Another question...

[Cindy B]

I notice several of you have HPV. I've had HPV since about 1991(thanks my ex for that) I had lazer surgery which, well I can't describe what a horror that was. My questions is does HPV have anything to do with IC? Does it make you more apt to get IC? I haven't had an outbreak since I had my son but that does not mean it's gone, I realize that.

And I want to explain, I did a little in my first post, but I never had a problem with this part of my anatomy until I was prescribed my anti seizure medication that I was taking for Bi Polar. The particular med you MUST increase over a period of about 5 or 6 weeks and I was given an extremely high does right off the bat. I actually called the drug company and cystitis is one of the side effects you can get if you over dose on the meds. 36 hours into taking it I was struck with all these symptoms. Just FYI

[kadi]

Never had HPV. IC runs in my family. Grandmother, mom & I all have it.

[RAS6]

Hi again Cindy! I have HPV and actually had two of the LEEP procedures which is an electric cauterization that involves a metal loop with an electrical charge that burns off the affected layer of cervical cells. There were both HORRIBLE for me! Many women here have said that their IC symptoms came on after pelvic procedures or surgeries, so you are not alone in connecting your surgery to your IC symptoms. I actually had no IC symptoms until after my youngest daughter was born in 2004. I just thought women who had kids went potty 10 times a day! My pain started after I had an IUD inserted. It got so bad that I had the IUD removed. The pain did go away for a few months, but then my frequencyand urgency got worse three months later in April and the pain was back full force in June.
I am sorry they didn't give you your bi-polar meds properly. My mom is bi-polar and while she is finally on something that is helping her now, she still suffers side affects from some of the awful things she had to try. She has had hair loss, her hands shake, sometimes she just seems "out of it" because of damage done to her body from misunderstood and outdated drugs.
As far as the drugs causing Cystitis, IC is actually not the same thing. My understanding is that Cystitis is a bacterial caused infection, possibly the same as an UTI, I'm not positive. Cystitis goes away with antibiotics. While some people do use antibiotics for IC their use is still quite controversial. My understanding is that at this time IC has no set in stone cause and no real cure. Right after I was diagnosed I purchased Dr. Moldwin's book "The IC Survival Guide" It answered my questions beyond the basic literature I was given at the doctor's office yet was something I could understand. All the medical terms are defined and there are chapters that describe many of the common treatments and side affects that go along with them. He has a great section on related illnesses as well. It was the best IC book I have come acrossed and I felt like I got my money's worth. Hope this helps!