ANK
11-08-2006, 03:49 PM
Hi to all,
I want to share my success story. As I am male, not particularly a great writer, and do not like talking about myself, I will try my best to describe my case with IC. The only reason I am writing this is to let you all know things can turn for the better and you can get cured. !! Never loose hope.
It was February 2006 when I started experiencing terrible pulsating pain. This pain goes on for hours at a time, and some days continuously. This pain was also getting worse with time. Initially I thought the pain would go away... and it did not. I went to my doctor who prescribed antibotics (LEVAQUIN). I took this antibiotic for 1.5 months, and my symptoms were just getting worse.
I then was referred to an Urologist, and he thought I might have a prostatic infection, and I was prescribed CIPRO. Another month taking this antibotic did nothing for the pain. At the same time I started taking OXYCOTIN for pain, which was latter changed to HYDROCODEINE (?).
My Urologist after 4 weeks on CIPRO concluded that I could have IC. I went to my local hospital and my bladder was examined (Cytoscopy) and several cysts were found. The urologist also performed Hydrodistention. The next day after this surgery, I had to travel abroad with some minor discomfort. I started taking ELMIRON after the surgery. I did not experience the intense pulsating pain for the first 10 days after Hydrodistention. After these 10 days, my pain came back.
I was also given ELAVIL. I took it for 1 day and could not take it again. It even slowed my speech, and I did not like the druggy feeling.
I took ELMIRON for the next 3 months religiously (4 pills a day, 2 every 12 hours), and also modified my diet. All acidic foods were out, no soft drinks, no alcohol. I did not know how important diet was to control the pain and suffering. I occasionally took PRELIEF and sometimes it helped and other times it did not.
Three months after taking ELMIRON, I experienced another even worse pain while being out of the country. I went to the emergency room, and this Greek doctor told me that I had a very large kidney stone. I thought he did not know what he was talking about because since February 2006 I had two expensive CT Scans performed and nothing was found. He gave me the ULTRASOUND exam to show my urologist once I returned back to the USA.
My urologist was hesitant to perform another test, but he informed me that he did not perform a CT near the bladder wall. Well, to make this story short I had a very large kidney stone lodged near the bladder wall.
I had two surgeries performed to remove this stone, and the next day after the stone was successfully removed I stopped feeling any IC pain. My pulsating pains stopped totally. I immediately started testing myself by introducing small portions of very acidic food, alcohol, and so forth.
No more pain. I was very confused but at the same time very happy.
For months, I thought I would be with chronic pain for the rest of my life. Did ELMIRON do it's job ??? Did the kidney stone cause this ??
My urologist doctor did show me pictures of my bladder with IC, so did have IC. The only explanation is that I had made some effort to reduce the stress I was experiencing. Stress reduction with the addition of ELMIRON could have reversed my IC.
I have been without pain since September 12 2006, I can eat and enjoy anything I want. The only item that I have stopped drinking are soft drinks that have diet contents.
I hope this shows that we need to understand what causes IC, and if I could get cured then everyone can. Do not loose hope !!!
I want to share my success story. As I am male, not particularly a great writer, and do not like talking about myself, I will try my best to describe my case with IC. The only reason I am writing this is to let you all know things can turn for the better and you can get cured. !! Never loose hope.
It was February 2006 when I started experiencing terrible pulsating pain. This pain goes on for hours at a time, and some days continuously. This pain was also getting worse with time. Initially I thought the pain would go away... and it did not. I went to my doctor who prescribed antibotics (LEVAQUIN). I took this antibiotic for 1.5 months, and my symptoms were just getting worse.
I then was referred to an Urologist, and he thought I might have a prostatic infection, and I was prescribed CIPRO. Another month taking this antibotic did nothing for the pain. At the same time I started taking OXYCOTIN for pain, which was latter changed to HYDROCODEINE (?).
My Urologist after 4 weeks on CIPRO concluded that I could have IC. I went to my local hospital and my bladder was examined (Cytoscopy) and several cysts were found. The urologist also performed Hydrodistention. The next day after this surgery, I had to travel abroad with some minor discomfort. I started taking ELMIRON after the surgery. I did not experience the intense pulsating pain for the first 10 days after Hydrodistention. After these 10 days, my pain came back.
I was also given ELAVIL. I took it for 1 day and could not take it again. It even slowed my speech, and I did not like the druggy feeling.
I took ELMIRON for the next 3 months religiously (4 pills a day, 2 every 12 hours), and also modified my diet. All acidic foods were out, no soft drinks, no alcohol. I did not know how important diet was to control the pain and suffering. I occasionally took PRELIEF and sometimes it helped and other times it did not.
Three months after taking ELMIRON, I experienced another even worse pain while being out of the country. I went to the emergency room, and this Greek doctor told me that I had a very large kidney stone. I thought he did not know what he was talking about because since February 2006 I had two expensive CT Scans performed and nothing was found. He gave me the ULTRASOUND exam to show my urologist once I returned back to the USA.
My urologist was hesitant to perform another test, but he informed me that he did not perform a CT near the bladder wall. Well, to make this story short I had a very large kidney stone lodged near the bladder wall.
I had two surgeries performed to remove this stone, and the next day after the stone was successfully removed I stopped feeling any IC pain. My pulsating pains stopped totally. I immediately started testing myself by introducing small portions of very acidic food, alcohol, and so forth.
No more pain. I was very confused but at the same time very happy.
For months, I thought I would be with chronic pain for the rest of my life. Did ELMIRON do it's job ??? Did the kidney stone cause this ??
My urologist doctor did show me pictures of my bladder with IC, so did have IC. The only explanation is that I had made some effort to reduce the stress I was experiencing. Stress reduction with the addition of ELMIRON could have reversed my IC.
I have been without pain since September 12 2006, I can eat and enjoy anything I want. The only item that I have stopped drinking are soft drinks that have diet contents.
I hope this shows that we need to understand what causes IC, and if I could get cured then everyone can. Do not loose hope !!!