Is it true?

[ldish949]

that people with IC do not get relief from antibiotics for bladder problems?

I am trying desperately to find out what is wrong with my bladder. I have the constant urge to urinate, but nothing comes out. It has been almost a year now, and i have had so many urine cultures that come back negative for uti's. My doctor told me it is unlikely that I have IC because whenever i take antibiotics for actual bladder infections ( it happens maybe once every 3 months), i feel like a normal human being with no bladder problems. She said that people with IC do not feel better when they take antibiotics.
anyone know the answer?

[Ducky31]

Antibiotics have never helped me with pain symptoms whatsoever, in fact in some cases they make my symptoms worse.. even though when i do have a bladder infection (which is rare) the antibiotics Do technically clear the infection. I feel like I have a mild infection every single day, yet all of my urine tests turn out clear and normal. I dont know if what you are experiencing with antibiotics really means that you dont have IC, I think sometimes people might be helped with antibiotics. Maybe you could look on this site under the "experimental and controversial treatments" section, because there is a spot there just for people with questions about antibiotics :):hi:

[dyno]

I would maybe get another opionion. IC patients have symptoms like a UTI when they flare. I can vouch for that, I am flaring bad today. When an IC patient gets a UTI, antibiotics will help clear up the infection but sometimes the symptoms may last a little longer because of our damaged IC bladder and how it reacts.

To say though that IC patients don't respond to antibiotics if they have an infection, I don't think I agree with that.

[Julie B]

Actually, some antibiotics have anti-inflammatory properties as well. You may be experiencing that when you take antibiotics. Please seek out another opinion. You can find a list of practitioners who deal with IC on this website.

Hang in there....you will figure it out!

[KarenAnne]

Yes, please do some physician finding research & get another opinion. I went to four urologists before getting the proper help.

[sissygirl]

Have you seen a good GYN too? Could you have some sort of vaginal bacteria that is reinfecting your bladder? Some vaginal conditions that irritate/inflame the vestibule can make you feel like you have to "go" all the time.

My symptoms started with a UTI that seemed to respond to antibiotics too. I felt better taking them and my follow up culture was clear though some symptoms remained after the infection was gone. My uro suggested doing a CAT scan to see if there were any pockets or stones where bacteria could keep regrowing. You could maybe pursue that angle.

[VickiB]

She said that people with IC do not feel better when they take antibiotics.
While my IC symptoms didn't ever go completely away, I would have to say I did feel better while taking antibiotics. I think it's because of the anti-inflammatory properties Julie mentioned. But then when I'd stop them I'd go right back to feeling as rotten as ever.

Vicki

[Chellethinques]

My IC symptoms seem to be tied to chronic UTIs , so I think it depends. A few things I've learned: different Drs. use different bacterial counts to determine if it's really a UTI. If your bladder is already inflamed (from IC or chronic UTIs) some Drs. believe a very low bacterial count can still cause pain. Some infections don't show up on the initial office lab work, but then do show up on a culture a few days later. This is especially true if you've been taking antibiotics recently or if you are taking preventative abx. (I was on preventative abx with low grade pain for a YEAR before I convinced the uro to run a culture. Sure enough, it was an infection that was resistant to the abx I was on. Grrr..) Some Drs. won't diagnose IC until you've had 6 months of pain with no infection.
Antibiotics usually make me feel better, but I think that's because we haven't figured out what bizarre infection process is going on in this crazy body. I run at least one UTI a month unless I'm on preventative abx, but also experience chronic pain in between when there is no observable infection. Go figure.

[ICNDonna]

I have to agree that it's time to seek another opinion. Antibiotics are designed to help people feel better while they are fighting infection --- most have anti-inflammatory qualities.

Donna

[ldish949]

That is EXACTLY what happened to me. Almost a year ago, I got a bladder infection that felt like it never fully went away. I am having my first cystoscopy- in office next monday. My doctor brought up the idea but she didnt specify. The fact that i feel great when on antibiotics makes me think that maybe it is some sort of bacteria... but which kind! in a recent pap, there was a slight overgrowth found of strep. She said it can be normal in some women, and then brought up the possibility that there might be a reccuring bacterial growth. Do you know anymore about these? I know already that yeast and bacteria vaginosis cause the "gotta go" symptom in me, but have tested negative for those many times during a "flare".





Have you seen a good GYN too? Could you have some sort of vaginal bacteria that is reinfecting your bladder? Some vaginal conditions that irritate/inflame the vestibule can make you feel like you have to "go" all the time.

My symptoms started with a UTI that seemed to respond to antibiotics too. I felt better taking them and my follow up culture was clear though some symptoms remained after the infection was gone. My uro suggested doing a CAT scan to see if there were any pockets or stones where bacteria could keep regrowing. You could maybe pursue that angle.

[acapa]

that people with IC do not get relief from antibiotics for bladder problems?

I am trying desperately to find out what is wrong with my bladder. I have the constant urge to urinate, but nothing comes out. It has been almost a year now, and i have had so many urine cultures that come back negative for uti's. My doctor told me it is unlikely that I have IC because whenever i take antibiotics for actual bladder infections ( it happens maybe once every 3 months), i feel like a normal human being with no bladder problems. She said that people with IC do not feel better when they take antibiotics.
anyone know the answer?
I had a recent episode that I thought was a BAD flare, it turned so painful It was scary so I started taking Levaquin with the hope it was a UIT and it did get better. It never showed up in the urinalysis but that was after 3 days of starting the Levaquin. I guess the point here is that you can get a UTI on top of IC so any real painful flares, for me at least, will involve a trip to the doc.

[sissygirl]

That is EXACTLY what happened to me. Almost a year ago, I got a bladder infection that felt like it never fully went away. I am having my first cystoscopy- in office next monday. My doctor brought up the idea but she didnt specify. The fact that i feel great when on antibiotics makes me think that maybe it is some sort of bacteria... but which kind! in a recent pap, there was a slight overgrowth found of strep. She said it can be normal in some women, and then brought up the possibility that there might be a reccuring bacterial growth. Do you know anymore about these? I know already that yeast and bacteria vaginosis cause the "gotta go" symptom in me, but have tested negative for those many times during a "flare".


If you feel normal on antibiotics, could you ask your doctor whether he/or she thinks you should stay on them longer? I have heard people put on antibiotics for a longer term to completely knock out an infection. My URO had me on them for two weeks and I think people are sometimes on them for months longer.

I am feeling much better if not perfect after suffering a few months of bladder frequency and irritation following what my URO said was a UTI--something did grow in the culture, but not much. I'm 45 and in perimenopause: my pet theory was that my vaginal pH was elevated (I bought the drugstre test strips) allowing the vagina to act as a germ resevoir in my case and made the whole area inflamed. Also my estrogen was low which made my bladder and vag more vulnerable to insult. My doc suggested a CAT scan to see if I had stones or pockets acting as a resevoir in my urinary tract, which I guess would be the next step if my symptoms return.

Antibiotics can give you yeast infections aand bacterial imbalances and sometimes the area needs to rebalance. I'm done with my course of antibiotics. My doc has me on topical estrogen cream and I take a probiotic designed to promote healthy vaginal flora too. I am also trying the desert harvest aloe vera which seems to be helping calm things down too.

I must add that I have not been officially diagnosed with IC. I have had several months-long episodes of bladder irritation, burning, and frequency over the years which is why I am here on the boards. :toilet: I guess I consider myself right now somewhere in the murky grey area of bladder diagnoses.

[Ducky31]

hey idish,
i have had a growth of group b strep too...and so have others on this forum..very weird. good luck on the 1st cysto! :):smile tee