Lots of Questions...PLEASE help!

[nannyjlove]

Well I had my diagnosis of IC today. I had a cystoscopy and the put dye through and took x-rays and also he said my urethra was narrow and bladder was small so he stretched both. If any of you donot know my situation...I am on long term Macrobid and hoping to get off of it. I am getting really bad yeast infections that they cannot treat anymore from the macrobid so I am suffering because either I deal with a yeast infection or a UTI. I get the same bactria back as soon as I stop Macrobid. He siad with the narrowing that urine was getting pooled in my urethra and then bacteria from the rectal area and vaginal area collect and it gets infected. He thinks that this will help. He also flushed me out with sterile water. I go for a follow up in 3 weeks. He is then gonna put me on elmiron.
I have quite a few questions for all of you...

1. Since I had a narrowing and he stretched it..will that be a fix forever or just temperary? Do you typically get it done more then once?
2. Surgery to fix it completely?
3. I donot empty my bladder all the way so I am wondering If I should be on meds to empty my bladder all the way. I used to be on ditropan and flomax. He said they donot do that anymore and that stretching the bladder and widdening the urethra should help.

I knew I had IC for years but just went to a great uro. and went under general anethesia today for it. I was SO nervous. I just gave birth to twins 5 months ago and my pregnancy was horrible from it. I am ready to be UTI free and yeast infection free. I am also tired of the constant pain when I pee.
I am in pain now but have tylenol with coedin(sp), pyridium(sp), and macrobid ofcourse! So I am set. How long should I expect for it to hurt from this? He said that he put a numbing gel in my urehra after and a suppositorie in my rectum for spasms. I never heard of that but I was not gonna complain.

Thanks for all the help you can give. Also have any of you tried elmiron?
__________________

[BellaTutu]

Well I had my diagnosis of IC today. I had a cystoscopy and the put dye through and took x-rays and also he said my urethra was narrow and bladder was small so he stretched both. If any of you donot know my situation...I am on long term Macrobid and hoping to get off of it. I am getting really bad yeast infections that they cannot treat anymore from the macrobid so I am suffering because either I deal with a yeast infection or a UTI. I get the same bactria back as soon as I stop Macrobid. He siad with the narrowing that urine was getting pooled in my urethra and then bacteria from the rectal area and vaginal area collect and it gets infected. He thinks that this will help. He also flushed me out with sterile water. I go for a follow up in 3 weeks. He is then gonna put me on elmiron.
I have quite a few questions for all of you...

1. Since I had a narrowing and he stretched it..will that be a fix forever or just temperary? Do you typically get it done more then once?
2. Surgery to fix it completely?
3. I donot empty my bladder all the way so I am wondering If I should be on meds to empty my bladder all the way. I used to be on ditropan and flomax. He said they donot do that anymore and that stretching the bladder and widdening the urethra should help.

I knew I had IC for years but just went to a great uro. and went under general anethesia today for it. I was SO nervous. I just gave birth to twins 5 months ago and my pregnancy was horrible from it. I am ready to be UTI free and yeast infection free. I am also tired of the constant pain when I pee.
I am in pain now but have tylenol with coedin(sp), pyridium(sp), and macrobid ofcourse! So I am set. How long should I expect for it to hurt from this? He said that he put a numbing gel in my urehra after and a suppositorie in my rectum for spasms. I never heard of that but I was not gonna complain.

Thanks for all the help you can give. Also have any of you tried elmiron?
__________________


Hi NannyJ,

Sorry you're going through so much, I do hope it gets better soon. I can answer some of your questions from my own experiences, but everyone is different.

1. Nope its usually temporary, much like the hydrodistention of your bladder - it will go back down eventually (bladder) and urethra is the same way. Did he ever tell you why you were getting strictures in your urethra? Is it scar tissue or something?

2. Surgery to fix...?? Your urethra being small? I'm not sure if you're asking about that or your bladder, sorry sweetie :)

3. None of the antispasmodics (Ditropan, Detrol) will help with emptying your bladder all the way - they are to help with the constant Urge and frequency that comes with having IC. Did they help you in the past with the urge/frequency?

Having a hydro and recovering from it varies from person to person. It took me about 4-6 weeks to feel better after having one, but others on here feel better within a few days.

I do hope you get some much needed relief and soon!

[nannyjlove]

Thanks for writing me back so soon. I am really freaking out. As for the surgery thing I meant do they do surgery to fix the urethra for good? That really blows that it is not a fix forever. Doesi t hurt when they do it in he office? I hear some people have to get the urethra widdened every month...yikes! The flomax I was on emptied my bladder all the way. I did feel relief when I was on it. HE is gonna put me on elmiron in 3 weeks and do a u/s to see if I am emptying on my own and if not then put me on something. This whole thing is really over whelming.
Oh and I had a tampon in me before surgery and he said that they would prob. have to take it out and I assume they did because I came out wearing a pad. My vaginal area feels wierd like it is still in there. Could i be swollen vaginally from all that? I asked him if they took it out and he said that he told me they would and that I came out with a pad on. I am so scared the tampon is still in there. That is so dangerous. NAy ideas of checking to see if it is out??? Thanks again!

[BellaTutu]

uhm....well...I guess if you came out with a pad on...then its out right? You should have a string hanging out if its still in there, and its simple enough to feel inside if its still there.

[kellyann]

NannyJ,
HI...So sorry you're dealing with this when you should be enjoying those little babies!
But here's what I can tell you, the stretching of the ureter in the office is very uncomfortable, depends on your level of pain tolerence really. So be prepared! It sux that it's not a permenant fix doesn't it!! As for the tampon, it is probably out and yes your vaginal area can feel weird because they just performed the cysto and everything feels weird :) If you are really worried that it's still in there, what you need to do is squat down as far as you can and see if you can feel the string. If it's still in there you should be able to feel it, then GENTLY pull on it to get it out. If you have any discomfort or pain while trying to take it out then stop and call your doctor, you will have to go for a visit to have them remove it for you.
I have also tried Elmiron, unfortunaltly I couldn't afford it as my insurance saw it as unnessary medication and it was $150 co-pay, so OUCH...I still live day to day :(
Well I hope that you feel better soon and that all you have gone through will be benificial.
hugzzzz
Kelly

[Dojakitty]

How often can you take pyridian? I just bought some today and I am still feeling spasm but I am hoping it works. Can you take as much as you want or only in moderation? Anyone know?

[Snuph]

One of the warnings on Ditropan is that it should not be used with anyone that has retention problems. I know for me it made my retention worse.
You mention that you had twins five months ago. Was it a vaginal birth? Could you have any prolapses from the birth that are causing urine retention or did you have confirmed urine retention before?
To give you some hope I had retention problems for over a year. My bladder would retain up to 350 ml.(My bladder doesn't even hold that anymore) I learned to catheratize daily. It seemed to work itself out and I no long have any problems. Unless, I take a narcotic (i.e. codiene) this again causes retention.
Each of us are individuals and I am not saying any of this could be what you are experiencing. I am just telling my story and what I learned about what affected my body.