Every September, IC/BPS patients and organizations around the world gather together to promote interstitial cystitis, bladder pain syndrome and chronic pelvic pain. This year, our campaign is bold and blunt, telling the story of patients who are refused pain treatment with, in some cases, tragic results. Despite decades of research showing that this medical [...]
Dr. Christopher Payne (Vista Urology, San Jose CA) offers his course on IC/BPS from the 2017 American Urological Association. This fabulous lecture was used to educate hundreds of urologists interested in IC/BPS. Dr. Payne covers the history of IC and explains why current diagnostic and treatment strategies may be incorrect and out of touch. [...]
Bridge For Pelvic Pain Conference In September 2017 The Bridge For Pelvic Pain is welcoming chronic pelvic pain patients and providers to their annual conference. Learn about chronic pelvic, sexual and genital pain, and integrative treatments from presentations by doctors, physical therapists, counselors, wellness experts and patient advocates. When: Saturday Sept 30, 2017 – [...]
Last Spring, I announced that I was having an emergency surgery for possible uterine cancer. It was May 23, 2017 and I was terrified. Absolutely, completely and totally terrified that they would find active tumors and, worse (yes, worse) that the surgery would exacerbate my IC and pelvic pain. Let me start by saying [...]
The sudden and swift passage of TrumpCare yesterday as created turmoil in patient groups around the USA. By leaving in an option in the bill that would allow states to apply for a waiver to raise the price of premiums for patients struggling with pre-existing conditions, disabled and elderly patients are deeply concerned that [...]
We are very pleased to announce that Sarah Conley PT, DPT & WCS (Conway Regional Health System) has been awarded the 2016 Physical Therapist of the Year. Votes were collected throughout Fall 2016 as part of the international IC Awareness Month campaign. We asked patients to nominate both physical therapists and doctors who treated them with compassion, [...]
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Robert Evans (Wake Forest Baptist Health) has, for a second year in a row, been voted the 2016 IC Doctor of the Year during our annual IC Awareness Month campaign. Hundreds of patients nominated and voted for doctors who they believe had treated them with kindness, respect and with excellent knowledge [...]
Perhaps the most important question that physicians and patients have asked is “how and why does the bladder wall break down in some patients with IC?” It’s the root question that we all want the answer to. Let’s consider eight possible causes of bladder injury. 1 - Chemical Exposure The first and most logical assumption [...]
We are happy to announce the release of the IC Optimist Winter 2017 edition. The IC Optimist is the quarterly magazine of the IC Network. Your subscription and/or purchase helps to underwrite our IC Support Services, advocacy efforts, Patient Support Line and IC Awareness Month! We thank you for your support! Our work could not [...]
Chemo Induced Cystitis Can Be Devastating For IC Patients - Joy*, a 73 year old woman, contacted our office in a dire situation. She had been diagnosed with IC last June. Just three months later, she received a second diagnosis of breast cancer (Stage 2B). After a mastectomy she began chemotherapy treatment. Of course, she [...]
