one more thing about therapy and bladder pain please

[isabelle]

I am depressed because of my chronic bladder pain and anxious because i just can imagine living like this everyday for the rest of my life. I was happy and living a good life without depression before the pain started... My family and doctor wants me to see a physciaratist because they say Im upset and that maybe my depression is causoing me to be in pain! but I know that the pain is causing my depression so that is why i posted the question on how many people are in therapy to deal with their pain????

[daydreamer]

I saw a therapist too. She knows the meds and based on my symptoms was able to prescribe an antidepressant for me. I found that it also helped with the anxiety and with my other meds I feel much better than I did before. she also gave me short term anti anxiety meds which made it much easeir to cope. It's like a vicious circle the pain and depression and if you can break the chain it will help.

I hope you feel better soon, please be open to all avenues of treatment.

[ICNDonna]

Seeing a therapist could help you to deal better emotionally with the idea of having IC. And if antidepressants are prescribed, they can also interfere with the pain receptors in the nerve system, so they also help with pain.

Donna

[kadi]

Be careful to choose a therapist who understands the nature of chronic pain and the financial issues that come along with having a chronic illness.

The last thing you need is a therapist who makes you feel more messed up because they're misunderstanding pain issues as psychiatric ones. And being that most of us have large medical expenses or work issues with, the therapist needs to understand that we don't have unlimited funds to be in therapy indefinitely and help us use the time wisely.

I had some pretty negative experiences in seeking therapy when I got sick, with a therapist who basically told me I was responsible for getting sick & should have a "colon cleanse" when I felt better. I told him where he could put that idea & fired him.

What I wound up doing was talking to my pastor at church and requesting a "Stephen Minister" which is a program many churches have of providing lay pastoral counseling. Neither of these things cost me money and both were helpful & nonjudgmental... I meet with my Stephen Minister once a week for breakfast & to talk about the issues that have come up with IC and the family crises I've had this year.

Obviously, whatever route you choose for support, be thoughtful and respectful of yourself & choose what feels healing to you even in the first visit. If the first visit makes you uncomfortable or feel misunderstood, time to look for a different option.

I'm only saying this because I felt so vulnerable when I got sick & people started telling me to see a therapist, and I then felt misunderstood not just by my family, but also by the doctors & therapists who were supposed to help me. The Stephen minister & my pastor were very very helpful and I'll be grateful to them forever. Just choose carefully, okay?

[kiffy313]

I think a good, caring Therapist can really be helpful. Since stress can make IC, or any chronic illness for that matter, worse, therapy can be beneficial. I saw more than one Therapist before I found the right one for me, and I agree that it is important that you find one who you feel comfortable with...
Take Care,
Kif