Bike Riding

[IWin]

I love to ride my bike, sometimes for hours at a time. I drink 10 - 15 oz. for every hour I ride. I have noticed that I often can ride 2 or 3 hours before having to pee. I don't have an intense need to go like I usually do. And the volume isn't too great. I'm not complaining!

But after I ride, the frequency and urgency start up and lasts for hours.

When I am on my bike I rarely notice my bladder. But I'd love to figure out how to have the same "success" after getting home. Any cyclists out there with ideas?

[Melanie]

I had to give up my bike because of pelvic floor pain. But I do have a bit of advice (if you don't already have do this)...

Invest in the most comfortable padded seat you can find. And buy the most padded bike shorts you can find. When I could ride, both those things helped to cushion the urethra and pelvic floor.

[kadi]

I think on the ICA website at one point they featured a special bike seat. If you can't find the article type it into the "search" feature or ask it in the questions section...

www.ichelp.com

[Lyn40]

I'm sorry I don't have an answer to your question about getting success after you get home. I just wanted to say that I notice I don't have the urge to go as much when riding a bike either. This may sound strange, but I was thinking that when I sit on the bike seat, it gives just enough pressure to keep me from having to go. It has to be the right conditions with my IC, to get on the bike in the first place, but there are days when that bike ride makes me feel better. The same goes for walking.........walking makes me feel good, but as soon as I stop, that frequency comes back. I would love some answers to this one! :hmm:

Lyn

[lindy lou]

Not exactly a bike seat, but I found that I made it about 3 hours on a raft trip this summer. Part of it was shear determination. Sitting on the edge of the inflated raft was not uncomfortable and I sure had to go when we reached the shore. In retrospect, it was probably dumb to even try. I had not been dx yet and only thought it was irritable bladder. We had already scheduled (and paid for) this trip to Alaska and I had been able to manage quite well for the rest of the vacation. May have contributed to the pain I'm in now. We live and learn. My daughter does triathalons and has a gel seat. The more cushion you can find the more comfortable you will be. Hope you can find that ideal bike seat and make it work since you enjoy it so much. Linda

[IWin]

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions. I do have a padded seat and shorts.

Lynn, I was wondering if it my be a pelvic floor thing. Maybe the position I am sitting in takes the pressure off. Or maybe the seat holds the urine in, like a little kid holding her hand there. But I don't get that intense need to pee or that really full bladder feeling until I get off my bike. Weird.

I meant to ask my uro about this last week and of course I forgot.

I'd love to get the same relief after I'm done riding.

[amaris]

Yesterday's a perfect example of how an hour on the mountain bike makes me forget about IC. I'd been feeling some urgency earlier in the day and felt so much better afterward. The "normal" feeling eventually went away. It may be that the endorphines making us feel so good.

I try to be careful so my exercise doesn't aggrevate my IC, so I don't usually ride more than an hour or hour and a half. Also, I usually try to give myself a recovery day between rides. I only ride 2 maybe 3 times a week in all. I'm also diligent about getting out of wet shorts into something dry post-rides since I must commute about 30 min home from the trails.

The thing that has made the biggest difference, comfort wise, is riding with padded shorts and a saddle that has the center cut out (uro suggested this type of saddle because it doesn't put pressure on your bladder/nerve, but rather your tush). I've got a relatively inexpensive brand. It's a Serfa, I think.

Enjoy the riding.

Amaris

[IWin]

Wow, Amaris, mountain biking! That must be fun. I'm strictly a road person.

Hmmm, endorphins, that's interesting. Maybe like a "natural drug". Maybe someone will do a study on it. Wouldn't it be nice if they could package something we make in our bodies to control symptoms.....in my case the frequency and urgency.

Have fun on your bike.

[Lyn40]

I agree with Amaris, that our endorphines play a big role here. I have always loved exercising. Since IC, I exercise more moderately, but most days any form of exercise (biking, walking, swimming) will do more good for me overall. Even if I am in some pain afterward, I feel better mentally and my spirits are lifted. :dance:

[kadi]

Me too. I've been taking 3-4 yoga classes a week for the last 5 weeks and I can't tell you how much better I feel after each class! Now the hard part will be to keep it up when I go back to work next week;)