my appointment with Dr. Fenster

[alana rose]

Well, I had my appointment with Dr. Fenster last week. He was very nice, kind, and very patient. I didn't know that I was going to have a cystoscopy done in the office. I was extremely nervous as I nearly passed out many years ago (it was very uncomfortable and hurt). Dr. Fenster guaranteed me that it wouldn't hurt anymore than pain that I feel day to day. I thanked him for being so patient with me and he replied "It's my job." He didn't tell me any info that I didn't already know, but mentioned that bladder removal is an option for me. He wants to do a hydrodistention at VGH and perhaps do some cauterization and then go from there. He said that he would do something to help me. So, I probably will have an appointment in November sometime. I had written down all the info and questions that I wanted to ask-he went through everything and asked to keep the list for my file. So, overall I was very impressed. Oh, and by the way, the cystoscopy didn't hurt one bit. He was done before I knew it.
alana

[IBNPAIN]

I'm glad you liked and felt comfortable with your doctor. I hope it doesn't come down to having to remove your bladder, though. That seem so extreme. I know sometimes I feel like removing my own bladder myself and flinging it out the window, but I must refrain. It is the only bladder I have and I have treated it quite badly with many years of abuse by pizza and beer.

I hope your doctor continues to impress you. Mine doctor has seen me all of twice, his nurse doesn all my instillations and I haven't even talked to him since my iniatial diagnosis. I did ask his nurse to ask him for some pain killers after a particularly bad instillation and he wouldn't hear of it. He said take Tylenol and a warm bath.

AHHHHHH!!!! I get so sick of people ignoring my pain.

If you like this doctor and he helping you then you may be one of the truly blessed ones on the IC Network. I hope so.

Good luck and God Bless.
Carol

[Dianna M.]

Hi Carol,
When your doctor refused to prescribe pain meds for you, did you have another doctor to go to? Is pain something that you ave daily or only after a procedure? I have an excellent family doctor who prescribes fentanyl, morphine and B&O suppositories. So there are many of them out there. I think your doctor is cruel. Is there not someone else that you can see?

I know how bad my pain can be and I always have the patch on. My life would stop without pain medication. I am sending you lots of good healing thoughts. Hopefully you are able to see someone else who isn't such a sadist.
Take Care
Dianna
Your email was full so I posted to you here

[ICLori]

Hi, Carol, just wanted to say, you didn't do this to your bladder...lots of people drink beer and eat pizza and never get IC. We just had an unlucky roll of the dice, that's all.

I wish your doctor were better about giving you pain meds, it's obvious that you need them. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that maybe the docs in the DC area can help you? It's a drive, it's probably expensive, but maybe worth it? No one should be left in pain, we wouldn't let our family pets be left in such pain.

Blessings, Lori

[ICLori]

Alana, I'm so glad it didn't hurt this time and that the doctor was nice to you.

Bladder removal is usually the last option, after every other option has been explored. I'm assuming you've already been down the medication/treatments route and nothing has worked?

I talked with my uro about bladder removal, and he was very much against it, said he'd rather see me on pain meds around the clock instead of that, because often it doesn't stop the pain, especially if pain has been around longer than 90 days it's become chronic and imbedded, and also there are so many risks, risks of dying, risks of adhesions and more pain, etc. But I have read success stories here, so there are people who get their lives back by doing this.

Blessings, Lori