Hydro/Cysto Wed.

[Salsa]

I'm scheduled and I'm nervous! I canceled once before...what a wimp I'm being. I've had a catheter before and remember the burning...is it worse than that? Does your bladder hurt/spasm after? I just don't know what to expect and that is what is making me so anxious. I have a pretty high pain tolerance so I should be ok!!!! I got so nervous after reading of others experiences. Thanks gals for any support!!! This has just been no fun, as all of you know too well.

[devastated]

Hey salsa, dont worry i felt the same way. i had mine done two months ago and i was so worried, would i get better would i get worse, would it damage me.. etc etc etc.. (after reading all the "negative" stories from others)... but the best advice i can give you is to go to your apt with an open mind, everyones body is completely different, as we all know. when i woke up from mine i had to pee the WORST ive ever had to pee in my whole life. and when i did it was lotss of blood. i had to pee alot that hole day i just felt like my bladder was never empty. i guess from all the liquid they stretch you with, i kno its a large amount, just cant remember how much exactly. anyways, the next few days it became less and less. after three weeks i went a hole week with NO Pain.. and thats NEVER happened in the past year. so its a start. i have my good days(not back to normal but i can function and that is good enough for now) and DEF bad days. id like to ramble on more but i gotta get back to work. Let us know how it goes!!!! GOOD LUCK:)

Oh yeah, and your dr/surgeon will give you plenty of pain meds youll be okay:) (i slept for days with my percs hehe)

[SharonA]

If you are having a Cysto/Hudro under anesthesia, you will not feel the catheter go in because you will be asleep. This procedure takes about 15 minutes once you are under. When I woke up, I felt some burning in my urethra. Then the nurse removed the catheter and that went away. I was given a pain med and an antibiotic and was told that I could not go home until I took those. I was also give a prescription for a few of the pain pills and a 10-day antibiotic.

I was home and resting in my bed around noon, I think. The first time I urinated, there was some burning (not too bad) and a small amount of blood in it. I stayed in bed for the afternoon and got up, made myself a bowl of oatmeal and watched TV with my husband in the living room. The next day, I was back to my normal self but did take it easy. I did not need to take any of the pain med but did continue the antibiotic.

Let us know how you do. (((Hugs)))

[devastated]

Sharon, has the hydro worked for you?

[Salsa]

Thanks for the replies! I'm ready to get this thing over with! I'm just so worried I'll be in horrible pain when I wake up! I sure hope not! My doc said she puts lidocaine in the urethra at the end. Hopefully that will help some. It just stinks when you have a week or more to think about things!

[leelee88]

Salsa,
Just remb the most postitive thing about the cysto/hydro. It will give you a Dx and if it confirms Ic then you can start all the treaments. Don't be scared I have heard it has helped so many and yes right after might be a little bad, but it will get better. My thoughts and prayers are with you.:angel:

[SharonA]

Sheena...My one and only cysto/hydro was done for diagnosis purposes in August 2001. I have not had another one since. I do not think I would say that it worked as a treatment for me, but we all are different and it may for you.

[Salsa]

Thanks again everyone. I'm pretty nervous, but ready for it to be over. I'm so tired today....I got up around 30 times last night.

[devastated]

thanks sharon. no i was just curious. i had my first 1 in august and it gave me some relief, not to sound ungrateful, but it just isnt enough relief. i am trying to figure out my next step to try.

[mary124]

Salsa: I just had a cysto/hydro. i had one back in 1992 for a dx and then started having them about 6 years ago for treatment. I have one about every 6-8 months. They do help. I have some pain for the first day; but after that I am fine. Good luck with yours.

[ICNDonna]

I have read that about 50% of IC patients have relief from symptoms after a hydrodistention. I feel fortunate that hydros have worked for me. In the past 31 years I have had 41 hydros and each has helped for periods ranging from 6 to 22 months. The first one lasted a full two years.

I am still nervous before each one --- it wouldn't be natural to not be a little scared, especially when it's the first one.

Sending gentle hugs,
Donna

[Salsa]

Thanks so much for the comforting replies. It's the unknown that is so scary. I'm sure I'll be just fine. I've seriously never been such a baby about something like this! I'm worried I'll be doubled over in pain...but it sounds like it's mainly when you have to pee. I can deal with that....I've had horrible bladder infections in the past and am familiar with that pain. Hopefully that is all I will have to deal with.

Donna I sure hope I get some relief like you!!!

[devastated]

omg donna, 41, thats alot. i didnt think it would be safe for the bladder to stretch that much! Did you go into remission everytime or you just got relief from some symptoms? i wished soooo hard for remission but it didnt happen =[

[Salsa]

I'm home.....got my diagnosis. I also have a smaller than normal bladder. I'm actually very shocked at how well it went. I am on pain killers but have had no pain at all up to this point. I've already gone to the bathroom 4 times and have felt nothing. So far so good. Boy did I work myself up...I was so worried I would wake up in horrible pain! I realize I will probably have some pain, but hopefully the meds will control that.

[devastated]

Salsa,

i am glad it went okay for you! and hopefully you will get some relief as you heal.

:)

[Salsa]

OMG I can't believe how great I feel considering. I am having some bladder cramps, but they are tolerable (I am taking Vicodin). My urethra does not hurt at all...I'm shocked! My doctor also put me on prednisone for 6 days as well as an antibiotic. I am thinking too that I might be one who gets relief....the frequency has dropped. I don't want to jump the gun, but it does seem to have helped. I have been going well over 60 times a day and today I've probably gone about 30. Thanks again to those who replied...it did help me. I was absolutely scared to death! Should have seen me this morning....yikes! What a mess I was!

[Sally939]

That is wonderful. I am so happy for you. I hope it last a long time.

[Salsa]

Thanks :) I do too! I hope I'm not jinxing it...wow it's so nice not to be going every 6-8 minutes! I never thought after all the fear I had that I would be so happy that I had it done! I might be able to trick or treat with my kids after all!!! Gosh I think I would do back flips the whole way if I could...LOL

[leelee88]

So glad it went well:woohoo:

[Salsa]

Well, after getting all excited things have been the same....:( I don't regret having the hydro done...that wasn't such a big deal at all, but I thought I had some relief from it. It only lasted one day. One day with no constant urge to go....aaahhh it was so nice. I had forgotten what it felt like. I'm now once again going 50-60+ times a day. I back to the doc tomorrow to discuss treatment. I had to quit the prednisone 3 days into it....I felt bad, bad, bad on it and my face looked sunburn and was peeling! I couldn't sleep and had some really weird thoughts...yikes!!!!

Anyway, I sure hope I get some relief soon. I don't know how anyone can live like this!

[Sally939]

Well, when you go to the doctor they will get you on some meds that will hopfully start you toward treating the symtoms and feeling better. I hope all goes well.

[Salsa]

Well, when you go to the doctor they will get you on some meds that will hopfully start you toward treating the symtoms and feeling better. I hope all goes well.

Thanks Curl for giving me some words of encouragement. I know there's hope, but the past couple weeks have been so tough. I start feeling so hopeless.

[cia]

It can take a few weeks to a month for you to feel results if, and it is a big if, the hydro is actually going to help you. I hope you feel better soon.

[karen10]

Devastated - what about trying some natural supplements? They take a little longer, but can help restore the bladder. For eg, Aloe (Desert Harvest), Quercetin, MSM, Cystoprotek, marshmallow root, and there's lots of natural pain killers and anti-inflammatories. It seems to be helping me, and it's been helpful for a couple friends and others on this site! (I didn't see any of those listed on your tried list!) BTW, I appreciate those lists as it helps to see what people are trying and what might be working! :)