I want to know what helps you

[dreamy]

We all have tried different things for frequency and urge and that bladder pressure. What has helped you the most?

I think I need an OAB med to help with the frequency but theres so many! I want to go with the one most people like.

I also want to know who uses a heating pad and what kind is the best for you. And does it help?

Currently the only thing that helps is Uristat and I cant take that a lot although I have been. What is in there that makes it work well? It doesnt relieve everything it just slightly lowers the discomfort.

Any tips would be appreciated. I am new although I have been around the boards the last few weeks trying to get as much help as possible and most of all support. Im really trying to stay positive and get the best advice about things. I have already bought so many things to help this IC. I would just like to hear from others what has been working for them whether it is meds or natural products.. anything! : )

[muxerr012]

I'm fairly new too and have made so many purchases, a few that were a waste of money. A regular electrical plug heating pad works best. I bought a non electrical thermal pad for $20 and it didn't help at all. You microwave it but it never gets or stays hot enough for very long. Prelief from the drugstore is the best product purchase so far. The IC Diet has helped the most with urgency pressure and flares. Haven't had one since I've stopped eating the foods on the AVOID and the MAYBE List. If there are onions in the food I stopped picking them out and eating it anyway-this made me very sick. No onions period for me. If your bones or joints ache the best for me has been calcium with vitamin D and Omega 3 Fish Oil. My neck doesn't ache anymore as it did every single day. Estrace hormone cream for vulvar burning or discomfort and uretha pain. CystoProtek ordered off this website is on the way to help rebuild the damaged bladder lining as well as Puroast low acid coffee on this site. If your heartburn or tummy ache gets bad Prilosec OTC works the best from the drugstore. I've been on the strict IC diet for 3 weeks now and have only had to use the Prilosec OTC once. No desserts other than a junior size vanilla milkshake once or twice a week. OH and since my doc put me on Lorazepam 2 months ago I sleep better and don't feel so stressed about my painful bladder. It's an antianxiety medication and I only take 1 before bedtime. It's not expensive either.

I hope that helps and that you begin to feel better and see good results soon by trying some of the suggestions. Many of these I found on these forums. It has helped me so much and when you can see good results with the products and diet changes you feel better about buying these things. Take care.

[traceann]

Hey there!

As for the OAB meds, I used regular Ditropan, I was on 5mg 3x's a day. That helped me sooooo much with the spasms and urgency feeling, but didn't really help me with my frequency etc. It was the combo of all 3 of my meds that worked in harmony together, that helped the most. But I wouldn't have given up my Ditropan for nothing at that time! ;)


There were lots of self-helps I learned from the gang at the ICN. Here's what I can remember:

Heating pad/Thermacare Heat Patches: I now have a heating pad with an auto shut-off so if I do fall asleep with it one, I am safe. The heat patches are wonderful for when your heating pad isn't feasible - like for travel or sleeping. Heat was my number one friend for my bladder!!!!

Cold pack/frozen water bottle: For the vulvar pain and for my urethral spasms cold worked the best. Depending on what was going on all urethral or all clitoral/vulvar etc, I would use either one. The frozen water bottle is fantastic for putting between your legs, it fits perfectly. (I discovered this trick on a horrible car trip, that the water my hubby bought me, when I held it between my legs my urethra calmed right down!) I would even half sit on it -- straddling it. It helped sooo much!!

Prelief tablets: These are tablets you can buy in your drugstore or online that help to reduce the acid in foods. You take them right before you eat. They have helped me to expand my diet and tolerate some things I wouldn't normally be able to tolerate. I get them at my local Rite Aid, I spend anywhere between 8-10 dollars on them, and that's for a bottle of 120.

Baking Soda/Tums: If I had eaten something that did not like me, I would drink 1/2 -1 tsp of baking soda in a big glass of water. Tastes yucky but helps neutralize things, even used to help with my urethral spasms. But be careful with it if you have salt-sensitive health issues... Also eating a couple of Tums can help as well. I usually use that trick for travel rather than the baking soda in water.

Uristat/AZO Standard: (you already know about this stuff) These two are over-the-counter Pyridium. Basically an analgesic for your bladder/urethra. It numbs things up quite nicely, and they had helped me immensely with urgency and frequency problems!

Hope this helps a little! :)

[dreamy]

Yes thanks for the suggestions. Ive been taking the prelief off and on just in case a food may irritate the bladder. I want to get a heating pad but Im not sure which one to get! Some say the disposable ones work well but then theres one on here that looks nice or I could make one.. I read somewhere someone made one that works for them. I d think I need ditropan is that the same thing as detrol? Now if I can just perfect the diet Ill be better hopefully.

[dreamy]

Hey Im glad to know that the estrace cream works for you. Are you in menopause or still having periods? I dont know too much about that product but do know it helps with dryness. I want to try it but I dont know if they will let me because of age although I will still ask. Ive had dryness for a while and I am having urethral discomfort. I also bought the Cystoprotek a while back and have been taking it. I want to take a low dose valium but dont know how to go about asking for it. I think it would help bladder spasms and help me relax. Thanks for all the advice and suggestions. I appreciate it!

[Sally939]

I think it all depends on what you like and where you put it (TMI). I like the electrical cord ones the best. The others do not get hot enough for me. Actually I wish I could get my cord one hotter. It is important to get one with an auto off. I also have one that is flexable and bendable. So I can bend it.

[muxerr012]

Dreamy, yes I'm in menopause and no periods thank goodness. I had endometriosis and 3 fibroid tumors which made periods really bad. The Estrace cream helps me more with my uretha pain tho. Before I got the cream I was so red, swollen and dry where I pee. It hurt to wipe and clothes hurt me too. I began wearing pants 2 sizes too big just so the crotch would not touch me. The Estrace cream has been the BEST for that. The estrogen is such a low does that I believe your UROGYN would let you have it. I hope you ask because it has helped me sooo much. The insert tube comes with lines or G's and I only take 1g, the smallest amount. My pain is completely and totally gone down there and it's also nice not to feel so dry and tight all the time!

I'm with CURL333 about the corded heating pad-you need it hot! Where did you get your bendable one and what kind is it? My heating pad is 20+ yrs old and stiff as a board but it actually gets so darn hot I have to use 2 towels under it. I think I need a new one-wanna trade ha ha?!

[sickofmybladder]

I was diagnosed 2 months ago (today :mad: ) -- and the following things have really helped me - while we are trying various treatments:

Definately the cord heating pad w/ auto shut off - mine has 4 temp settings and I always start out at VERY hot and then move down from there depending on how I'm feeling.

When I get home from work I have to either lay down on the bed w/ a pillow under my knees or even better lay back in the recliner (it really helps my PFD to relieve the pressure off of those muscles)

Try the Tums if you eat or drink something that doesn't agree - it really does help (I can't do the baking soda 'cause of high blood pressure)

The IC diet - I'm still working through my "trigger" foods as well - but overall I think it has helped - and lots of WATER - when I'm really hurting I drink even more water - to dilute the urine - doesn't burn as bad.....

I hope you are feeling better soon - and that you and your doctor or able to find a treatment that works for you.

[ICNDonna]

I have an electric heating pad. The most important thing to look for is automatic shut-off. That way if I go to sleep I won't burn myself. I also keep on hand some of the stick-on throw aways in case I need one when I'm not at home.

Donna

[mary124]

Its pretty much the same here, heating pad (auto shutoff) I keep one at home and one at work. My primary doctor just recently put me on Vesicare 5mg (1 times at night) for frequency) - this really does help, before I used a few other things but I was still gettng up 5-6 times a night and up and down all day long (my bosses used to joke that if I wasn't at my desk then I was in the bathroom!!- told them maybe they just need to put my desk/phone there!) Watch my diet, although I'm not as diet sensitve as alot are. There are a few things, and when I get them by mistake -- oh boy!! even my husband could tell.

[traceann]

Yup, I'm with the rest, gotta have my electric heating pad, and the stick-on ones for when I need to be wireless, lol.

Detrol and Ditropan are the same kind of med, just depends on which works better for you - some have better luck with one than the other etc. :)

[LauraLuLu]

Where can you buy one of these heating pads? I'm in the UK so would need a UK plug. :)

[traceann]

I got mine at Walmart :)

[LauraLuLu]

I just tried a websearch and have found some UK plugged ones online- I am quite excited-I'd never even heard of the things til visiting this site!! Gunna shop around and get one! :)

[Sally939]

Dreamy, yes I'm in menopause and no periods thank goodness. I had endometriosis and 3 fibroid tumors which made periods really bad. The Estrace cream helps me more with my uretha pain tho. Before I got the cream I was so red, swollen and dry where I pee. It hurt to wipe and clothes hurt me too. I began wearing pants 2 sizes too big just so the crotch would not touch me. The Estrace cream has been the BEST for that. The estrogen is such a low does that I believe your UROGYN would let you have it. I hope you ask because it has helped me sooo much. The insert tube comes with lines or G's and I only take 1g, the smallest amount. My pain is completely and totally gone down there and it's also nice not to feel so dry and tight all the time!

I'm with CURL333 about the corded heating pad-you need it hot! Where did you get your bendable one and what kind is it? My heating pad is 20+ yrs old and stiff as a board but it actually gets so darn hot I have to use 2 towels under it. I think I need a new one-wanna trade ha ha?!


I got it at walgreens my normal chain pharmacy it is a honey something. It is blue. Your old one is better. I was told the new ones have regulations on them. So older ones get hotter.

[dreamy]

Hey thanks all. I bought a sunbeam heating pad and I really like it. Ive been using it. I really need to get an oab med. I am not getting a rest with all the peeing : ( Im so sick of that feeling. I hope it goes away and Ill start peeing less after the flare calms down. I really think I would benefit from the estrace cream. I guess Ill have to ask for it. Great advice : )

[muxerr012]

Hi Dreamy,
Glad you like your new heating pad and will ask about the estrace. I just wanted to say that the thing that makes me pee less is the IC Diet. If I eat something bad I seem to have to pee so much more and it burns. Eating dinner by 6pm with none of the foods on the AVOID list really do it for me. Now I have to say I bought a heating pad too yesterdy and this I have to tell Carol!

Carol,
You are SO right about the new heating pads not getting hot AT ALL!! I bought a blue fuzzy Sunbeam and I love the pad with the auto shut off and soft fabric BUT it doesn't get hot for me. It makes me want to make one for all us ICers so we can get proper relief! Geez this thing gets about as warm as tepid bath water! Dreamy I hope your Sunbeam helps you. I find I need much more heat so I put my old stiff pad on top of the soft new one and that was great. These new regulations are awful! Guess all these companies are afraid of getting sued if someone gets burned. I'll do some checking around and will let yall know if I find a better one. Chiropracters and phys therapy docs must have better ones than we can buy for sure!

Hope yall have a great Sunday....pain-free and pee less!

[dreamy]

Hey just wanted to say that my heating pad gets very hot. Mine is a sunbeam its an extra large pad and its grey.

[muxerr012]

Dreamy, does your pad give you a model number or SKU number so that I can try and find one here in Texas or online? My pad is blue and regular size, 12 by 14 inches I think. I'd love to have one like yours!! My high setting barely feels warm to the touch. Thanks!