Breaking News! New Urine for IC Launched

[icnmgrjill]

The ICN was the first to break the news late last spring that Dr. Theoharides :angel: was working with Cantata Labs to develop a new urine test for IC. They have done it! The urine test has been launched in the New England area and they plan to scale it slowly across the country. Very very exciting news all around!

As I learn more, I'll let you know. In the meantime, please note that this is currently ONLY available in the Northeast area of the USA. But... they WILL be taking this nationally!

http://www.cantatalabs.com/ICTest.html

[Dixiefireball]

Now that is some wonderful news!!!!!!!! I hope it works out well its always great to learn about new things like this.
Thank you very much for letting us know.
hugs and prayers sent to you.
Rhonda

[Michelle in KC]

WOW! Isn't science a wonderful thing?? I wonder how many hundreds of years it'll take to get to Arkansas??? Gee, I love lining in the sticks. :) Michelle

[yvette]

:lmao: :::::::giggling hysterically:::::::::: It reads much better now that it's been edited :lmao:

[yvette]

Very cool, sounds much more comfy than a Cysto with Hydro :D

[sleepyangel30]

Originally posted by Michelle in KC
WOW! Isn't science a wonderful thing?? I wonder how many hundreds of years it'll take to get to Arkansas??? Gee, I love lining in the sticks. :) Michelle

Hey, I'am from arkansas too hehe, I thought I was the only in arkansas with IC.

[tillysav]

Great news! I'm very thankful for research and people who care. Tilly :)

[Alexa]

LOL now the topic makes more sense after the edit!! :lmao:

Very encouraging news!! Thanks for posting the info.

:) Alexa

[Kathi]

HOORAY!!! Isn't that wonderful news! Yipeeeeeeeeeee Kathi :D

[JessicainArkans]

Hope in the answers of so many prayers!!
I am with Michelle in Arkansas, seems we are about 2 to 4 years behind everybody else ( a bit scarry at times, they still proudly cut their hair into mullets, both men and women!! UGGGHH!!)
I am glad to hear of this it gives us hope for a brighter future, and those who are about to face the challenging diagnosis will benifit from such a less invasive practice.
Two thumbs up!!

JessicainArkansas:D

[Dixiefireball]

hope it doesnt take to long to get to use in south carolina.

[sleepyangel30]

Yeah same here Dixiefireball, I just hope it will be the answer to our prayers.

[classics]

That's great news. I just e-mailed them asking when it will be available in my area.

[sleepyangel30]

Well, I wrote them today too and Someone did respond to me. So here's they're responce.

dear angela,

The test is available through any Urologist. Simply discuss the fact that you would like to have the test run. Your Urologist can contact our laboratory directly and we will establish proper logistics to have the specimen sent to our laboratory in Cambridge, Mass. We do require the specimen to be sent frozen to us, thus the necessity to have their office contact our lab for proper instructions.

Best of luck to you,


Joe Durshaw
Director of Diagnostic Marketing and Operations
Cantata Laboratories
877-225-9009, ext.304

[Donna L]

This is such good news! So much better than a hospital procedure. Perhaps the Dr's will be more open to the possibility of IC if it does not involve a test that only Uro's can preform. Think of all the women (and men) that may get early treatment because of this test......Maybe someday there will even be a cure!!:blink: Let's all think POSITIVE...Thanks for sharing. ..Donna L

[KimP]

I say Yeeeeee Hawwww!

:party: :thumbsup: :dogrun:



:woohoo:

[Betsie]

Jill,
:thumbsup:
This is very exciting news. Can you please clarify my understanding as it seems to differ from a few posts?

It sounds to me as though the test really shortens the time for the Drs to come to a Probable Dx and therefore referring them for the actual hydro/cysto.

Unless I misunderstood their website info, they are not replacing the hospital procedure prospectus, but instead taking away lots of wasted time from people agonizing, before being recognized as IC potentials.

I don't want to sound like I am having a negative response here, it is indeed great news, but I don't think they are saying it actually replaces cysto/hydro....though perhaps it would be enough to establish criteria to begin IC treatment?

Gosh I hope my question makes sense, I would hate to sound like i am being a pessimist here, just reading it differently I guess.

Betsie :dizzy:

[Traysmum]

You can bet it will be about 20 years before it reaches the UK. We are so much behing the US already in IC

[MakinIT]

Hmm...I worry about the same thing. Takes so long for change. although, we are all dx'd I don't think it will be much of a difference to medical community for a few years as it can take some time for folks to change. (Remember, just a few years ago a person with IC was considered:loco: You know, it was just a bunch of silly females with percieved pain.

I hope it replaces the cysto eventually because that darn thing, along with the biopsy, was no fun at all.
Tracey

[Betsie]

Hey Tracey,

thanks for the response...and I agree with you wholeheartedly. On small step for Dx...one giant leap for IC???? Perhaps.

I was just concerned that in reading some replies that it is seen as the alternative to hospitalprocedures, when in fact at the moment I think it's real kudos is to shorten the rule everything out theory and waste precious time in a proper Dx...I don't want someone not dxd to read it that way, unless i am the one reading it wrong, wouldn't be the first time.:dizzy:

Most of us here have a definitive Dx, others are waiting...so just want to be clear....I also wonder if at any point in remission if the urine test would come up with different results than prior dx...it does give you a lot to think about.......

Will keep wondering if I understand their web info and hope it will get more folks dxd quickly and avoid long games at multiple Drs appts.:dance:

[MakinIT]

That was the other thing I worry about too. What if they decide to rerun a diagnostic using the urine test and you are settled down? And does it Dx all the different IC ? (Like,some are mast cell based, others due to truama, others...who knows...I know I've read somewhere of about 5 different reasons for people to have IC..can it pick up all of them.,..I only remember two because those are the reasons I have it.)

I know...what a pessimist..I'm pooping on the parade....But, I always wonder about this stuff.

I'll check out the website.

Tracey:thumbsup:

[darlene]

I hope that anything learned about the abnormal properties of IC patient's urine is used to create new therapies! This could be a giant step toward finding treatments that really work.

[sleepyangel30]

I agree with you darlene
:angel:

[Audrey Rose]

I am just glad someone, somewhere is working so hard on understanding IC that they have identified something that they believe is consistently present in the urine of IC patients. There has to be something good about that!!! :dance: RIGHT? It might be the clue that leads to the cause and then the cure!!! :thumbsup:

[MakinIT]

Can't agree more there. I read their info, looks like accuracy in 70% of attempts and that they can tell by markers in your urine what would be the best treatment. Perhaps in the future, no more hit and miss and all this misery of failed trials? I was looking for info on what happens between flares, but I guess they figure on it just being a diagnostic tool that will allow some treatment options.

Tracey

[Donna L]

I think my comments were misunderstood. I meant that the urine test can be the step between a doctor being unsure if it's IC and causing a patient to undergo a really unpleasant procedure at the first or second complaint. I played "ring around rosie" with doctors for YEARS. I believe if there had been a Marker that would have helped point the way,surely the doctors would be quicker to uses it rather that having a'wait and see" attitude. Also it might allow those doctors that aren't uro's to test and refer patients, perhaps speeding up the time most of us had to wait before getting in to SEE the uro. A doctor calling in a referral because a test came up positive has to have more weight than a woman/man complaining and saying they think they might have IC. I waited 6 weeks while in an active flare. NOT A FOND MEMORY. Hurray for forward movement in the medical field!!!!:thumbsup: ..............Donna L

[Betsie]

Hi there.

Well said! I think that is nearer to the point I was trying to make.

After many months of postings here, I know sometimes what we mean and how it is interpreted can be very subjective. Which leads to questioning by some of us....:rolleyes:

However, I agree, this is a wonderful giant step for IC and I waited 8 weeks for a Dx, but consider myself lucky as so many here have gone to hell and back trying to get to the bottom of their symptoms. :hmm:

I know for many that has not changed and they must plead their case to be understood....I also think many are being treated unneccasarily with antibiotics repeatedly when in fact they too might be dealing with mild and early IC....so wouldn't it be great if this were included into urine culture/analysis protocol. Personally I think the numbers of people with IC are not an accurate reflection of how many people actually have this.

While this procedure does not pertain to me now after a definitive Dx, I do hope it is very soon that people can have this resource available to take the next step, far more quickly than before.

Certainly hoping I was not coming off as a naysayer, quite the contrary! :thumbsup:

Regards,

[MakinIT]

I'm also happy they are seriously looking at IC as a serious medical problem. (Hmmm same word, two times in a sentence...bad writing!!) and that they are making headway on easier dx and treatment plans....I just always have a cynical attitude towards the medical communty...I love my docs but they ain't perfect. Maybe this will be more helpful, as a screening tool even as suggested.

Tracey

[classics]

Just curious if anyone has had this urine test yet? I'm waiting for a call back from my uro to see if I can have it done.