I'm shocked!!!!:)

[danisi13]

Hi all,

I have posted a few times on this forum-the first time being last summer when my IC pain spun out of control. I had a hydro done this past December, and I have been in constant pain (an 8 out of 10) every since. Its been horrible, as I am sure most of you can understand.

I ordered a few books on IC and was reading last wk ( in Dr Moldwin's book) how SSRI's can help with pain. Also, ever since the pain came about I have been suffering from much more anxiety/depression. So, my friend, who is a doc, called in Lexapro 5 mg for me last wk- we figured we would try to kill 2 birds with one stone, treating the pain and the anxiety/depression together. I didnt even bother calling my uro because it always takes them at least 2 days to get back to me when I call with a question...

I am shocked at the results. Within 2 days of taking the Lexapro, my trips to the bathroom have been cut in half, and more importantly, my pain has decreased so much!!!! I would say now its a 3 out of 10. I am seriously dumbfounded!!!! All the meds I have tried over the past year, and nothing has given me relief (Elmiron, Elavil, instills, etc).

I have been researching what could possible be the cause of this pain relief with Lexapro (and so quickly)!!! Does anyone have any idea? The only thing I can think of is that maybe I was having constant bladder spasms and maybe it helped that? I do feel less anxious now being on this med, but I know that pain I have been having is not completely due to my anxiety. Does anyone have any clue? I figured you all are the experts, so that's why I came here to ask! Im so curious!!

I really feel like a different person! I pray that it stays like this for me now. Thank you!!!:)

[ICNDonna]

Lexapro is an anti-depressant. Our doctor told us that anti-depressants interfere with the pain receptors in the nerve system --- that, along with feeling more relaxed, could be why you're feeling better. I hope this will be the answer for you.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[danisi13]

Thank you Donna!

Could this mean that my pain is more nerve-related then? Or does IC cause nerve pain? Im so confused!!!

[ICNDonna]

All pain is nerve related. It's the nerves that send the "I hurt" message to the brain.

Donna

[danisi13]

Makes sense, thank you. Its just amazing to me how fast it worked:)

[SharonA]

I am really happy that you are feeling better. I hope it continues. :):):)

[KarenAnne]

Dr. Moldwin discussed this on pgs. 88-89 in the IC Guide. But who cares why it helped, it is just wonderful that it did. :o)

[BT2008]

Could this mean that my pain is more nerve-related then? Or does IC cause nerve pain? Im so confused!!!Hey danisi,

Since 'severe pain' has been my primary debilitating IC symptom for the past year, I had to figure out what was totally ruining my life! I am not a medical professional, but I have spent countless hours researching this topic. The following is an abbreviated version of what I have learned so far:

When it comes to IC there are primarily two different kinds of pain: neuropathic pain and visceral pain.

The "pain" from neuropathic pain originates from within the nervous system itself. When certain nerves become unstable through injury or some other cause, the nerve's signaling can go haywire, and the brain interprets these signals as "pain".

The "pain" from visceral pain originates in our internal organs, usually from organ damage of some kind.

Since most of our descriptions of IC pain are oftentimes similar, the difference between the two in IC sufferers can be found in the success or failure of certain pain med treatments. Again, I am not a doc, just an IC sufferer, but I assume that whichever pain treatment you respond to best will tell you what kind of pain you are primarily having.

Neuropathic pain can oftentimes be successfully treated with the tricylic anti-depressants, such as Amitriptyline and Imipramine, and other meds such as Neurontin and Lyrica. These meds work on stabilizing the dysfunctional signaling between the nerves and the brain. If these meds help you a lot with pain relief, then more than likely the main source of your pain is neuropathic pain. Also, neuropathic pain does not usually respond very well to narcotics.

If, however, you get little to no pain relief from the tricylics or Lyrica/Neurotin, but you do respond favorably to narcotic treatment, then more than likely your pain is visceral pain. This would be pain that is coming from the actual wounds inside the bladder. Visceral pain does not respond to the tricyclic's or Lyrica/Neurontin, because a brain-nerve dysfunction is not the cause of the pain.

I see no reason, however, why an IC sufferer cannot have both kinds of pain, but from the treatment success/failure stories I have read here, it seems like it is more one or the other. Also, as we all know, pain relievers do not "cure IC"... they only help us deal better with having this dastardly disease!

I started researching this topic in earnest when the tricyclics did not touch my pain, but had helped so many people here on the forum. Even though Lyrica had a lot less adverse side-effects than the tricyclics, it didn't touch the pain either! I did not understand, and was about to dx myself as "crazy"!! But, luckily for my mental health, I began to respond really well to narcotic treatment (MS Contin). Since both of my cysto/hydro's show definite bladder damage, I assume that my pain is primarily visceral pain, and that I have little to no actual nerve damage (at this point anyway).

From what I have learned, I do not think that either pain is better or worse than the other; they can both be debilitating!! It's just a difference in how each person's pain is best treated.

There are quite a few really good educational websites that can teach you about the different kinds of pain and how best they are treated. But I hope this abbreviated version helps at least a little!

~Beth

[corky48]

Thank you Beth:
All this information is very much appreciated !!
Dar