Hello everyone. I'm writing because I recently went for my first appointment to the Urologist at Kaiser. I asked to do the potassium sensitivity test, but she told me they don't do that there because potassium can be harsh even on normal bladders. They are bringing me back in a month for a cystoscopy so she can check for bleeding or ulcers. If there are none, then how am I supposed to know if IC is the correct diagnosis?

Also, I got the book Heal Pelvic Pain by Amy Stein. She suggests that many people with IC and IBS have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. I believe I do because there seems to be a lot of muscular pain and fatigue in my pelvic area. I have been doing the exercises, trying to remember throughout the day to relax those muscles, and I am also taking two hot baths per day to relax the muscles and I think I have made a small amount of progress, as I have been needing to urinate about 30 times a day for the past month. I actually held on for two hours yesterday, which was a record.

For anybody who has the book Heal Pelvic Pain, can you please help me. On page 36 she discusses Step 3 - Thigh Press. I'm wondering, do you press out with your thighs, or slightly out and toward the body? I don't feel like this does much. Also, the last stretch, the butt stretch. That doesn't feel like it's stretching anything for me, so I'm wondering if I should continue doing that, or figure out another method of stretching those muscles.

Thanks!!!