frequency when controlled?

[sweetangel2080]

What is the best frequency or lack of it that ICers can get to?
I can now sometimes go 2/3 hours but not with fluids - I think this is relatively good?

[Sharon]

My urgency and frequency use to be so bad I didn't feel like I could get up off the toilet. I constantly felt the urge to go. With the IC diet, I now have that under control and go to the bathroom about 6 times a day, unless I am in a flare. As I started to control my IC through my diet, my pain let up, so I was able to try and make myself hold my urine as long as I could stand. I tried my best not to run to the bathroom with the first urge to go, especially if I knew my bladder was empty. This takes time and patience. I wish you the best of luck.

[Katrina]

There is definatly going to be a huge difference in this beween us. Those with shrunken bladders are going to have a bigger problem than those that respond to treament and capacity is much closer to normal. If you bladder train, take an antispasmodic if you need one, and respond to some kind of bladder coating treatment than you can do better than 2/3 hour without fluids....but many have shrunken bladders so capacity takes long term bladder training to get bigger...and that is something that should only be done after you are no longer in pain...but from personal experience I believe it is possible.

Now over all I do think that 2/3 hours is pretty good. I also don't think you should believe that it is as good as things will ever get.

Unfortunatly...my IC has done run arounds with improving...getting worse...improving...getting worse.

:grouphug: I hope that helps.

[Kathi]

I believe the average person goes 6-8 times a day. Kathi

[ICNDonna]

I don't guage my progress as much by frequency as I do by how I feel. If I'm going every hour and don't have pain, I can live with that. I do go more frequently than most of the people I know, however.

I don't limit my fluids except in rare instances, such as if I have a dental appointment that is going to be very long.

Donna

[sweetangel2080]

I have a small bladder - can hold 200cc now after the hydrodistention but I think full capacity is more 350cc. Take antispasmodics
Wish I didn't have to limit my fluids- this is the one thing that shows me my progress is not fully accurate as I should be able to go 2/3 hours with fluids.

[marsi4]

I assume you had the hydrodistention while awake if your capacity was 200cc. If you were in pain it's normal you will hold less, mine was 300cc but that's because I was ia a severe flare and had enormous pain. I know if you manage to keep your symptoms at a low level and have little to no pain, and little to no inflammation you will be able to hold it much longer. When I was in a flare I was in the bathroom constantly. Now I only have some pain left and I,m going every 3 to 4 hours, and not at all during the night. Urgency and frequency decrease when ic symptoms decrease.

Marsi4