[inspireme]

Thank you all for all your great advice and support. It really makes a big difference knowing that other people have the same problems and obsticales to overcome. Have a Happy New Year!!!!