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View Full Version : I'm feeling great...


glowstrz
06-23-2004, 12:06 PM
Hi all...

I found this site and I want to tell my story since it has gone so well, but know how bad it can be.

In January of 2003 I got my first ever UTI @ the age of 23. Went to Planned Parenthood and was cured. A few weeks later I went back to Planned Parenthood with UTI symptoms but no pain. They gave me meds for the UTI and also a yeast infection which i didnt know I had. A few weeks later the UTI sypmtoms came back (with out pain) and I went back. Planned Parent hood said i did not have a UTI and tested me for STD's (all tests were negative). They took me into a room and told me "we dont know what you have". Well I just couldnt believe it. I cried while she told me to change my soap, shower more, shower quickly after exercising....all things which didnt help. They said to "ride it out". So I tried. But this constant urge to urinate was invading my life.

I was so stressed out by it, im sure I made it worse. Some time after that I was at work and it was AWFUL. I countn't think straight. Went to Emergency Care and they told me it was the remnants of the first UTI I had. SO they put me on more meds. Well needless to say a week later it all came back. At this point it was awful. I was at my WHITS end. I was miserable and depressed and stressed. I decided that it was time to see a real Dr. I had avoided it because I didnt have insurance at the time. But at that point i didnt care. I needed help and it didnt matter what it cost! I went to see a urologist. This was after 5 or 6 months after this all started. I told him what was going on and between July and September he tried differnt things ruling out other possible causes.

He did a cystocopy and told me that I probably had IC. I left the Dr. in tears. The thought of having this disease my whole life scared and angered me to no end. But witht he help of a good friend I relaxed and realized that I was hopefully on my way to recovery. In September we started the DMSO's, which are no fun, but after 3 of them...i had a little relief and that was enough for me to continue. I also started Elmiron around the same time.

With the combination of the DMSO's and the Elmiron, my dr was confident i would feel better. I had 12 or 13 Dmso's in total. I was supposed to keep getting them untill i felt 100% better. But the holidays were coming and I was to be out of town. He told me to schedual an appointment for when i came back (as i was to be away for over 2 weeks). But between my last appointment and when i returned the combo of the DMSO's and the Elmiron kicked in. Haven't been back to the Dr. since December. I just make sure to take my Elmiron when i am supposed to and stay as stress free as I can.

Everyday when I take my meds I think my lucky stars I feel better.

So there is hope to find relief. I hope you all can. This disease goes undiagnosed for so long, it is just awful. Only puts more stres onto the patient. Good LUCK!

ICNDonna
06-23-2004, 12:49 PM
It's always good to hear success stories. It gives all of us hope.

Thank you for sharing.

:kiss:
Donna

vm
06-23-2004, 01:39 PM
Thank you SO much for sharing that hope filled story. We tend to hear more of the stories of struggle and frustration ----- we need these positive ones, too. :)

Sarojini
06-23-2004, 02:16 PM
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your positive story!! :)

tillysav
06-24-2004, 05:42 AM
Happy for you!:woohoo:
Thank you for posting...love to hear success stories:grouphug:

SharonA
06-24-2004, 09:17 AM
Good news...how wonderful:thumbsup:Thank you for taking the time to post. :)

IBNPAIN
06-24-2004, 09:26 AM
Thank you so much for sharing your story. You have given me and I'm sure a lot of other women some hope. I just had my 11th DMSO treatment and have been on Elmiron for a little over two months. So far the treatments are nothing but irritating. I can tell a difference in the amount of time I go to the bathroom and also in the urgency and I do acutally have a few good days between treatments where I don't hurt AS bad. I am going to try to focus on what you have just told us and try hard to believe that it is going to happen to me, too. I keep praying and I guess that is really all I have to keep me sane anymore.

Stories like your's are a blessing to all of us. I only wish I could read more of them just like it.

Great for you. I am so happy for you.:thumbsup:

Iris
06-24-2004, 11:26 AM
Great news, and so glad you posted, it does give a shining ray of hope to others, going through a bad time. Really happy for you, hugs Iris.:thumbsup: :dance: :flower: