Me again...(sigh) Question (as usual)

[Sher E]

Hi all~

Been feeling decent for the last two days. Took several days to get there!
However, I had a question. If IC effects the bladder, why does it cause the urethra to burn?

As I said my bladder has calmed down a lot, but today my Urethra started to hurt ... even the way I sat in the car bothered me. It doesn't burn when I pee, but it feels raw around the area of my urethra and even looked like there was some red areas inside. Over this past weekend it happened as well, but involved labia irritation as well. I ended up putting some A&D ointment on the sore area and it feels better.

What causes the burn feeling? And if my bladder feels calm why is the Urethral area bothering me? I have no acid in my diet, so I can't figure out why I now can "feel" my urethra even when I'm sitting.

Can it be a result of all my nerves being so upset for the last 2.5 months that it just travels?

What's next with this stuff (IC related) ?... I am just so tired of all of it. :headbang:

[Angela82]

Have you tried using pyridium or uristat? You can pick some up relativley cheap at Walgreens or your drugstore close to you and this might hel with that burning in the urethrea. I Have a VERY big problem with that, daily and all the time. I am constantly loading myself up with uristat and it makes a difference between staying home and going into the hospital with me at some times..

If there is blood in your urine this can irritate you also ( at least this is what doctors have told me).

[amber sevy]

:grouphug: I am sorry to tell you that I think that it is just more the this IC crap that we live with :headbang: we are here for you please ask all the questions that you want. :angel:

[Briza]

I think the bladder, urethra, vagina are all basically lined with with the same stuff. I'm tired right now, someone else can probably explain it better! Although it is primarily a bladder condition, these other areas are affected as well. And pain can be referred from the bladder or urethra to other areas, which is why there are so many other symptoms...back and leg ache, vaginal sensitivity and irritation,etc., etc. :(

[Sher E]

Angela! Thanks for your response, but I don't have the burning when I pee. It just feels a bit raw like around the urethra. Nothing major but noticeable.

Amber~ The more I read online the more I make myself crazy! Can it just be possble that your bladder nerves can whack out and cause this and yet calm down and return to normal. Of course if this is true, no one would be posting about it because they've gotten over the pain and moved on.

But I really would love to hear from someone who had an overactive bladder that produced these symptoms and then went back to normal at some point. Must everything be IC?

[Sher E]

WCQ! Thanks. You know, I mentioned this to both my GYn and Uro. Told my Uro that my pubic hairs felt sore. Not one of them ever said vulva problems. Yet. I get on line and see that I ahve symptoms like others who suffer with vulva pain and irritation.

Do I over diagnose or are they (the Docs) just freaking clueless?

[ICNDonna]

If the burning is on the outside, it could be caused by something like soap, underwear, toilet tissue, etc. It shouldn't be necessary to put soap directly on the urethra to be clean. Our bodies do a pretty good job of cleaning that area if we clean the surrounding areas. I find that I do much better if I shower instead of taking a tub bath. And I wear only underpants with cotton crotches and use only plain white, unscented toilet tissue --- and blot, don't wipe the urethral area.

Donna

[Sher E]

Thanks Donna~

Do you think it's wierd that this all happens at the same time as the other symptoms? I have never had this before and now here it is. I fee like everything in my pelvic/genital area is going haywire.

Even though my bladder feels fairly calm at the moment, I still woke up feeling dread. This is all so much to take.