Why is this?

[lttlewun]

Not sure if anyone can answer this or not, but why is it that some people have pain with IC and others do not? If we all have damaged bladder linings then why wouldn't all of us experience pain? If we all share the same defective bladder lining then why don't we all share the same symptoms? How do they determine if ones IC is mild, moderate or severe?

[123456]

I don't know. All I can tell you is that I pray that the meds work for me (and you). The whole waiting thing is horrible. My pain is the urge/pressure leading to frequency. That's what mostly hurts for me.

[Briza]

I don't know.
I was diagnosed with "mild IC" after my hydro yet hunners ulcers were found and burned off and let me tell you my symptoms were by no means mild. Pain pain pain all kinds of pain and burning frequency urgency etc etc to the extreme so my thinking is that what a bladder looks like and what the symptoms are doesn't necessarily equate in a drs mind as to how bad the IC is. For me I have always judged how bad my IC is based on my symptoms. I don't think there is anything out there that says if you have these symptoms and your bladder looks like this then you are mild, mod, or severe IC. It is just whatever the dr decides to call it. In my mind my IC is as severe (or as mild) as my symptoms and how much they interfere with my life at any given stretch of time.

[Julie B]

One thing to remember is that IC is more of a syndrome than a disease. People seem to have different trigger foods, different treatments work for different people, and they also have different symptoms.

I don't think there is an easy answer. :-(