Pyridium for pain control?

[triscuitwafer]

I was diagnosed with IC when I was 16 but just months ago at age 29 did it start to really act up. The Uro wanted to put me on Elmiron and Sanctura but with all the listed side effects and the many stories ive heard I am reluctant. I am a big believer in natural healing and they gave me Cysta Q samples which did seem to help. Ive been out now for over 2 weeks and haven't been able to afford the cost. I found an Aloe and Coral Calcium supplement that is specifically for IC which sounds promising and I think I will give it a try. It is supposed to help rebuild the bladder lining. In the meantime for the pain my GP prescribed Pyridium but Ive read that your not supposed to take it for long periods due to build up in the body causing side effects. How long have you been told is it ok to take Pyridium? My doctor said some IC patients take it for a lifetime but that contradicts all that Ive read about it.:confused:

[traceann]

I specifically asked my doctor how long I could take in a row. I too wanted to know just how long was that it could be safely used and so forth. And then, I also used it on and off as needed - if things were tolerable, I didn't use it etc. I tried to use it just when it was important to have it, like for work or sometimes at night so I could get some sleep without the nagging bladder feel.

It's something you should ask your doc about, the dosage for you - since everyone's different etc. I did use it frequently, but not every day, and never for too many days in a row. I remember my doc not wanting me to take it daily for longer than a week, but that was for me. Again, the best person to help you out with that is your doc ;)

[Claredale]

Pyridium has always me me sick to my stomach. I read about Prosed DS on this site at my next doctor's appointment I asked him if I could try it because I was having alot of stabbing pain and my urethra was so irritated. I had already tried all the nerve meds with no luck because of the side effects. When I was first diagosed with IC 20 years ago, there was a med called Trac 2. It was an antispasmotic med like Pyridium and I loved it. Prosed DS is very similar, plus there isn't any restrictions on how long you can take it. I have been on it since August and I have decreased my pain meds from 4 or 5 a day to 2. I haven't had pain during the day at work all for several months. I don't even carry my pain meds with me anymore. The information that came with the med says to take it with a full glass of water. The best thing about (that works for me) is that I no longer have freq/urg like I did. I can go all day with going to the bathroom just a couple times during my work day. I stay away from my triggers and during the day, which means stress, pushing my self too hard and my food triggers, you would never know I had IC. I still have some issues at night when I settle down for the day because I just notice it more. I am slowing decreasing the dosages of most of my meds.

T83

[jjt001]

My doctor had prescribed it for daily use (one month's worth, anyway) but I found that if I took it more than 3 or 4 days in a row it stopped working for me. I'd have to wait a few days and try it again before it would work again. Like Tracey, it made me very nauseous and I always felt it in my kidneys, so I didn't feel good taking it, but it would help for a few days. Then, when it didn't make me nauseous anymore, it also didn't help anymore! I'm on Elavil now and, thankfully, haven't taken a pyridium since last summer! I would love never to have to take one again!

I have read here that pyridium can have bad side effects if taken too much, so I'd also advise double checking with your doctor. It wasn't an issue for me since I could never take it too many days in a row and still have it work.

[traceann]

Speaking of nauseous, lol, I remember the very first time I took Pyridium ever, way back when before IC for a UTI - I promptly threw it right back up. All it proceeded to do was numb my tounge, now I now how a bladder feels when it's on it!! LOL Took me until IC diagnosis in 04 to try it again!! Thank goodness the nausies went away! ;)

[triscuitwafer]

Thanks for the replies. Yes it also makes me very sick to my tummy. I have to make sure I eat plenty before taking it. I didn't the first time and I about threw it right back up.

[rabbitofseville]

i took pyridium and it didn't help but urelle - which turns your urine blue - seemed to help however it als made me very very sleepy!

my doc has me on sanctura but i haven't heard anything about side effects or bad stories from its use - should i be concerned about taking it long term? my doc gave me a month's supply to use - 1 pill a day before breakfast.

[Dreamlove15]

I took pyridium after my hydro...did nothing but make me wanna hurl. That stuff is terrible. Not to mention the fact that it causes pain in my kidneys..and it dyes everything in orange...It make things worse in general. and i have heard that it is really bad to take for long term use. I would get a second opinion if someone was telling me I could take that for life...Blah:/ Good luck.:angel:

[bjcov]

I got the ok to use pyridium for 2wks. But I didn't. It didn't make me sick. I would like to try Prosed since you can take it everyday. Urelle didn't work at all which bummed me out since we had tons of samples at my work.

[alycat]

If I take pyridium for more than 2 days in a row I get really nauceous and it stops working. I wish I could try Urelle, but it's nearly impossible to find where I live. I like the thought of the Prosed though, I might ask my uro about it.

[Claredale]

I get Prosed from Target. The pharmacist even orders it for me at the beginning of the month since she knows I will be coming in with my prescriptions. There are other chain pharmacies that can order it as well, but now that my prior pharmacist has retired. He broke his hip very badly, I have really become to trust my new pharmacist. She learned alot about IC just because she wanted to know what I was going through. I couldn't ask for anyone sweeter or more helpful!

T83

[bjcov]

at the ob/gyn office where I work we have tons of samples of Urelle. When I showed it to the Uro he said he might have seen it before. If I remember right, we are both in Washington state. Maybe its just not a drug used alot around here. You can try calling your gyn, maybe they have some samples they are not using?

[GriffsMommy]

I have never been able to get a straight answer out of a dr about how long it is safe to take pyridium. I was told that it shouldn't be taken at the max dose every day. My dr told me it was okay to take it as needed but at that time it was only a couple of times a week. Now that my stress has been through the roof and thus my bladder has been through the roof I have been taking at least 2 most days sometimes the max of 3.
I was planning on asking my dr about trying something that is safe to take every day. But of course my car is acting funny so I couldn't make the long drive to my dr's and I won't be able to get the car worked on until I get my federal refund which will take about two weeks. I know the pills that make you pee blue are supposed to be safe for every day use. I tried Urelle and it didn't work that great for me anyway, not to mention it was the highest copay with my rx insurance since it doesn't have a generic. I just checked Proced DS and it doesn't have a generic either so it's the highest copay too. I"m going to have to ask my dr if there is a blue pill that is similar to proced ds but that has a generic available because I just have too many rx's and too many medical expenses to pay the really high costs for name brand rx's.
Just a strange little side note about pyridium making people nauseas. The ones that were coated made me sicker than a dog. When I refilled my script with Walmart they must have gotten their generic of pyridium from a different manufacturor because they weren't coated. They look very similar to an uncoated generic ibuprofen pill. These have not upset my stomach once and as I said there are days where I have taken the max dose of three in a day. I was so shocked. It just goes to show you that it really is true that though the active ingredint is the same with generics the inactive ones can vary. I am so happy that I don't have to take something to eat and ginger capsules which I take for nuasea before taking a pyridium to avoid feeling like death.

[kuntrygurl78]

Pyridium is like my magic wand. I take it when needed. I talked to my IC doc about it. I told him that my pcp told me I shoudnt take it for more than a week. He said that I was young and relatively healthy. He said that if I needed to take one, then take it. I also take Uristat which is basically a weaker over the counter pill with similar effects as Pyridium. I dont take any of them every day; just as needed for my mild IC. Neither makes me sick to my stomach.