What's a flare?

[creatingkarma]

Hi. I have been reading this message board for a couple months now & have recently started posting. I love having this board available to us! What a blessing! Anyways, I hear a lot of talk about having a flare. I have been diagnosed with IC for 4 years now & probably had it for the 10 years before that. I'm not sure what a flare is? Is it when your bladder is spasming & your abdomen has sharp pains? If so, then I must be in a flare all of the time. Or, Is it when your urine burns? Have that. Or is it when you have urgency? Have that too. Well, just exactly what is a flare? I feel pretty much the same all of the time. Even when my urologist tells me that I have an infection, I feel the same as any other day - terrible. Will someone please explain this to me? Surely I'm not constantly in a flare?

Thanks!

Karma

[Katrina]

((((((((((hugs so sorry)))))))))))))))))

A flare is any time your symptoms act up and are worse than normal.

If your symptoms don't even seem to fluctuate to you when you have an infection...than I suspect you are really really bad all of the time???

:pray: I will pray for you.


Best Wishes,

[creatingkarma]

Thank you for the prayers. I have read your story & am praying for you also. I feel just like you sometimes, just waiting until the next disease is diagnosed. My friends joke with me saying if there's anything else out there to go wrong with me, it will. At least I can laugh about it.

Hugs back at ya',
Karma

[Iris]

Hi Karma, Katrina's post has said it very well, I know with me. when a flare hits, its all of the things you mentioned. So far, thank the Lord, I have only had mini flares, so I cannot complain, my meds are really helping me, and my urologist told me I am stable right now. Your post sounds like you have the same symptoms all the time with your IC. Hope that maybe it will ease up for you , and give you a break for a while.Take care and let us know how you are doing, hugs Iris.:hi: :grouphug: