24 and my life is over

[ScarednConfused]

I just got diagnosed yesterday with IC. I have been on this site for the last four months when my pain started so I am definitely not new to the forum. This was the one thing I was praying I did not have. I know this is an incurable diease, however, I would still love to hear how people have gotten better from this. I have never had bladder probolems in the past so I have no idea how I one day developed this. The doctor found glommerations and hemmohrages in my bladder and wants me to have DMSO installations. He said he doesnt like Elmiron and that DMSO might "cure" me although everything I read said it doesnt help repair the lining it only helps with pain. For some reason deep down i really didnt think i had IC, I went to 4 urologists and almost all of them said they didnt think I had it. For one I was younger, which I know is common,about 25% but still, and plus since I only have pain which is even rarer which sucks. I am in so much pain its unbearable and I dont know what to do from here. I know this sounds crazy but I have given myself a year from now to try and cure myself or come as close as I can. I dont believe there is nothing you can do to make this horrible disease go away. Just like HIV. I believe there is a way to reverse this and I will try my best to find it. I have had so many medical probelms for 10 years and I finally just got my sinus problems under control through surgery when I developed this. I have always loved God and put my faith in him and never prayed so hard for myself for anything except for me to not have IC. I feel like all my hope and strength is pretty much gone. My family is the only thing keeping me alive because they are so wonderful and supportive. I feel like if I was older or didnt go through so much growing up I would be able to cope with this so much more, but all my future dreams like going into the medical field, having children, getting married, all have gone down the drain. All I do is sit in bed. I am down to 99 pounds and I feel like I am dying. No one really understands except all of you how horrible this is and to know the rest of my life I have to walk on pins and needles on what I can do like eat, drink, sex, exercise, because I might flare up again is too hard. I should have my whole life to look forward to and now I just want to curl up in a cave and die. When an animal is suffering they dont make it suffer. I barely have any strength left although I will put everything I have into this next year trying to find a cure. After that, I really dont know if I can live like this. Its only been 4 months and along with my horrible constant eye heachaches, bad allergies, sinus probelms, ear infections, skin problems, OCD, fatigue, Gastritis, Gerd, and IBS I cant eat anything without it hurting so bad. And, I have no idea what foods aggravate my bladder because it always hurts. Im only 24 and my life seriously feels like its over. If anyone has any ideas on what "cured" them or what they have heard please let me know. I really think this is my whole body not just my bladder since some of this stuff came on at the same time. I want to try to work on my whole body I just dont know how. I have heard and researched so many things that are contradicting. I know no one likes to use the word cure here although that is the only thing I can have hope for at this point. I have lived with so many things since I was 14 and gone through so many different surgies, IC is just the icing on the cake to push me over the edge. Im not suicidal so I hope no one takes it that way and by no means would I ever hurt myself right now I just am very scared. I have been on this site for a while now so I know all the standard medicine and herbal stuff, what I was wondering was if anyone knew anything more to help or heard of. Maybe somehting new or proven to work? like detoxing or other methods. The only thing I am hoping I do not have is Endometriosis. If I got that I would be done for good. Please if anyone knows of anything please help I would really appreciate it. Im sorry this is so long I had to get it off my chest to someone who really understands what I am going through. Thank you :confused:

[ICNDonna]

I'm very glad you found the IC Network. We have a lot of people here and we are all traveling the same road. What you are feeling right now is how I felt when I was diagnosed 34 years ago. There are several things I suggest for you:

(1) Put yourself on an IC diet. It's a challenge at first, but you'll be surprised at how quickly you become accustomed to it --- I'm also diabetic and have some food allergies, but I have learned to deal with the diet pretty well.
(2) Talk with a professional counselor. It can help more than you know. You definitely need help in dealing with your new diagnosis.
(3) Remember that it may take time to find the most effective treatment options for you, but most of us do and most of us feel good most of the time.
(4) Know that many of us live in successful marriages and have children. And it's possible to have a sex life with IC --- it does take open communication and lots of experimenting --- which can make a relationship even more loving and caring.

You might want to ask your doctor about trying some different treatment options before turning to DMSO. Some are having good success with heparin and lidocaine or marcaine instillations, which are less painful than DMSO.

You also might want to get started on Elmiron. It completely controls IC symptoms for some ICers, but can take six months or longer to become effective. You could ask your doctor to "humor you" and order it so you can give it a try.

There are also other medications that can help control symptoms. I personally find when I'm flaring, I get relief from a smooth muscle antispasmodic. The one I take is hyoscyamine. Others find a low dose of elavil helps with the pain.

I think it would be a good idea to read the information in the Patient Handbook so you will be able to talk with your doctor about the various treatment options.

An important thing to remember is that only a very small percentage of IC patients get worse after the initial period when they are developing IC.

Hang in there --- you will have better days.

:grouphug:
Donna

[monie218]

Trust me when I tell you this is not the end of your life, your life is not over. I've had Endo and Fibrods all prior to finding out I have IC. I truly understand how you are feeling, but somehow, someway you have to find the positives in spite of what your are going through medically. I'm totally new to the IC world and like you I never had bladder problems all the pains and issues I was having were all pelvic related, or so I thought. I'm about to go through surgery number 7 and I will admit there are some days when it takes everything I have in me to get out the bed, but I do and I will continue to do it as long as I have life in my body. Remember it's never what happens to us, but more so how we react to what happens to us. You and only you have the control to change how you feel about your current health situation. When I have really bad days I always tell myself, well I don't have HIV or Cancer and I know that everyday that I'm above ground is a blessing. Stay Strong, Stay Focused, Stay Prayerful, Keep the Faith and Keep searching for that CURE! Keep your head up my Sister, things will get better!

[MissGlass]

oohh, hunny i feel you. i hate having to explain to people "no i can't have that peice of pizza" or "can i get a water instead of a soda" people ask are you on a diet. I try to explain about IC and they just look at me like oh.. well one won't hurt. grr. but you have to find your own inner strength and a good doc who will listen to you even if she doesn't understand. i find it harder to explain bladder pain to males. and therapy does help! if you can get your mind off the pain and med issues for even a little bit a day it helps i know it's hard to get out of bed but depression might be a key factor in that. and god knows you have every reason to be. but sometimes depression is something situational and then sometimes it's chemical in our brain. maybe talk to a doc about elvail i've read some good things on it and IC. if you need to talk plz message me you are not alone. i was just diagnosed last week after 5 months of "it's all in your head".:welcome:

[KarenAnne]

Gosh, I have so many of the same things you have, plus fibromyalgia. But the IC started just two months after I got married. I was overwhelmed about it, just like you. But with the support of my husband, friends, & this website with all the great support leaders, & fellow ICers, I was able to get some of my life back.

Ask your doctor to prescribe some oral meds. Patients who have several of the associated syndromes/diseases, like IBS, fibro, (like us), do well on elavil (generic amitriptyline). It is a good "crossover" med. It has helped my bladder pain & spasms, & helps me sleep better. Pyridium was great in the beginning.

Most important, this diagnosis is probably much harder for you. I got it at 51. And even at my age I needed some talk therapy to sort it all out. Ask your parents, doctor, or friends, for a referral to a good therapist. It will really help to get some cognitive therapy. And you might also have to get a second opinion from another urologist about a different treatment plan.

I suggest getting a notebook. I have OCD & it helps me to break things down into small goals. Write down a small goal for yourself at night for the next day, such as, "in the morning I'm going to take a shower & get dressed". Then the next morning force yourself to do just that & check it off. Even if that is the only thing you can manage for that day. As you set each small goal, you are empowering yourself to take control of the IC & other illnesses.

You will get married, you will have children, you will beat this. Ten months ago when my IC started, I could not leave the house or sleep more than two hours a night. When I could leave to go to the grocery store, I would cry in the store because I couldn't eat anything. I was a newlywed who could not be with her husband. I was as depressed as you. I then became determined to take control of the situation, even if it just meant being able to get dressed in my comfy sweats & watch a funny movie on TV.

You can eat plain chicken & rice with some carrots. It will not hurt your IC or IBS. And drink pure spring water & lactaid milk (for the IBS). No coffee, chocolate, spices, or chemicals. Please hang in there & vent to us. Karen

[VickiB]

Wow, at 24 you're having to deal with more than your fair share of health issues! I feel for you!

While IC is incurable (at present,.. but I'm hopeful!), it doesn't mean your life is over. Most of us do find treatment & tricks that allow us to manage fairly well. It's not always easy, but most do get to a better place. Have faith!

I have no idea what foods aggravate my bladder because it always hurts
I think it can often take some away from offending food/drink before the bladder begins to heal and feel better. Once calmed, it becomes easier to see the relationship between what is eaten and how it affects you. You might try doing an elimination diet, or at least use this chart and choose only from the "usually OK" items. http://www.ic-network.com/diet/dietcheatsheet.html

Glad to have you join us!

Vicki

[Goldfinch]

Hi, I'm so sorry to hear you are suffering right now. You have received much good advice above, so I won't repeat any of it. But I do want to say one thing no one has touched on, and I may be way off base, but think about this.

You mention you are down to 99 pounds. I don't know what a healthy weight is for you, or how much you have lost and how quickly you lost it, but for most women that would be a very low weight. I have experience with anorexia (not me, my daughter) and I know one thing without a shadow of a doubt: if your weight is seriously compromised your brain is not functioning very well and you are not able to reason well or make sense of what's happening with a clear mind. It sounds to me like your first task is to find some protein and carbs that do not irritate your bladder or bowel. You may need to consult a nutritionist, but if your doctor has not discussed diet with you he/she is missing an part of the overall picture. Organic chicken or chicken with no hormones or extra water and any kind of rice is a good start. Add whatever fat your IBS can tolerate to your diet, and do it as fast as possible. Once your brain is back on track you will absolutely have an easier time trying to figure out what works in getting you all-around healthier.

[rgreen]

Hi honey and welcome to ICN! You are DEFINITELY in the right place. Your life is not over by any means, but I know how you feel, I've been going through those emotions and feelings for a long time too. And I am a pre-med student, so when you say you wantED to go into the medical field...nonsense, you can still do it!!! You will need to find the inner strength in yourself, but you will be okay and you will be able to cope with this disease. I think being on here is a great start for you so you can communicate with others and maybe have an easier time, I also think you need to make sure you have a very good doctor who you feel you can really trust and put in your hands. Having a supportive and good doctor and staff is going to be a huge part of making this (somewhat) easier for you. I wish you all the best, and I know it can be very hard and there are lots of struggles down the path, but you'll make it and you'll get through it. You're young (so am I, I am only 20) but you will be okay!!!! :grouphug:

[KristyKay]

I just wanted to offer you some hope...

I work full time in a very high-profile job in Los Angeles and have a very active social life. I also have IC. You can beat this and live a very normal, happy life with IC. It's important that you have the mindset to help yourself. It's up to each of us as individuals to carve out our own path with IC. The medical community WILL figure this out. I know it's difficult to be diagnosed so young, but I also think that the chances are great that you will have relief, if not a cure in your lifetime - sooner, rather than later.

You have been given some excellent advice and although I know it is difficult at first, please take heart. You are "in it" right now...but in the fullness of time, I think you will see that things will level out for you and you will get to a better place. You must believe that.

Talk to your doctor(s) about what you are feeling. I find that my medical team is very helpful and caring about not only my physical symptoms, but also my mental state. I was very scared and sad when I first found out about my IC as well. YOU CAN DO THIS!!

Take a few deep breaths and clear your mind. One step at a time.

Be Well and know that you are not alone.

[CherylSLP]

Your life is not over, although it may feel like that now. You sounds like you are in a state of grief, and it is important to know that because grief has cycles, and the stage you are in will pass. But I think you may need some help with to move through the stages, I know I did.

Know you are not alone. There are many of us here, some of us fairly young like you. And I am getting married in 3 weeks, and have a wonderful job and friends, and my life did go on. I could not do some types of work because of the diagnosis. Then again, I could not do some types of work because they are not in my skill area. I am a speech therapist in the schools (or a variation of one, I work in assistive technology). The medical field can work well with IC depending on the position because the bathroom is right there.

I would suggest you may want to shop for a different Dr. One who gives you options and works with you to find YOUR option, not one who outright says they do not like a treatment that may be highly effective. I take Elmiron and am one for whom it does help. In fact, it lets me live a fairly normal life. DMSO was not for me, too time consuming (I work full time) not to mention just not in my comfort range. But that was for me.

Please know it does get better.

[MissGlass]

if i could give everybody here a huge hug i would

[SharonA]

Your life is not over. There is no reason to believe that you won't be able to accomplish what you want for yourself. You may have to take some time off for a little while until you can get your arms wrapped around IC, but it is possible. It can be done.

I thought my life was over in the beginning, also. I suffered greatly with total debilitating pain. I was older than you when my symptoms began, but I still had plans and dreams for my life. There wasn't room for a disease that had no cure. There wasn't room for so much pain.

Now, after nearly 8 years after being diagnosed, my life is very good. I feel so much better than I did in the beginning. I don't have the pain I just described. I can do most anything I want to do and have fun while doing it.

How did I get to where I am now, you may be asking? I learned everything I could learn about IC and found a doctor who understood the kind of pain I was in everyday and who was willing to help me. I learned what diet choices I was making that were wrong for me and got them out of my life forever. I devoured the Patient Handbook and continued reading it until, one day, a light came on in a very dark room and I understood that there was so much help out there for me. All was not lost. There was still a lot of hope that I could somehow climb out of the dark pit that I was in.

And I did. It came slowly, but it happened. It can for you, also.

:):):)

[Lexie]

I'm so sorry that you are hurting so much right now! I was diagnosed with IC last summer and was miserable and in constant pain for months. I mourned my health for a while, but then decided that I was going to be aggressive and start to feel better. I started with Elmiron bladder instillations, the IC diet, Cystoprotek, and Hydroxyzine. Within a few months I started to feel better :)

Now, a year later, I feel normal almost all the time. I pee every 3 or 4 hours, usually. I can drink white wine, vodka, and beer (with Prelief). I can eat pizza, salad dressing, mayo, mustard, etc. (with Prelief and within reason). I work out almost everyday (Zumba, running, Eliptical machine, Yoga), and have painless sex several times a week. I never would have imagined this was possible last year. Please hang in there -- it WILL get better for you! xoxo

[ScarednConfused]

Thank you everyone for your responses. It really does feel better to know your not alone and you all gave me such good advice. I know I keep hearing how this disease is incurable I just dont want to believe it yet. Maybe I just need to give in. I like the doctor right now that I am seeing although maybe I should ask him more about the DMSO's. I have read a lot about it but still am not sure how effective or painful it is. Has anyone had them and could tell me there expereriences? This is so hard and I know I just need to take it day by day. I have been seeing a therapist which has helped some and I recently saw a nurtitionist, however, even the stuff he suggested me to eat was hurting my stomach. I think I just cant eat carbs anymore that seems to be the worst. At night I usually eat shrimp or chicken with rice and that seems to sometimes settle fine although other days its not. Im just so confused on where to go from here. I dont know if I should just ask for Elmirion or try herbal meds or just stick with the installations. Any advice again would appreciated. I know everyone is different I just want to try and stop this just in case it decides to get any worse. Thanks again though for answering. It really makes me feel better to know your all there.

[OneDayAtATime]

On a side note, the Elimiron is definetly a good idea to try, but since you are having so many stomach issues, I would highly reccomend trying it in the form of an instillation instead of pills, as many people have stomach irritation with it (I don't, but I have a pretty strong stomach) The "rescue instill" can include the elmiron or heparin (which my doc says the body turns the elmiron into anyway) plus lidocaine or mercaine which is a numbing agent that can help with pain. I've never had the DMSO myself but maybe starting off with the rescue instills is a good idea. The main theme I have been getting from my docs is to "break the cycle of pain". And everyone is right...the first few months are usually the hardest. But you WILL find a combo of treatments that work for you.

And trust me....I'm 25 and I completely understand the feeling of your life being over. I spent many lunch breaks on the bathroom floor at work crying so loud I though building security would come in. All I could think about when I first came down with this was "Can I get married? Have Children?" it feels like everything in your life will forever be colored by pain and discomfort....and for awhile it is....but God gives us a way to get through it....and over time...you adapt. You are going to learn so much more about yourself in these next couple years, but good things! like how incredibly strong you are, how loved you are, how you can tackle all these huge issues and slowly work your way through them! By the time you get into med school, you'll be so far ahead of everybody else in terms of handling stress and challenges!

Find a good Physical therapist as well...someone who is really knowledgable about IC because the muscles in your body can really contribute to keeping you in a constant state of tense-ness which can make the pain worse.

Right now, my best advice is to let yourself feel what you are feeling, cry, scream, punch a hole in something...then take a deep breath and a pyridium and maybe a nap or a bowl of ice cream, and keep going. Things are going to get better. You can do this!

one more thing....when things get really hard, i always remember what my mother always used to tell me when I felt like things were just too hard, too big, and too much, "Just take this one day at a time. And when that gets too hard, take it one hour at a time, and then one minute at a time if the hour is too hard." Sometimes just focusing on what you can do right now, in this moment to make yourself smile can help the days pass until you find your relief.

[BT2008]

Dear ScarednConfused,

I know well what it is like to be both scared and confused! Welcome to our support forum where we specialize -- not in practicing medicine -- but in giving and receiving support for ICers who are Scared and Confused as well as those who are seeking any and all information about IC and all of its related problems! :) As you have found already, you are not alone!
:grouphug:

In addition to everything else that has been said, I would like to add my own suggestions based upon my own experience. My primary problem is also PAIN--very bad pain, which can be pure excruciating agony when it is at its highest levels. And, based upon my experience, the following are my best suggestions to you:

1. Drink "neutral pH balanced" water; buy some testing strips at a health food store and test different types of water, including your public tap water and various bottled and filtered waters; drink only the ones that measure between 6.0-8.0 pH--especially the 7.0 waters, those are perfectly neutral;
2. Limit your physical activity for a while (which won't be anything new to you--bless your heart!);
3. Find out "what kind of pain" you are suffering with;
4. Get on the medication that best treats that kind of pain;
5. Stay on that medicine in order to break the cycle-of-pain you are currently "stuck in"; and,
6. When your pain is under better control, only then will you be able to better determine what your IC diet should be. Remember: we may all share the same disease, but we are all different in many ways!

When you get your pain level down several notches, you will know within a matter of hours of eating which food items make you hurt worse. Once your pain level is lessened, start with the elimination diet for a few days. That will give you a base-pain-level reading for establishing your new diet. Then start eating only from the OK List, choosing one or two items a day that you like best. If you flare, i.e. your pain gets worse, figure out which food was the trigger and cross that item off of your diet list. Once your pain calms down again, choose another couple of items. Before long you can experiment with the Maybe list. Then, well--just trust the established diet and stay away from items on the No-No list--at least for quite a while yet.

1-6 is in the actual order that I personally recommend, so that most all of your concerns are covered and you get stabilized as soon as possible. Your entire life is upside down and totally crazy right now. You need "order" and "a clear-cut plan."

As to accomplishing item #3--Figuring out what type of pain you are suffering from: There are two primary types of pain associated with IC: neuropathic pain and visceral pain.

Neuropathic pain is due to nerve damage, where irritation & inflammation causes the damaged nerves to send signals to the brain that are then interpreted as "severe pain." This is sometimes referred to as "Pain Hypersensitivity." This does NOT mean that neuropathic pain is not REAL pain!! Quite the contrary! This type of pain is extremely painful! And, an IC inflamed bladder oftentimes causes severe nerve damage which is at the heart of this type of pain. What sets this type of pain apart from the other main type of pain is that it rarely responds to the usual types of pain medications used today, such as non-narcotic analgesics and opiates. The best treatment for this type of pain is found with the tri-cyclic drugs such as Elavil (Amitriptylene) and Imipramine, as well as Neurontin and Lyrica. These drugs target the "brain-nerve pathway" and work to repair and stabilize the communication between the two. Here is an excellent website that explains this type of pain very well:
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/pain/microsite/science4.html

Visceral pain comes from direct organ damage. This type of pain is the most common pain of all, and we all experience it sometime in our lives--most especially women. This type of pain originates in certain organs of our bodies, such as the uterus and bladder! IC bladder pain of this type is the same type of pain many women experience on a monthly basis--except it is a lot worse! That is why so many of us "describe our pain" as being like "the worst menstrual period to be had!" Visceral pain can range from a dull ache to excruciating agony. The glomerulations and patches of hemorrhage your doc found are definitely indicative of organ damage, at least to a certain extent. Since you have these areas of hemorrhage more than likely you are experiencing at least a certain amount of "visceral pain." In contrast to neuropathic pain, this type of pain does not respond to Elavil (Amitriptylene), Imipramine, Neurontin, or Lyrica. This type of pain is best treated with non-narcotic analgesics for mild pain, and opiate analgesics for moderate to severe pain. Here is an article (from the same website) that explains this type of pain:
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/pain/microsite/science3.html

According to my uro, I have "thousands of lesions" or cracks in my bladder lining, which cause visceral pain and are the reason why I need opiate medications to control my pain. It is also safe to assume that I do not (as yet) have any nerve damage because the drugs used to treat neuropathic pain did nothing at all for my pain. Unlike me, however, other ICers can certainly have both types of pain, so both types of drug treatment may be needed to control an ICers pain. But until these different drug therapies are tried by each sufferer, and given a chance to work or not, you will never know "which type of pain" you are suffering with.

It was not until I finally started an adequate pain med treatment program (with MS Contin) that my pain was finally controlled to a moderate level most of the time. This was when I was able to "work the IC diet" and find what I could and could not eat. And, I am able to eat everything on the OK list, and most of the things on the Maybe List. I also found that I was extremely additive and preservative sensitive. Therefore I have to stay far away from most all processed foods and most restaurant foods (except the veggie flat-bread sandwiches at Subway, with olive oil as my dressing :)).

In the weeks right before my uro finally put me on the MS Contin, I too made the decision that I would not/could not live in that kind of pain for the rest of my life--and I am 50 years old! I was not suicidal per se, rather, I just knew that living with that kind of pain was not "living at all" and that without a better option there was no reason to live at all. Now--with that said--after trying all of the pain meds for neuropathic pain without any success, my uro chose that particular time to start me on the MS Contin, and it very quickly brought my pain down to a moderate level for the first time in over six-months. That is why I do not hesitate to say that the MS Contin (and my uro!) saved my life!!

And, when you discover which type of pain you are suffering from the most, and you finally break the cycle of pain you have been in, then you too will see that you have every reason to live, and your life is NOT over! In fact, you are just now getting really good and started! I know you have had a rough way to go so far, but if you want to go into the medical field you have been offered several excellent "specialist" options to choose from. And what a wonderful doctor or NP you will be when you can look into your patients eyes and say: "I understand"--and actually be telling the cold, hard truth! Your fellow-sufferers need you to help them one day!

Ok, this post is long enough! But if you want to PM someone who suffers primarily with pain, just click on my name. I may be twice your age, but pain is pain--and I was actually your age at one time!

Please take care and get your pain under control as soon as possible! And always remember: You are NOT alone!

Many hugs,
~Beth

[ScarednConfused]

Thank you Onedayatatime I definitely am thinking about asking about the rescue instills. I dont want to make anything worse and I have heard some bad things about DMSO. And BT2008 thank you for all the great info on pain. I will definitely look into Elavil and monoriting my ph levels. Hopefully it wont take me too long to be able to figure out where my pain is coming from so I can try and get better. I just know if I dont get atleast 90%better I wont be able to go on like this. Maybe it sounds selfish but I am miserable and I dont think anyone should have to live in so much pain for the rest of their lives. I already have so many limitations with my stomach so to now know I cant ever do the things I love like play soccer, dance, go out with my friends, or be intimate with my boyfriend just really sucks. If my body is really that bad then maybe its just time to give up. Over the last 10 years I have been strong and got through so many medical problems. My strength and hope is just pretty much gone now. I dont really have any fight left in me. I just wish I had another chance at life. I just dont understand why we all cant get 100% better.

[MissMal]

Don't be scared, not for one minute. Take charge! If you have a teaching or research hospital in the area, find them! I went to all of my doctors before being diagnosed with IC and then found another urologist after that. The doctor that diagnosed me was great at what he did, but not a great communicator!

I later found out that Vanderbilt was getting ready to start an IC study with Pfizer, and I got free treatment and monitoring for 6 months (plus gas reimbursement). The one I did was on a study drug that Pfizer has been testing already, but they are getting ready for one on bladder installations (which I am seriously considering). My original urologist wanted to go straight to trying installations (NOT ME)!

After the first study with Vanderbilt's research nurse, I am now working with their nurse practitioner. She is very interested in IC and what can make her patients more comfortable. It took me a lot of time to find her, but there are people like her across the country!

I too am very young. At the age of 21, I do wonder if I will ever be on the same track as my friends. However, I am well on my way to happiness! There is some man out there for you that will be not only patient but understanding. Just never give up! :hi:

[lonely sole]

Miss Mal - when I read your message I had to log in to say thanks for the inspiration! I've been down these past few days, and this post has given me a bit of a kick in the butt :)

Keep rockin'.

ScarednConfused - I know its easier said than done, but don't give up. You will get there, as many others have said it just might take some time to figure out diet, medications, etc. Hang in there, you WILL get better!

[jenjen05]

I'm 24 too. I felt like you for a long time. I can honestly say I do have times where I cry and get depressed. But now as I have accepted this disease and discussed it openly and honestly with my boyfriend and my family, I am at peace with it. God will never give you anything you can't handle. You must have faith in the presence of IC and you must fight it- accept it, but do not let it win!

I have allowed my urologist to make me his guinea pig. We have tried several things so far. Nothing has really helped yet.

I will continue looking for a cure and for more answers. But at the same time its important that you realize that while IC is a life sentence, it will only own you and run your life if you allow it to. You must be strong and take charge. You have all of us here to help you on your journey! I can't tell you how many kind, loving people and new friends I've met on here that I wouldn't trade for the world.

I will add you to my prayer list. I hope you find some relief, both emotionally and physically. Many hugs and much love to you! Feel free to PM me anytime!

“These trials only test your faith to see whether or not it is strong and pure. Your faith is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it. And your faith is far more precious to the Lord than pure gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tested, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of His return." 1 Peter 6-9