Guys Are Welcomed

[Kathi]

to the chat room 5pm PDT 8pm EDT
www.ic-network.com/chat

[Mark T]

Doesn't look like many men get to this site. It would be helpful since men's pain and symptons seem very different. I would like to see how others are coping and what is working. I've not been formally diagnosed. Having been treated for various kinds of Prostratitus without success one Dr. tried me on Elmiron and my symptons improved greatly in three months. So it is assumed I have IC or at least something that Elmiron treats.

I've been on Elmiron three years with success. At times I thought I was cured because of no symptons for months at a time, but every time I cut back on Elmiron symptons start getting worse. I currently am experiencing severe muscle pain in my buttocks whenever I ride a bike. It;s to the point I just can't ride. I'm not sure this is related, but it feels related.

Does anyone have a similar situation?

[momoficson]

My son's first symptoms showed up at age 13. He remembers drinking a ton of soft drinks...it is of our opinion he was making his bladder acidic. He was tested for an infection as he experienced pain and pressure in his bladder...we did not know what it was at the time. (By the way no infection) He stopped drinking soft drinks and drank a ton of water and ic went totally away did not come back until age 21. AT age 21, he was drinking alcohol/poor diet.... and the ic came back. This time he went to a Urologist and had a cysto/hydro and the ic diagnosis was made. This was back in 1998 he is now 28. For my son, keeping his symptoms at bay have been managed by keeping his body as alkalined as possible with green veggies, drinks lots of water, less red meat, drinking and instilling MSM from Jacob Lab. Staying off all medications as medications we found out were keeping his body/urine/acidic.....so his bladder would not heal. So, after going the medical route for about 7 years, which did not serve him well, we decided to try a more "natural approach" to managing his ic, I am proud to say he is back in college, trying to finish his degree. It has been a very long journey and quite a learning experince, however, he is recovering, his pain symptoms are at a all time low and regaining his life back.
Mother of Ic son

[.........*sigh*]

17 year old male here. I'm on Elmiron and was told to avoid acidic and spicy foods. I find it strange since I'm not diagnosed with anything other than bladder inflammation and prostate inflammation. When I told my symptoms to my General Practitioner he kept asking me if it was STDs even when I said I've never had sex. I also got alot of "It's all in your head" and "You are young so nothing could be wrong with you" from my parents which was pretty frustrating. Finally my dad took me to the General practitioner and he gave me a referral to a uro. He checked my prostate and asked me my symptoms and put me on Elmiron. When I got out of the office my dad asked me if the doctor told me it's all in your head....I told him no and we have to get medicine for it. Now my dad no longer thinks anything I complain about is all in my head.