I feel so much better

[BeckyS]

Hello all.....Well it has been over 2 weeks and no pain. I even worked a night shift monday night and didn't get to sleep the day before and i was up over 26 hours... and no pain. I am so happy. It is so nice to start catching up on life. I started exercising agian....and have no pain..... I am going shopping with my mom today. I haven't been able to do that in months. The only med that i am on is zyrtec and i take multivitamins too. I hope you all are doing well. There is hope. I didn't think the pelvic pain and exhuastion was ever going to go away. But it did:thumbsup: So good luck to you all. You will be in my prayers. Lots of hugs.:kiss: Becky

[kelly McC]

How wonderful Becky:grouphug: I hope you continue to be pain free:pray:
Kelly

[poetgirl]

Becky,

That's great! :thumbsup: I hope you remain pain-free!!

[Dixiefireball]

its always great to here a success story i'm so happy you are doing good.
sending you hugs and prayers
Rhonda.
I hope things continue to go great for you.:kiss:

[Linda Harringto]

Dear Becky....I'm so glad to hear you are pain free. Did you do something in particular that seems to work or is it just a quirk that you've been feeling better?

[jaime15]

Hi Becky!
That's fantastic you are pain-free! I'm so glad you're able to get out and enjoy living again....and what better time to start than during Spring!:flower:
Check back often and let us in on how things are going!
Hugs to you!:butterfly

[SharonA]

:thumbsup: Way to go :thumbsup: I hope this continues for you. :)

[blue]

Woo! Hoo!

[lori hehl]

becky,
i am so glad you are doing well. i know the feeling i have been feeling great myself. i just started that bladderQ herb off the internet and i feel so much better! i have been on it two months and i can see the difference. i hope you continue to feel good!:D lori

[BeckyS]

Hello everyone. I still am feeling good. Its so strange that it came on so fast and now its better. I still at times feel bladder pressure and that i have to go "right now", but i am able to hold it and wait an hour or so, if i need to, and it doesn't put me into horrible pain. So i hope you all are enjoying the beginning of summer. The warm days are wonderful. Sending you all hugs. Becky

[Babs RN]

Becky,
I'm glad things are still going well for you. Have an awesome summer and keep in touch.

Barb

[ICNDonna]

I hope you continue to feel good. :)

Warm hugs,
Donna

[Iris]

:thumbsup: Such great news Becky, so happy for you, especially with all the nice weather coming along, way to go, hugs Iris.:hi: :dance: :woohoo: :flower:

[lotsofgirls]

Thanks for telling us Becky, it gives hope to us all!

[BeckyS]

hi everyone. I just wanted to tell everyone my interesting encounter. My gyne saw me in the hall at work and asked me how i was feeling. I told him how my symptoms are gone and it seems they went away as fast as they came. I also commented on how bizarre that seems because i was diag ic with office cysto. And ic seems to be such a chronic thing. He told me i could of had a weird viral bug that just attacked the weakest system in my body and now its out of my system. And he told me he was glad i was feeling better. So isnt' that bizarre. Months ago i was so sick with ic and now its gone. I am even drinking soda and caffiene again. I'm glad its gone, but then it worries me that all these weird things always happen to me. I just hope i am not in a false sense of health and something else bizarre isn't happening to me. Wishing you all the best. :thumbsup: Becky

[kadi]

There was an article in Newsweek last week that says about in about half the IC cases, it goes away by itself. Maybe you're one of the lucky ones:)

[sing_to_you]

That is so nice to here for a change some good stuff I like this!!!:hi: :D :kiss: :thumbsup:
sing_to_you

[tillysav]

That's the greatest!:thumbsup: I've heard IC sometimes goes away. My doctor says he has seen it go away on it's own. So glad you posted. It gives me hope.

Did you take any meds and if so, what?

[kadi]

Wherever your IC went, can I send mine there too?

[classics]

Becky,

I'm glad you are feeling well. I hope to one day to write the same thing. IC is so different for everybody.

My ic is mild in comparision to others, and I have often thought it might be just some kind of strange virus, like your doctor mentioned. Who knows? It is just so weird. My IC symptoms were so much worse last December than they are now. If things keep progressing like this I'm hoping it will be gone by the end of this year.

[Iris]

Whoa, I hope mine goes away by itself, that would be a nice surprise. Glad to read you are doing better, way to go, hugs, Iris.:hi: :thumbsup: :grouphug: :flower:

[BeckyS]

Thank you all for your replies. We really are our own family here. I am so thankful that my ic went away and i am able to continue to work as a neonatal nurse and be a functional mother to my kids. Hope you all have a good weekend. My oldest graduates from kindergarten tomorrow. Its wonderful to watch her grow up :kiss: :kiss: BeckyS

[iwant2help2]

do you think anything in particular helped you into remission?

[BeckyS]

Hello all.....I sadly had a flare last thurs night at work. I was peeing every couple of hours and i would have gone more if i was not at work, i just held it and would deal with the pain. The more the night when on i realized also that i was coming down with a cold. By the time i got home i knew i was sick. I peed and peed and sneezed. I stopped taking my zytrec because my allergies seemed to have settled, so i took a zytrec and it didn't do much for my sinuses but !wow! it helped my bladder and by sunday i was symptom free. I still have a raging sinus infection, but my bladder is fine. Which i am very relieved. My first thoughts on that is here we go agian...months of pain.. So my thoughts are for any of you that have not tried an allergy med like zyrtec to calm down your bladder. Please do, i stumbled on it by accident and it seemed to be my cure!!!My ear, nose, and throat doctor prescribed it for me for my springtime allergies, all of the meds that my gyn/uro gave me just seemed to irritate my bladder more. Just ask your doc for a week of free samples, that is what i started with. A simple fix is always worth a try. Sending you all lots of hugs :grouphug: :grouphug: :grouphug: :wink: Becky

[Scomegys]

That is bizarre...but Great news! Did you do anything out of a normal routine to get rid of it? And how long did you have it if you don't mind me asking?

[mom_in_ma]

Becky, I'm having the same experience!

I had a long IC flare last year (5 months) but went into remission last fall when I started taking Allegra (for horrible allergies, not IC). Within weeks I was feeling better than I had in months. I tappered off the Allegra after about two months and was basically in remission. At first, I chalked it up to the 50% remission statistic. Ok..I"ll admit, I talked myself into thinking that "maybe it was something else."

This past spring, I contracted a UTI and went back into a flare. It lasted (on and off) for two months until I thought about the Allegra. I called my doctor for a perscription and walla, a week later I'm feeling almost normal!

I believe that there are many causes of IC. My IC must have a huge mast cell connection! My tool kit now includes the diet, allegra, prelief, and tums (at night).

[fireflicker285]

So nice to hear something positive!!! Hope you continue to feel good!

Good Luck.:thumbsup:

[BeckyS]

I am so happy to hear someone else to have such good results from an allergy med like allerga/zyrtec. IC seems to be so different for everyone. And to have a few people to get relief from something so simple is good news/ So mabey this will help others too .
I am still feeling great. Swimming with my kids and playing outside alot. I still work fulltime and that is going well also. Sending you all healing thoughts. :kiss: :kiss: :kiss: Becky

[Katrina]

Thanks for the healing thoughts.....guess it didn't go away on its own but you figured out what worked for you....hope you stay well.

[heiwalove]

is allegra/zyrtec similar to atarax?

so glad you found something that works for you!

[blue]

I'm taking two Benadryl at night. That's what the doctor told me to take. It certainly, along with my other meds, allows me to sleep. I'm not sure if it's helping with the IC or not. I don't want to quit taking it to find out!

I wonder if he would give me a prescription antihistimine. It would be cheaper than buying Benadryl over the counter.

[crystilclear]

That's so great that you found something that works for you! If it keeps working than stick with it. I am trying to get someone to perscribe me atarax or something. I am allergic to decongestants of some sort. I don't know what makes me have the reaction so I don't know what to take. I have bad reactions to Allegra d and Claritin D and a lot of other meds. I've heard other people talk about chemical senstivities. Is that really common with IC? I have an anafletic reaction to Aleeve. Anyways I have aweful allergies and am looking for something other than my nasal spray that will help. I had a severe allergic reaction to Flonaze but not Rhino-something... Anyways just looking for a suggestion maybe? I hope you will continue to feel better. Thanks - Chris :)

[BeckyS]

Hello everyone. I went for my regular yearly exam this monday. It felt wierd going to the doctor for a rountine exam. She was so impressed on my recovery she is going to try other patients of hers on zytrec. So that made me happy. I hope others can find relief also. I think is makes the suffereing easier to look back on. But i think my ic is completely gone because when she did my exam and pushed on my bladder it didn't hurt me at all. So i am just so thankful I found a cure for myself.
To answer some of the questions in other posts. First the med atarax. That med is classified as a antihistamine and a sedative. It is used for tx of anxiety, preop sedation, nasuea, and anti itching..its also supposed to enhance the effectiveness of other pain meds. A side effect listed is urinary retention. It is not like zyrtec. The other thing for the person sentive to meds. Try them without the "D" at the end. That means decongestant and some people can't handle that. Also my ear nose and throat doctor said that decongestants are bad for people with allergy symtoms because it addresses the sypmtoms and not the problems and that is hard on your sinuses. Benadryl is alot like zyrtec, expect is has different active ingredients. And the zyrtec is excteted by the kidneys and the benadryl by the liver. The zyrtec also makes you sleepy and I took it at night. OH yeah the difference between zyrtec and allegra is that allerga has some endo and GI side effects. It also has more of a drying effect on the sinuses. As you can see, i have done my homework. It must be the nurse in me. So anyways..that is what i know.....Good luck to you all....wishing you all your cure. :thumbsup: Becky:hi:

[mom_in_ma]

Becky,
So glad to hear that you're in remission from the zyrtec! I'm doing well on Allegra, too.

I get the occational twinge, but I'm pretty much I'm in remission (Knocking on all the wood around me and throwing salt over my shoulder as I write this!!!!). I can eat just about anything, but I'm not going overboard. My bladder is still healing and I'm going to be very nice to it. In fact, I still take prelief "just in case."

Take care and keep us posted.

[mayray518]

I remember when I had my first pain free month, I felt like celebrating. I had forgotten what it was like to feel normal again. to go out and live my life as it had been. Good luck to you. Hopefully, all ICers out there find something to help!!

[heiwalove]

mayray, what has helped you??

[blue]

My doctor prescribed Atarax, I bought the generic, and it only costs $10.00 if I purchase the generic! Hopefully it helps! I don't know if it's just mental or if it's helping. I've only had one dose but, I've been able to hold it and only go once an hour!

[BeckyS]

Hi everyone, Its kinda funny...i started having frequency again. But no pain...no pressure. And i figured out what was wrong. I am going to have a baby. I didn't think i was going to be able to have any more children because of all of the complications i had with my last daughter. So my husband and i are pretty excited. I have been feeling pretty good. Not too sick yet. But i thought i would share my news! Have a good week :kiss: :kiss: Becky

[SharonA]

Becky...:thumbsup: Congrats on the baby. What great news. :kissing:

[BeckyS]

:( I had one of the worst days of my life last week. I was supposed to be 8 weeks pregnant and i went to have an ultrasound and there was a baby with no heartbeat. My heart sank. I didn't think anything could be worse than the pain from ic, but this definately was. This weekend has been the worst. Waiting to miscarry has been heartwrenching. I go for a d and c in the morning. This baby meant alot to me. A wonderful blessing after such a hard year. I feel blest to have no ic anymore, but this is so hard. Just wanted to let my ic friends know. Sending you all hugs. Becky

[donutgirl]

Oh Becky I am soooooo sorry for you. I wish I was there to give you a tender hug. How awful for you. I will say an extra prayer for you and your hubby tonight.

:kissing:
DIANE

[dyno]

:grouphug: Becky, I am sorry for your loss. Saying prayers for all of you.

[lalarainbow]

Becky,
I am so sorry.. I had a misscariage at 12 weeks.. That was over 25 years ago but I still think of it sometimes...It is so hard to go through.. I can understand how you feel.. Take care!
Love Pam

[steph4308]

Becky, I'm so sorry. I've been there too. I'll be praying for you.
Steph

[pele411]

it is the best feeling to hear when someone is doing better, but also heartbreaking to hear when something so terrible happens. lots of love and prayers during this awful loss :( :(

:kiss:
love
Jessica

[jaime15]

(((Becky)))
I'm so sorry too...... :grouphug: :grouphug:

[mom_in_ma]

Becky,
I'm so sorry for your loss.

[mayray518]

Don't want to rain on anyone's parade but I don't think there are many cases where "IC goes away by itself." You can find a med to control it but you can't depend on it going away. It may happen but that could take years. What is important is finding something to control the pain to get your life back to normal.

[BeckyS]

mayray, i am sorry that your ic has left you with no hope for a cure. The reason i continue to post on this forum is that i am so grateful to my ic friends for helping me get through the months of pain i suffered with ic. The fear i had of having to lose or give up on a job that i love. The guilt of having horrible flare days and hardly be able to take care of my children. The frustration i had with my physican who treated my ic as something i was just going to have to live with. I got a lot of strenght though everyone on this forum not to give up on hope. My ic is cured and gone. I take no meds. I have no pain and no frequency. I feel ic does have a cure and its different for all. Everyone needs hope and a postive attitude to help them feel in control of thier medical care. Hope, prayer, and a positive attitude can do wonders all of thier own. Sharing my story and my "cure" is my way to give back becuase if it helps just one person..........that is what matters to me.
Hope and prayer have helped me through my devasating week. Thank you for all your replies. I really appreciate it. :grouphug: :grouphug: Becky

[donutgirl]

Becky,

Did your doctor tell you that you were cured? I'm just confused because my doctor who is on the board of the interstitial cystitis association told me what I've read everywhere else, that there is no cure rather that the disease can go into a type of remission. Not coming down on you by any means...still in the investigation & gathering information phase myself.

Thanks!

[BeckyS]

Yes, He actually did. I have no more symptoms and seemed to have found the problem and my bladder is all healed up and their is no reason for the lining to breakdown again.. I do know others that have ic no more. And I am not really in the mood to debate the fact. All what i am trying to do is help others and give them hope. I can't do this anymore. My week has been horrible. I am sad and upset, my soul needs time to heal. This will be my last post. I just don't belong here anymore. Thank-you to all of you that have given me support. It has really been appreicated. Good-by all...Becky

[donutgirl]

Thanks Becky...I hope you read this and continue to post...as I said I was not coming down on you in any way...seeking encouragement for myself and this horrible pain I'm in on a daily basis is my only goal in coming to these boards. I just wanted to ask the question because I want to believe that one day I too will be healed.

I know you've had a horrible week. Please know that I care and wish you and your family only the best. May God bless you.

[jaime15]

Becky,
You should continue to post. It's a support board. We want and need to hear everyone's story. Good or bad. Look how many people have viewed this thread. Even if what you've done medically doesn't help the next person, you most likely have given hope to many, that they can feel better.
I pray you get through this difficult time in your life. When you are up to it, come back to us with a renewed energy to spread your great positive story of life getting better in spite of IC.
You do belong here, just like the rest of us.
Take care, my friend. :angel: :grouphug:

[blue]

Becky, I'm praying for you to heal, and find some comfort to ease the pain of your loss.

Please keep posting, the success stories keep us going!

[Dianne]

I had always heard that people who have had IC for less than 5 yrs. can/do go into remission but after 5 yrs. you're probably stuck. I have several friends who are in remission or who have to do very little, like just eliminate pop or something. In my dreams! But I hope you're one of the lucky ones.

[Plush]

I'm totally and completed thrilled for you-YIPPPPPEEEEE!!!
Hugs,
Plush

[atkinsonfmaily]

Becky, I just wanted to say that I understand how you feel and that I am very sorry for your loss. I really don't think a person can understand how traumatic having a miscarriage is unless they too have experienced one. I miscarried my second child at ten weeks, after a heartbeat was detected at eight weeks. It was absolutely devastating! I wish I could say the pain goes away, but 4 years later I still feel the loss very deeply. I know there will never be an understanding as to why this happened, it just isn't fair, but please don't blame yourself. Know that there was nothing you could have done to change the outcome. I remember the intense feelings of guilt that followed. And even now, to be honest, I still feel some small sense of guilt. I can't explain why. There is no one reason. It is just this heavy heart and tear filled eyes... and the longing to have had just one little baby kiss. The love grows from the moment you know the baby is there and you just can't help it. All the dreams and the plans for the future. They don't just go away. You lost something real. Mourn that loss. Grieve for what should have been. And cry when you need to.

May the Lord Bless you and Keep You,
Heather

[MakinIT]

Hey Becki: I know this is a little late, I haven't been keeping up with the boards lately because I have been in my "every 3 month funk" where I just don't want to deal with anything. Then I go back because I really need to read/listen/hear what's going on in people's lives. 1) I am so happy that you symptom free right now and it look like IC free. YAY! That is awesome. 2) I am incredibly bummed about your pregnancy. I, like you, had just found out I was pregnant about 9 years ago. Right after, I started bleeding and I miscarried in the bathroom at the school I taught at. Of course, the school nurse called 9-1-1. When I got to the hospital, my cervix was open so they confirmed I miscarried so they took me up to ultrasound to "make sure everything was out" well, lo and behold, I had another baby in there stuck to the back wall. I guess that sometimes happens. Lucky me though, I got to spend the rest of my pregnancy (3 months) in bed because the cervix wouldn't close. (Then I got eclampsia but that's another fun and exciting story)

Anyway, I feel for you, I was also about 8 weeks and always wonder what that child could've been. (Anything like it's twin, I'd be a raving lunatic..LOL) Please let us know how you are doing!

[Plush]

OMG Becky, my congrats post was re: your remission and I just plugged into the board again to find out about your loss. Somehow my post got mixed in at the wrong time. I'm so sorry sweetheart!!!! My heart goes out to you.
Hugs,hugs, hugs,
Plush

[louise]

Becky,

First my condolences on the loss of your baby. What a sad experience to have to go through; you sound like you are a very strong person and will come through this an even stronger person.

Can I ask you about the Zyrtec please. I am one of many on this board that has found nothing to relieve my IC and pelvic pain. So when I hear of someone doing as well as you are of course I am very interested and pleased.
Do you remember how long you took the drug before you noticed this wonderful relief in pain? Also, is there only one strength of the medication and how often do you take it each day? Were there any side effects with the drug? I am assuming this is a prescription drug - is that correct? Is Allegra similar to Zyrtec but does not need a prescription?

Thanks for your help. My pain doctor gave me a small script to try Xanax for the PFD and to see if it would help with the bladder and pelvic pain. I took ONE pill and it made me terribly depressed BUT the worst was the urethral and bladder pain. I can only remember one other time having this much pain in my bladder and that was when I took again ONE Elmiron.

I am waiting to hear back from the pain doctor to discuss my bad reaction to Xanax and to see what else he has in his bag of pain tricks for me!! I will mention to him about Zyrtec and see if he will let me do a trial of it.

Any other info you can share about it would be great. So you are off the drug altogether, is that right? I am so pleased for you that you have found something that has given you this miraculous cure. I just hope I am able to find something that will help me with the severe bladder and pelvic pain.

Louise

[Just Mary]

Yea! Congrats!

[tillysav]

Becky,

First: So sorry to hear of your sad news. I'm saying a prayer for you and sending a hug. I've had a mis-carriage and I lost my oldest daughter in a car accident. Yes, there is pain in this world much worse than IC.

Second: My URO, Dr. Forrest is an IC Specialist, on the board of the The Interstitial Cystitis Association, etc. When I was first diagnosed (in a lot of pain) and asking many questions, Dr. Forrest told me there was no cure for IC and I began treatment with different meds. But, Dr. Forrest also said "I have seen IC go away -- on it's own -- with no explaination, it is rare but it can happen!" I have held onto those words and my faith. They continue to give me hope. The only meds I take now are Atarax and vitamins and I feel great 95% of the time.

Praying you will continue to feel better. :thumbsup: Have faith and hope always.

[Iris]

Becky, I am so sorry to read about your loss, I also suffered a miscarriage of my middle child, and had to have a D and C, and know how hard it can be. Please know my thoughts are with you at this time, hugs and love Iris. :grouphug: :kissing: :flower:

[Ronald]

I am glad to hear you are now getting some rest, the reason I am posting is I am still with IC and am now going on for my 13th year and I can honestly say I've never been in remisson, I don't know how you do it but I would love to know.

Good Luck :bonk:
Ronald

[Prozan]

Could you tell me about the Bladder Q and how it has worked for you?

Thanks

[Prozan]

Could you tell me which Vitamins your taking for IC? Thanks

[ICLori]

Becky, I'm so sorry for your loss. I hope that time will help heal the hurt.

I'm glad though that you are much better with the IC or even cured.

It's interesting that the Allergra/Zyrtec was helping you, I have just started taking Singulair and am much, much better on it. But these are meds the docs don't usually think to prescribe - they think that Atarax or Benadryl ought to work the same - but I'm here to say, they don't. They didn't work for me - but Singulair does.

Blessings, Lori