Wondering if I had IC since I was a child...

[inlove96]

I am beginning to wonder if I had this problem since a young age. I remember going to the hospital and having a procedure done at age 9 or so. Catheter put inside, video being taken, filling my bladder, me crying out in pain and having to pee, them making me pee while they watched. :(
Also, I just realized i always stunk at hide and go seek due to the fact that I could never sit still. As soon as I would be hiding I would have to dance to avoid peeing. :( How embarrassing.

[meme]

I think that a lot of us have had problems since early childhood. I always went more than my friends and could never make over an hour car ride without having to stop b/c I had to go SO BAD. My doc blamed it on frequent UTI's, but they could never find much bacteria in them, just enough to put me on antibiotics. I've also had a test done where they fill my bladder then take x-rays while I pee in front of them, its done to make sure that your ureters aren't letting urine go back towards your kidneys (mine was and I'm convinced that the years of having urine go back into my empty bladder just sitting there helped to cause my IC). Just my theory. I'm 26 now and had my first diagnoisis at age 17, but had problems long before that. It sucks to be so young and have to deal with this all the time when you see your friends having fun and not having to worry about it. Take care

[Berkshire Road]

Yes, definitely, a lot of us have probably had it since childhood. I had frequent UTI's, constantly had to go more often than anyone else, and I wet my bed. Despite all this, I did not get a dx until I was nearly 40. The PAIN didn't really start until my early 30's but the urinary symptoms were pretty much there from day one.

My mom (not the world's most sensitive person) is always telling people how disposable diapers had just come out when I was born, but she couldn't use them with me bc. they gave me a rash. That sensitivity could be related too, who knows?

[rachann]

When I was little I remember sometimes sharing a bed with my friends or mom and being to embaressed to go to the bathroom for the 18th time. My mom said she has always had bladder problems even as a child. She wonders if she past the ic gene down to me. She has never been diagnosed with ic though.

[Berkshire Road]

Yeah, my mom has a lot of frequency too. She's always complaining about how much she gets up in the night to go. She doesn't have pelvic pain, but I sometimes wonder about a genetic link.

My dad was a bedwetter, I was, and so was my daughter up to about age seven. Apparently weak bladders run on both sides of my family (lucky me :) ). I just hope my daughter doesn't end up with it. So far so good, no UTI's; she gets up usually once during the night to go, and no particular frequency. She's almost 12.

My doctor said either or both of my parents could have IC without pain and never have been diagnosed, and that there is some research being done on heredity and IC. But he couldn't find the article to show me, so I'm not clear on what they're looking for or finding.

[inlove96]

I hope everyone gets better. I agree that this stinks. I am 25 and was diagnosed finally at age 22 I think. :)

[rachann]

I have recently read that researchers think they have found the ic gene. They are doing further research but think the gene can be past down. If they do discover this to be true, I won't be surprised.

[mich2604]

I was a bedwetter too, but never had UTI's . I didnt have a problem with my bladder until IC just hit me, along with whatever disease I have now...IC was the last symptom to appear.


My dad pees a lot.......as soon as he drinks something he runs to the bathroom.

My mom has UTI's too.

so who knows.

I do think my bladder is my weakest link.

[Berkshire Road]

That's funny, Mich -- the "weakest link."

[Berkshire Road]

Wow, where did you read that? Although in practical terms, how does it really help? Well, maybe. They found the breast cancer gene and now you can be tested to see if you are at high risk genetically. I guess kids could be tested (in the future) for the IC gene, and then maybe it could be headed off by getting on the IC diet preventively. And parents could be more aware of early warning signs.

I'm glad to know research is even being done at that level. Funding for conditions that are both "rare" and not fatal is often hard to come by. IC probably isn't that rare but a lot of doctors are still not up on it.

GE used to have a slogan (well, I think it was GE, might have been DuPont -- I'm only just old enough to remember this) "Better living through science." :)

[rachann]

I think I may have read it somewhere on this site. It is still at the very beginning stages but it gives me hope.:angel:

[Moonheart]

I also am sure I've had it since I was young. Maybe 9-11 or so. I'm sure my horsebackriding and gymnastics exacerbated it. My mom also has bladder issues, lots of frequency and urgency, but no pain. It's amazing the links we see later on and how it all ties together.

[Ginny]

I also have memories of the tests and procedures done on me at a very early age. I continued to let doctors do these procedures until I was in my 20's. I now wonder if I would be in this shape if I had never had them done. I think they made matters worse.

Ginny