I'm a newbie.

[MissCasey1055]

heyy! I'm casey. =) I'm 17 and I was diagnosed with IC back in April. It really is a pain. I can hardly sit thru any of my classes at school. They put me on Elmiron. Anyone else use this? It really has helped me. It doesn't hurt to pee anymore, but it's still a constant feeling of having to go. =/ And the diet... oh that stupid stupid diet. lol.

[VickiB]

Hi Casey & welcome to ICN!

I take Elmiron and it has helped me as well. I'm glad to hear you've found some relief with it too!

Yeah, I know the diet is rough, and I imagine it's especially hard when you're 17! Hopefully as time goes by you'll be able to add some of the favorite things you're missing back into your diet.

Have a great evening!

Vicki

[ICNJess]

Hi Casey! I just wanted to add my welcome! :)

[ICNDonna]

I'd like to add another :welcome: to the IC Network. It has to be tough to be 17 with IC --- I'm glad you have found that elmiron helps. Some people have said that the longer they take it, the more it works for them. I hope it does the same for you.

By the way, it does sound like you have a wonderful attitude --- and that's half the battle.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[MissCasey1055]

I'd like to add another :welcome: to the IC Network. It has to be tough to be 17 with IC --- I'm glad you have found that elmiron helps. Some people have said that the longer they take it, the more it works for them. I hope it does the same for you.

By the way, it does sound like you have a wonderful attitude --- and that's half the battle.

Warm hugs,
Donna
Thank ya'll for the welcomes. =) I'm really really glad I finally found a place where I can talk to people that are going thru the same things that I am. My mom really tries to help me out, but she still doesn't know what it's like, and I know she does her best, but but she can't really sympathize with me, ya know what i mean? And having a positive attitude helps out a lot. There's no sense in being all depressed or angry because it does nothing to help your situation. You just make yourself and everyone around you feel lousy. I've found that out. lol. And I understand, believe me, when you just feel like sitting down and crying and you don't wanna go anywhere or do anything. I have days like that too. They're not fun at all

[MelissaJ]

:welcome: I just wanted to add my welcome. You sound like you've got a good attitude so keep it up, it'll help you along the way.

[pedzrn]

:welcome: This is a very supportive group. Sorry we all have to be here but at least we all have eachother.
Hugs,
Beth

[ICNJess]

And having a positive attitude helps out a lot. There's no sense in being all depressed or angry because it does nothing to help your situation. You just make yourself and everyone around you feel lousy.

That is a very profound, wise outlook! Sitting around and feeling sorry doesn't help you one bit! But there are those days where we find ourselves on the pity pot LOL. Keeping a positive attitude is the way to go!

Hugs,
Jess

[Babs RN]

You are wise beyond your years! Welcome to the ICN, we are glad you are here!

Hugs :grouphug: and a big :welcome: ,
Barb

[traceann]

Hi Casey and :welcome: ! I am so glad you found us! And I have to agree with the others, you are very wise!!! :)

You will find tons of info here on the boards and on the whole site, and the support and friendship is amazing!!! :woohoo:

Once again, welcome to the boards, and nice to meet you!

[emilyrose197377]

:welcome: to the Icn .

[Sarojini]

:welcome: We are glad to have you with us! :)

[MissCasey1055]

lol thanks everyone! I'm loving this place already. =D

[NTHottie14]

hey welcome....im 14 and i have the same problems with school so now im being tutored at home...i think you should try it.....the school has to let you cuz its a disability. Ever want to chat email me at NTHottie101@aol.com or IM me

[Dolly]

Hi!

I'm new too so I don't want to give you any advice as it may not be correct, but finding this site was a giant step in the right direction. I felt better within hours after posting here! I think that it helps us all no matter what age we are to have people that can really relate. I am sorry you are so young and going through this. Hang in there though. My mom was diagnosed with this 15 years ago and a multitude of progress has happened since then on IC.

I wish you well and will be praying for you.

Pam

[Dolly]

I just read Hottie's post and wanted to add that she has a really good suggestion. I don't know if this is an option for you in your state. When my daughter was young (6 or so) she actually qualified for an in home/hospital teacher because she had chronic uti's and kidney disease. Since she was in and out of the hospital so much and missed so much school being at home sick they assigned someone to her. You may want to check that out until you are feeling better.

Note: Daughter is 22 now and in college and doing great!

Pam

[Katrina]

:welcome::welcome:
I am on Elmiron and feel free to ask me any quesions. I am very glad you found us. I no longer have the pain from IC all the time but that feeling...is still a problem but I have found out that an antispasmodic and treating the Pelivic Floor Disfunction does help that some.
I am 28 now but back in high school I already had IC and also had a form Colitis which had me going to the bathroom a lot. I had my parents call the school to give me permission to go as much as I needed to because of my health problems. (that helped some but not as much as I would like)

Good luck with the diet! Take Care!

http://www.ic-network.com/handbook/ this is an essential link for everyone with IC. It is very informative on meds, living with IC, and self help....take a look!!!

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7562 this is thread of pain relief the second page has attachments I believe the last one is the list of pain relief ideas.

http://www.ic-network.com/forum/showthread.php?t=11535 This is nexbie kit from the oldies to the newbies

[MissCasey1055]

i really really would like to be tutored because it would be a big burden off of me, ya know? But I don't know that my parents would go for it. They'd tell me to stick it out i think. Because my school does offer homebound. Last year i missed close to 30 days of school. I didn't start showing symptons of IC until january so i'm sure if I had it before christmas, I would have missed a lot more. Im hoping this year isn't going to be the same.

[Imustpee]

:welcome: ..I know how you feel..I went through ALL my school years with I.C....There was no treatment s at all in the 60's and 70's...thankfully there are some good meds now..

[SharonA]

Hello Casey and :welcome: to the ICN...

Don't assume your parents would not want to have you do homebound schooling. Many, many years ago (back in the days when wheels were square) ;) my son missed a bunch of school because of a stomach problem. The school was very supportive and arranged for a home teacher for him. I was so grateful because we were looking at him having to repeat his Sophomore year until that happened. Talk with your parents about the idea and see what happens. They just might surprise you.

[traceann]

I agree with Sharon, give them a go, you never know until you ask! Yep, you just might be surprised...they may think you aren't interested in home-tutoring.....;)

[MissCasey1055]

yeah, I'm definately going to have to see about homebound now. Today's my first day out from school. I woke up this morning and I swear I went to the bathroom 20 times in an hour and I was hurting so bad, but then my mom, who's always in a bad mood in the mornings, started yelling at me and said that i was faking it cause i didn't wanna go to school. But she doesn't understand how bad it really hurts or what it's like when the toilets your best friend. lol.

[SandyRN]

Oh sweetie I am so sorry you are going through this. My daughter is 12 and missed about 25 days of school last year due to pneumonia and mono, and if you qualify, which you will, you can get the homebound and it is a big help. She couldnt get it because she was finally able to come back full time after she recovered, but it sure would have been nice at the time.

Do what you can to get to school, and in the meantime have your mom send your teachers all she can about Ic, talk to the principal, the people in the office, and the school nurse, and the counselor as well. The more people involved, the easier it will be for you to get through school.

Let me know if I can do anything....I just read that part about your mom not understanding. I have a 10, 12, and 17 year old, and if you need to talk to someone you can pm me anytime, ok? But, please talk to the people at school, they have to know!

Hugs, Sandy

[MissCasey1055]

Oh sweetie I am so sorry you are going through this. My daughter is 12 and missed about 25 days of school last year due to pneumonia and mono, and if you qualify, which you will, you can get the homebound and it is a big help. She couldnt get it because she was finally able to come back full time after she recovered, but it sure would have been nice at the time.

Do what you can to get to school, and in the meantime have your mom send your teachers all she can about Ic, talk to the principal, the people in the office, and the school nurse, and the counselor as well. The more people involved, the easier it will be for you to get through school.

Let me know if I can do anything....I just read that part about your mom not understanding. I have a 10, 12, and 17 year old, and if you need to talk to someone you can pm me anytime, ok? But, please talk to the people at school, they have to know!

Hugs, Sandy

that would be great. Thanks so much. =)

[SandyRN]

Private message me or email me any time you need to, ok? If I'm not on it means I'm just laying down or something but I will get back to you ASAP.

Sandy

[MissCasey1055]

Private message me or email me any time you need to, ok? If I'm not on it means I'm just laying down or something but I will get back to you ASAP.

Sandy
Awesome. I'll definately do that :smile tee

[MissCasey1055]

Private message me or email me any time you need to, ok? If I'm not on it means I'm just laying down or something but I will get back to you ASAP.

Sandy
I was just reading your signature. You have GERD as well? I have that.. and hypoglycemia which makes my diet even harder. The things I was eating to help my blood sugar, I can't eat anymore. lol. and also Cystic Fibrosis. I'm a messed up kid. lol

[SandyRN]

Oh no, you have CF too? I'm a nurse also.....you really have it hard!!! Yep, I have GERD too, and I take nexium for it. I'm surprised you made it through my whole signature, cause it's more of a novel lol.

[MissCasey1055]

Oh no, you have CF too? I'm a nurse also.....you really have it hard!!! Yep, I have GERD too, and I take nexium for it. I'm surprised you made it through my whole signature, cause it's more of a novel lol.
lol i read most signatures and find out what everyone's taking. And yep, CF too. My dad and my little brother were both born completely without an immune system and I have an immune deficiency . So, it's a family thing i guess. lol.

[SandyRN]

Is your CF really bad? Are you hospitalized a lot for it? I can't imagine that you would have any problem being approved for homebound programs..

Just remember I'm here if you need anything! Gotta go take a shower but I'll be around, ok?

Write any time you want to. :)

Hugs, Sandy

[MissCasey1055]

Is your CF really bad? Are you hospitalized a lot for it? I can't imagine that you would have any problem being approved for homebound programs..

Just remember I'm here if you need anything! Gotta go take a shower but I'll be around, ok?

Write any time you want to. :)

Hugs, Sandy
Nope, my CF doesn't do anything really. I just have knots in my chest and my doctor said that they'd be okay. My bloodsugar and my IC are really all the bother me. And I know that i'd be approved for homebound, but it's getting my parents to let me do it. And I go to tech school half a day so I don't know if they'd let me do homebound half a day and then my mom take me to my tech school or what.

Edit//
I just realized I got it backwards. I have fibrocystic breast disease. haha. I'm sorry. I screwed that one up. Maybe we should add dyslexic to the list? lol

[SandyRN]

Whew, I'm glad you don't have CF! I used to have fibrocystic breasts too, and I found if I cut down on caffeine they really got a lot better.

I dont know how things work in your school but I know that you probably have a counselor at school to talk to about things like that. Find someone in the school to talk to that you trust, and explain what's going on to them, and what you'd like to do.

Like I said, you can email me or pm me anytime, just click on my screen name and you can send a message to me, ok?

Hope things are better for you today.

Sandy