Difference between overactive bladder and PFD and IC?

[babybuns]

Hi,
I've been at this PFD/IC/IBS thing for about 5 months now. This board has been a life saver for me like the rest of you.

It has occured to me after watching YET one more commercial about medications for "overactive bladder" as to what the difference is between that and what the rest of us have????? How does someone make sure they get diagonosed correctly in the first place and aren't just dismissed as having an "overactive bladder"?

Just curious.

[nottoc4]

I was diagnosed with OA and tried 4 medications for it and none of them worked. The Urologist blamed my age(I'm 67 now) and lack of hormones for the OA and UTI's I was getting . He would not refer me to a GYN and I was in a Health care situation where you have to have a referral to go to a different Dr. When I turned 65 and on Medicare,I could go to any Dr. I wanted to and went to a UroGYn.After a few tests and through pelvic he diagnosed me with IC. I could have been diagnosed sooner if I had a competent Urologist...but I didn't. If you get a diagnoses of OA and the medicines don't work,be proactive with your Dr. or get a second opinion.

[darlene]

I had to change doctors to get a correct diagnosis. The urodynamics test was used by my first uro who said I had OB. None of the drugs I received helped at all. I changed doctors and was quickly diagnosed with IC after a hydro.

[Bojana]

My urologists and docs also said I had OB when my issues started 2 years ago, I tried different meds in the end vesicare did help a bit with frequency. I do not think I have "only OB", I am pretty sure I have IC. I read in a book that there is really no such thing as over active bladder but that this is only one of signs of IC, thats why all these drugs for OB aren´t really that successful.