Summertime is the ultimate season for vacations for most families. In theory, the idea of vacation is awesome. But for IC patients, vacations can cause stress. And stress can cause flares. Flares are the last thing anyone wants to deal with on vacation. Honestly, we don't even want to deal with IC on vacation, [...]
As winter becomes more and more of a memory, those of us in places like the Midwest are embracing the promise of sunshine and warmer days. Spring has officially sprung. And while some foods are year-round standbys, other things just don't fit as well with spring weather. We're not craving pumpkin recipes or recipes [...]
While we learn lots of ways to take care of our personal hygiene, we don't often talk about hygiene in our "personal area." Discussing our female parts can be awkward. Add in that they come with different secretions and smells, and we feel like maybe we need to do some cleaning. The trick can [...]
If talking about bladder issues can be difficult for some IC patients, then talking about sex and IC is surely even more difficult. While sex is often a taboo topic, finding ways to manage intimacy and IC can be difficult for patients dealing with pelvic pain. When even the pressure of a loose elastic [...]
Figuring out the cause of pelvic pain can be challenging. With muscles, organs, and nerves so close together, finding the root cause can be difficult and takes some investigative work. One condition that should be considered is pelvic organ prolapse, a condition commonly found in women who have had children and/or who are going [...]
We don't often talk about changes in body image and weight as a component of IC. However, the two seem to go as hand-in-hand with the disease and have quite an impact on IC patients. Patients struggle enough to live a normal life going about daily business while managing pain and frequent bathroom trips. [...]
Don't Let IC/BPS Stand in the Way Of Socializing It’s a New Year, with new social events that we can look forward to and hopefully enjoy. From Easter to Mother’s Day, the Fourth of July to a special birthday, you can celebrate without irritating your bladder and/or pelvic pain. Remember, not every IC’er is [...]
While asking for help sounds like it shouldn't be that difficult, the reality is most of us struggle to do so. Our feelings get in the way. We have pride and don't want to admit we need assistance. We have stubbornness that insists we can continue doing things like we always have. However, living [...]
With the holiday season officially in full gear, it's time to think about gift buying. Coming up with holiday gift ideas for IC patients isn't quite as difficult as it might seem. Of course we are all different, but there are some things we'd all be pretty happy to have. This list of 20+ [...]
Family relationships can be marvelous or stressful -- or both! And no other time of the year is family stress more evident than during the holidays. Guess what can cause IC flares? Stress. Then that flare leads to more stress as you try to navigate family gatherings while not feeling well. The cycle goes [...]
