newbie

[BAM23]

I first need to say that I am so happy I just found this site. I was beginning to feel like an outcast who was never going to have anormal life. I was diagnosed about 3 days ago and my doctor was short with me after the cystoscopy, and I found out my diagnosis by looking at the prescription he wrote out. I searched the web and found that a lot of the info was pessimistic BUT after reading through these forums, I am starting to think realistically again. I must admit for the last couple of months, I have been going insane and I just don't know what to do.

My doctor has told me "no vitamin C, and take these pills, you will feel better in 6 months" aaahhh who wants to hear that after just waking up from anesthesia. Is the use of elmiron enough or should I try other things, plus Im scared about losing my hair. Also, I dont have excess amounts of pain, but my problem is frequency/urgency, it never goes away ever and if it does maybe for like 10 minutes. What helps this issue?? Anything would help. My initial symptoms appeared after drinking 7 glasses of diet coke the night before (lets just say I will never touch pop again).

Plus I have started the diet plan, it seems to be working.

Thanks, B

[ICNDonna]

Nearly all IC patients have a problem with sodas, diet or regular. I'm glad the diet seems to be helping your symptoms. Hopefully you'll continue to feel better.

The Patient Handbook at http://www.ic-network.com/handbook will help you learn about treatment options. And remember --- only a very small percentage of people taking elmiron have hair loss.

Donna

[meme]

Hey! Glad you found us. You can get a lot of good info on here and its useful because we're all talking from experience. The Elmiron takes awhile to kick in, but I've found it very helpful, and NO hairloss. My uro gave me Elavil in Sept to help with depression and anxiety and it has also helped with my flares. I don't get much pain usually either (when I do its a bugger though) but I do have a lot of frequency and urgency. It just hits sometimes out of nowhere, really frustrating. The diet helps with that too. I thought at first that it was just for the pain, but it helps with all of it. My uro gets short with me sometimes too, seems like she's always in a hurry, but now I just keep badgering her with questions until she answers them. She knows so much about IC and treatments that I think sometimes she forgets that I don't know all of it! She's good at what she does though, wouldn't trade her. Hope reading the threads here has helped you understand IC a little better. Good Luck.