help me understand my bladder...

[Pensive Girl]

hi everyone. it's becoming pretty clear that even the most ic-versed doctor can leave their pateints feeling confused. i know mine did.

i had my cysto last week and i saw the images of my bladder wall on the screen during the procedure. basically, my bladder was white with some blood vessles. there were only a few place where, he said, the blood vessles had atually burst. (they looked like pin points.) is this what everyone means when they refer to something as "pin point bleeding?"

he said i have mild IC...as you've probably gathered, my largest problem is my PFD. but, i'm wondering how mild my IC is...or if it's actually moderate...

does anyone else remember what the images of their bladder looked like?

if there is some pinpoint bleeding, does that mean it will continue to get worse?

i'm so confused.

thanks :)

[Claredale]

My doctor didn't share the images with me that many years ago, but I do remember when I had my 2nd hydro and was diagnosed with severe IC that he said my bladder looked very much like te bladder of an 80 year old. Whatever that means. I know that was back when I couldn't hold much urine at all without screaming when I was able to pee.

I hope your doctor will explain it more to you at your next visit. Since my hydros were from my doctor 3 doctors ago, I wonder if any of my pictures would be in one of my 2 huge files???? I would like to see what my bladder looked like during both hydros.

Good post!

T83

[Lullaby]

I didn't see the pictures of my bladder, but my husband did. He said there was one area where the blood vessels were very red and appeared to be closer to the surface. You can also try a search on Google images to get a general idea of how it may look.

[SharonA]

From your description, I would say that you do have a mild case, but you need to ask your doctor about this.

The urologist who diagnosed me with IC did not take pictures of my bladder, but I believe from his surgery notes that I was also found to have a somewhat mild case. Even so, I feel so much better today then I did back then. IC does not necessarily progress over time. There are some who do, but that does not mean that you will.

[jen74]

I think it all depends on how you feel really. I have alot of pain with my IC so I would think I have a more moderate to severe case. I did not have a hydrodistention where they blow the bladder up, but I had a regular cystoscopy and my doctor said my bladder was severely inflammed, which is consistant with IC, Had I had the hydro, I could only imagine how much worse my bladder would have looked. I honestly think it all depends on how you feel. I mean there are people who have severe looking bladders with not alot of pain and vice-versa, so I would not go by that only.
Jen