Symptoms worsen when standing?

[Reannin]

Hello everyone! I just wanted to find out if their IC symptoms worsen when they are standing and walking around. I've noticed that my urgency, and especially that dull painful pressuring/tightening feeling from the middle of my pubic area to my vaginal/rectum area, gets stronger upon standing and/or walking around. When I'm sitting or lying down, I still feel symptoms, but they aren't as bad as when I'm standing. I often find myself afraid to stand up to go do something, or simply just grab something, because I know that my symptoms will progress in strength. Does this happen to anyone else???

I've been reading more about people's symptoms getting worse with lying down or sitting, but mine just seem to worsen when standing.....more so that tightening/pressuring feeling. I can only describe the feeling as like a baby's head is just pressing down on my vaginal walls and around the rectum and it feels as though it's going to explode out. It hurts and is so uncomfortable!!!

Thanks everyone.

*Note: I have never been pregnant, so I don't know if a "a baby's head is pressing down on my vaginal walls," is a good description or not.

[duana]

i kind of know what your talking about.i think the frequency feels worse for me sometimes while standing.i get a burning feeling sometimes when i sit down too.mostly these happen when i'm in a flare.you may have pelvic floor dysfunction to like a lot of ic'ers do.i feel a heavy pressure in that area sometimes and if i press on that area it feels like a very tender/sore muscle.
ic can make us all feel a lot of different symptoms at different times.
wishing you well.

duana

[Reannin]

You see, I don't know if it really is PFD because I have pressed that area before to figure out what the heck was going on, and I never feel tender/sore. Nor do I think I have urinary retention. Who knows. I started Elavil 4 days ago and have noticed quite a difference in that tightening feeling. It's almost relieved. Not only does that tightening feeling come (it mainly starts in the middle of my pubic area), but a slight sense of urgency creeps up on me also. I find that I barely have symptoms when I'm sitting down, and I always dread standing up to go get something or do something because I know my symptoms will slowly creep up. This is so weird to me. Anyone else have this problem?

[angel7655]

Reannin,

I know exacty what you mean. My symptoms get so much worse if I am standing. I feel great in the morning because I've been laying down all night...than as the day goes on I get worse. I stand at work and that's when I start to get that swollen feeling. You might have Pelvic floor dysfunction. I've been going to therapy for it and it has helped alot with that. I also notice an increase in freqency and pain if i sit with my legs crossed.

[Reannin]

Oh my gosh...YES! That's exactly like me. In the morning, I don't feel it at all, or if I've been lying around all day. But then, as the day rolls on, that slightly painful tightening feeling slowly creeps up. It feels slightly better when I sit or void, but it always comes back. It has subsided slightly. I mentioned this to my Uro, and she said that she highly doubts it's PFD and more coming from the IC. She's prescribed me Elavil last week, which has helped quite a bit, but, of course, I'm not 100% on that issue. We're you ever prescribed Elavil? Does physical therapy make it go away? Can PFD be cured unlike this IC thing?

[angel7655]

See, I was told the opposite. I was told the tightening was most likey my PFD and not my IC. Hmmmm. I have never been on Elavil. When all this started we were planning on having another baby soon, so I haven't tried to many medications. Trying to stay away from that right now. The physical therapy absolutly has helped me! I go once a week. I've been to... I think nine so far. It's slow going but every week a notice improvement. I hardly have any tightening anymore unless I'm at work. I started out by going in for a consultation to see if I had PFD. And sure enough...my muscles were super tight. My PFT said that is can not be "cured"..I will always have it. But they teach you stretches and other things that you can do to treat yourself at home so you don't go to therapy forever...only when it acts up. Maybe try finding a therapist in your area and just go in for a consultation and see what they say. It doesn't hurt to ask. Keep me posted. Good luck.

[Reannin]

Cannot be cured?!?!?!? UGHHH!!!! ANOTHER THING THAT CAN'T BE CURED??!?!?! I'm really hoping that this isn't PFD. Today, I was TOTALLY fine. No tightening/aching feeling. It has actually subsided, slowly, but surely, over the last few weeks. It was REALLY bad, almost unbearable a month ago. But, it has tapered down quite a bit. When I press around the areas that I feel a tight ache, it doesn't feel tender, sore, or painful at all. Should I be taking this as a good sign??? Sorry about my silly questions. Thank you so much for your help.

[LithEruiel]

Reannin,

I also notice an increase in freqency and pain if i sit with my legs crossed.

Me too! I thought I was the only one, lol. I now even sleep with a pillow between my legs when I lay on my side so I don't force my legs together. However, I feel better standing. Sitting seems to put a lot of pressure on my bladder, especially hard chairs. I don't notice the frequency as much when I'm standing and doing things, like at work.

[dolphingirl31]

I unfortunately know what you mean. I stand on my feet for 8 hrs 5days a week. I have been going to PT in my area, (45min away), since Jan. Was going good for a while, but lately not so sure.
But about the pressure, I wake up burning and throbbing, which subsides a little. Then by lunchtimes or before it's back with a vengance. I also work in the cold most days which doesn't help any. PT talks a lot about our alignment and how if it's off we tend to clench up our muscles, but when you're in pain what else to do?
Anyone out there know of any work from home websites?

[breannavich]

i work in the restaurant industry at the moment and notice my symptoms act up after longer shifts. my abdomen starts to get bloated and sore. i can take a vicodin and make it through my shift and then after a good nights sleep feel ok the next day but since i started trying to work more i've definetly noticed a difference.

[Reannin]

UPDATE

Okay. Here's a little update. Today, that tightening feeling was not there AT ALL. Every day the uncomfortable tightening feeling has subsided. I woke up this morning and felt nothing (as usual), and as the day progressed.....NOTHING! I was completely shocked that I didn't get my normal tightening feeling "down there." This tightening ache started about a month ago, and today was my very first day to have absolutely no tightening ache allllllll day. Today was a hectic day at school so I was standing and walking (more like rushing) around a lot, but no tightening feeling. I just started my Amitriptyline (Elavil), Urelle, and my increased dosage of Elmiron a week and a half ago. I don't know what it is, but ONE of those meds is helping my situation I think. I'm going to be monitoring it within the next few days and see if the tightening feeling stays away. Wow....this IC thing is so bizarre and confusing. Symptoms are always high, low, up, down. I never know what day it's going to be. *sigh* IC is so stubborn.

[angel7655]

i'm so glad you are feeling well today. Our symptoms are so similar...keep me posted on how the meds work for you.

[Reannin]

Sue,
I noticed you have bladder retention. How do you know if you have bladder retention? Is this the same as urine retention? I don't believe I have it and I had a scan thing done and they told me that I'm not retaining urine, but I would like to keep a close watch because I've read that Elavil could possibly cause urine retention in those with PFD. I would think that if I had PFD then I would notice retention. What are other symptoms of PFD? If you don't mind me asking, what are your symptoms that are in relation to your PFD? By the way, today was the SECOND day of no tightening, pressuring ache down there, AND I felt normal for a full day today for the first time ever since my IC symptoms started back in July.

[angel7655]

Sue,
I noticed you have bladder retention. How do you know if you have bladder retention? Is this the same as urine retention? I don't believe I have it and I had a scan thing done and they told me that I'm not retaining urine, but I would like to keep a close watch because I've read that Elavil could possibly cause urine retention in those with PFD. I would think that if I had PFD then I would notice retention. What are other symptoms of PFD? If you don't mind me asking, what are your symptoms that are in relation to your PFD? By the way, today was the SECOND day of no tightening, pressuring ache down there, AND I felt normal for a full day today for the first time ever since my IC symptoms started back in July.

I don't know if there is a difference between bladder and urine retention...maybe someone can chime in on that. The only reason I found out I had retention is because they do bladder scans on me each time I go to the doctor and it always shows i'm holding urine. All though I'm most stressed out at those times and that doesn't help. Otherwise sometimes I can tell. I'll be at work and drink three bottles of water and come home and almost nothing comes out but it still feels like I have to go. The flow is also not at all strong. I get a swelling kind of feeling in my urethral area and occasionally if feels more vaginal as well. All the swelling feeling I was told was due to my PFD and the muscles tightening around my urethra and bladder. It's not constant and seems to agrivate me most when I'm at work standing. I'm a jewelry salesperson and stand in one spot for a long time. Those are the only real symptoms I have from my PFD. I used to get burning pain as well but that has gone away with therapy. I thought there used to be a really great list of PFD symptoms on here at one time. I am sosososo glad you are feeling great. Hopefully it keeps up.

[JadensMa]

I know if I walk around a lot, such as going to a festival or something and walking around quite a bit I get major achiness and throbbing. I dont have frequency so that does not bother me..but I have described this to people as "labor pain" because it reminds me of the dull ache and throb I had after I had my son!