Can IC symptoms only be in urethra

[peaceplease]

I was just wondering about IC and if one could have it not in the bladder, but in the urethra. I really feel my main symptoms is pressure, even when the bladder is empty, but I have this feeling that is due to high urethral pressure and not the bladder itself. Does this sound crazy? Is such a thing possible? Basically, I have become more aware that this pressure I feel feels more located in the urethra and not the bladder per say, altough it is near impossible to differentiate the two. Does anybody know how long the female urethra is. I will say I do not have burning as a symptom. Just constant pressure that is worse when I stand. Does anybody know if IC can just be in the urethra and not the bladder lining?

[Linda Harringto]

I have no idea how long the urethra is but I have exactly the same symptom-I don't have pain but horrible pressure, worse when standing. My stomach is very tender and always feels and looks distended. I will be very interested to see how many others have the same thing.

[Mrs. Burschman]

The female urethra is very short: if I remember correctly, it's less than an inch long. That's partly why women get more bladder infections than men. The germs have farther to go in them!

I was diagnosed with IC even back when I only had urethral burning. My bladder still showed the pinpoint bleeding that's common in IC when I had a cysto/hydro done. I've since developed the feeling like my bladder is full all of the time. I think that's almost worse than the burning!

Hope you get answers!

Amy (Mrs. B) :bunny:

[AGreen_Eyed_Gal]

I have the same symptoms. My urethra hurts and my urologist "stretches" it at every cysto. I don't find that it helps, I dont find the cystos help.

At my last cysto I asked what the red spot was on my bladder was and he said it was "squamous metaplasia" - excess tissue as he put it. He said I had Leukoplacia also (forgive my misspellings). Does anyone have any more information on these medical terms for me? He put me on Trimethoprim for three more months and I get another cysto in August so he can look again. I tend to find when he puts the cysto tube on the red spot it hurts.

[purpleviolet]

I had that urethral dialtion in 1970 and then I got IC! I think most uros don't do that anymore. Also, the study where the patients took doxycycline and improved, they all had luekoplakia, however you spell it. PV

[peaceplease]

In regards to squamous metaplasia in the bladder. I have that too,but there are twop types which I will explain below. Nonkeratizing type appears as white almost like finger projections in the trigone of the bladder (the base.) I was told it is totally normal and found in most women of reproductive age due to estrogen. I was told it has nothing to do with IC. There are two types of this as I understand it, but I am not a doctor. Nonkeratizing Squamous Metaplasia which is what I was told I have (and I sure hope they know what they saw as I have never had a bladder biopsy, only two cytoscopies.) Then there is Keratizing Squamous Metaplasia which is different than the first type and this one is the same thing as Leukoplakia. Well, this is how I understand what I have read online. I think based on my reading I just did (and am now editing this post I wrote about 20 minutes ago) it can all be seen during cytoscopy. As for Leukoplakia in the urethra, I couldn't find as much on that. The two types of Metaplasia look very similar I think, but do have features that allow urologists to tell the difference visually.

[AGreen_Eyed_Gal]

Have you seen yours during the cysto? Mine is a big red splotch.

[peaceplease]

Hi:
As I tried to explain, though not very well, I was told I have nonkeratizing Squamous Metaplasia which is different the Keratizing Squamous Metaplasia. I was never told I had Leukoplakia. What I have looks white and was fingerlike in that they sort of extend out from the lining of the bladder. Almost like seaweed floating, but attached to the bladder lining. I hope this makes sense.
I don't know why yours would like red? Maybe that was just redness due to bladder inflammation from IC.