Potassium Sensitivity Test?

[Agape]

I am scheduled to have this test done on Monday and I'm a bit scared. Has anyone had this done and if so, how painful is it. It seems any time I have to be catherized, it burns a lot and feels like I am sitting on a hot coal. Also afterwards when I have to pee, it hurts for the first two or three times. I really don't know what this test will show or what it means. I'm just trying to find some answers and doing whatever the urologist thinks is best.

[GriffsMommy]

I had it done in Nov 2006. The potassium solution did burn but as SOON as you tell them it burns they drain it right back out and then they put in a numbing rescue solution to calm your bladder down. They use a very small cath when doing the PST or at least they did at my gyn's office and that was the easiest cath I've ever had (I had weekly treatments of DMSO for 6 weeks and my uro used a much larger cath and it was much more uncomfortable than the one they used with the PST). I remember the nurse who did it suggested that I try to have sex afterwards because hopefully it would have numbed up my bladder so sex would have been more comfortable. That didn't work though since I had worked myself up so much about the test that I got my period early. It was by far the least painful test of all the tests I had done. I went back to work afterwards without any problems. Hope this helps :)

[Annie2]

I, too, was DXed with the potassium sensitivity test. My fear of the test turned out to be FAR worse than the test itself. During this test, two solutions will be instilled into your bladder. One is just sterile water and that is done to see how your bladder reacts to a non-irritating solution. That is drained and then a solution of potassium chloride is instilled. The lining of the bladder of a person with IC is damaged and allows irritating substances to penetrate so when potassium chloride is instilled, an ICer will immediately feel discomfort or burning. A person with a healthy protective bladder lining will feel nothing more than with the sterile water. You rate your pain level when you feel the potassium chloride on a 1-10 scale. Then the solution is drained. If you react to the potassium, it immediately tells your doctor your bladder lining is damaged and you very likely have IC.

The entire test only takes a few short minutes, the potassium solution will be drained as soon as you react to it and a soothing and numbing rescue solution will be immediately instilled to stop the reaction and calm your bladder. For me, the burning only lasted a very short time...maybe 60 seconds. As soon as that rescue solution was instilled, I felt relief. I was able to go on with my regular activities right afterwards.

[Shannonmarie018]

I had it done back in February and like everyone else, my fear of the test was worse than the test itself. If you have a reaction to the potassium you will feel it immeadiately. I felt a creeping burning feeling as they filled my bladder, they immeadiately flushed it out and then flushed me out with what I thought was water a few times. The cath doesn't hurt that bad. Just the initial push of them putting it in, but it's really small. I felt a little sore later in the day, just kind of crampy, but I went to work the next day and I was fine. I just drank a ton of water.

[born2swim]

I had it done in April, which is what gave me my IC diagnosis. It was an instantaneous reaction in my bladder. It didn't hurt, but the urge to urinate was insane. Also, anytime I get a cath put in, it hurts like hell and after, it is so sore and burns a bit. Urination for the first few times hurts me as well. Our poor urethras are not meant to go through that! Having a cath. was worse than the PST itsel! Good luck!

[Agape]

I had it done in April, which is what gave me my IC diagnosis. It was an instantaneous reaction in my bladder. It didn't hurt, but the urge to urinate was insane. Also, anytime I get a cath put in, it hurts like hell and after, it is so sore and burns a bit. Urination for the first few times hurts me as well. Our poor urethras are not meant to go through that! Having a cath. was worse than the PST itsel! Good luck!

I know exactly what you mean about the catheter. It feels like a hot rod being put in me and it sure isn't pleasant. I don't see how these ladies self cath because I know I never could. It hurts way too much to even think about doing that. I know it is helping the doctor make a diagnoses, but I sure wish there was another way. Thanks for the info. I hope they find out exactly what I have and begin to treat it soon because what I am going through now is misery.

[tiffRN83]

I had my Potassium test in the end of January, it diagnosed me with IC. The test itself isn't that awful, but my urgency was thru the roof the rest of the day. Also, don't be surprised if there's blood in your urine afterwards. The urethra is irritated enough from all of the cathaters that are placed into your bladder. Fortunately, the potassium test is one way to diagnose you without anesthesia, and the IC after effects of the anesthesia.

[born2swim]

I know exactly what you mean about the catheter. It feels like a hot rod being put in me and it sure isn't pleasant. I don't see how these ladies self cath because I know I never could. It hurts way too much to even think about doing that. I know it is helping the doctor make a diagnoses, but I sure wish there was another way. Thanks for the info. I hope they find out exactly what I have and begin to treat it soon because what I am going through now is misery.


It sucks that the KCl test is used via a cath, but the procedure doesn't take that long (so you aren't stuck with a cath in you for too long, but putting it in is the bulk of the irritation for me). The KCl test is a good way to dx IC, especially if you react quickly (me it was instantaneous)... but if it doesn't react right away, then the "false positive" worry comes in to play.

I hope you get a dx and on a treatment that helps. Atarax is a God send for me. Without it, I don't sleep at night.

[Agape]

It sucks that the KCl test is used via a cath, but the procedure doesn't take that long (so you aren't stuck with a cath in you for too long, but putting it in is the bulk of the irritation for me). The KCl test is a good way to dx IC, especially if you react quickly (me it was instantaneous)... but if it doesn't react right away, then the "false positive" worry comes in to play.

I hope you get a dx and on a treatment that helps. Atarax is a God send for me. Without it, I don't sleep at night.

Exactly what is the KCI test? They have told me about the PST and the cystocopy, but I'm not sure I know about the KCI test. What if I don't get a dx from these? Am I back at square one? I'm so anxious to get some meds that will help me to feel normal again.

[tiffRN83]

KCL is the fancy term for potassium. It stands for potassium chloride. It's basically the same thing. They instill the solution into your bladder thru a cathater, if you feel any pain, burning or urgency while the potassium is in your bladder, it's a very real possiblity that you have IC. Once the potassium solution is removed from the bladder, the doc will then instill a solution meant to calm the bladder and will ask you to keep the solution in for as long as you can. I was only able to hold it for about 5 or 10 minutes, the potassium really messed up my bladder.