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/Jill's Journal

The blog of IC Network founder Jill H. Osborne, sharing her comments, thoughts, ideas and actions happening in the IC and pelvic pain movement.

Self-Help Tip – Turning Self Doubt Into Self Confidence

Though my IC (i.e. bladder pain) officially began when I was 32, I spent much of my 20's struggling with many of the conditions we now know are related to IC. I had vulvodynia in high school and college that felt like a painful yeast infection. Despite many trips to the doctor, they rarely found [...]

By |2018-08-10T21:47:59+00:00August 10th, 2018|Awareness, Front Page Feed, Jill's Journal, Self Care, Self-Help Tips for IC, Bladder & Pelvic Pain|Comments Off on Self-Help Tip – Turning Self Doubt Into Self Confidence
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When Bladder Treatments Don’t Work For IC/BPS: It’s Time For A New Approach

Clinging To Old Treatments For IC/BPS Could Hold You Back If you had been diagnosed with IC/BPS forty years ago, odds are you would have been prescribed antibiotics, given urethral dilations and/or referred to a psychiatrist under the mistaken assumption that IC was all in your heads. Twenty years ago, that same patient might have [...]

By |2017-11-22T23:58:26+00:00November 22nd, 2017|Flares, Front Page Feed, Jill's Journal, Pain Care, Pelvic Floor Dysfunction, Pelvic Pain, Women's Health|Comments Off on When Bladder Treatments Don’t Work For IC/BPS: It’s Time For A New Approach
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My Uterine Cancer Scare – Hormone Replacement Therapy Carries Risks

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 [...]

By |2017-09-18T15:26:49+00:00August 10th, 2017|Front Page Feed, Jill's Journal|Comments Off on My Uterine Cancer Scare – Hormone Replacement Therapy Carries Risks
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I was fine until I wasn’t – Jill’s Journal – Hysterectomy & Possible Uterine Cancer

ICN Education & Support Phone Line Will Be Closed While Jill Recovers From Surgery Next week I’ll be recovering from an urgent hysterectomy and waiting anxiously for my uterine biopsy results. This saga began last fall when I started spotting. Of course, I hadn’t had a period in about two years so contacted my doctor [...]

By |2017-08-10T16:05:09+00:00May 20th, 2017|Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal|24 Comments
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Does BIG PHARMA control the IC movement?

Does BIG PHARMA control the IC movement? The answer is NO. In fact, big pharma abandoned the IC movement almost a decade ago. The last big pharmaceutical company to dedicate money to IC was Ortho Urology, makers of Elmiron. They had walked away even before Elmiron went off of patent. The makers of the other oral medications (Atarax, [...]

By |2017-01-31T08:51:16+00:00January 19th, 2016|Front Page Feed, Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal|Comments Off on Does BIG PHARMA control the IC movement?
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Nail Polish Toxins Found In Urine Could Influence Bladder Health

If you love getting a manicure or pedicure, a recent announcement by the Environmental Working Group will make you rethink the brands you might be using. Polishes by Sally Hansen, Essie, OPI, Revlon, Wet N Wild, Spa Ritual, Orly, theBalm, Nuance, Maybelline and Beauty without Cruelty contain a chemical called triphenyl phosphate (TPHP), known for its endocrine-disrupting [...]

By |2017-01-18T12:02:36+00:00October 21st, 2015|Consumer Alerts, Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal, Toxic Exposures, Women's Health|Comments Off on Nail Polish Toxins Found In Urine Could Influence Bladder Health
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Atara Schimmel’s Stunning Angel Project Raises Awareness For Pelvic Pain

If a picture speaks a thousand words, then the art of Atara Schimmel speaks volumes about pelvic pain and pudendal neuralgia. She's just won the ADA poster contest sponsored by the city of Boston for her entry "We Will Be Heard," one of her Project Angel series which is dedicated to raising awareness for pelvic [...]

By |2017-01-31T10:10:42+00:00July 22nd, 2015|Awareness, Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal, Pelvic Pain, Self Care|Comments Off on Atara Schimmel’s Stunning Angel Project Raises Awareness For Pelvic Pain
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Does your IC make it difficult to work? You have rights under the ADA!

Twenty five years ago this month, the American's With Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed to stem the tide of layoffs and overt discrimination that occurred (and sadly still occurs) in workplaces across America. Earlier this month, I blogged about IC hero Bard Alan Finlan who spent years struggling with Verizon over his request for reasonable accommodation [...]

By |2017-01-18T12:02:49+00:00July 21st, 2015|Disability, Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal|Comments Off on Does your IC make it difficult to work? You have rights under the ADA!
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Why You Should Apply To Join The ICA Board of Directors

For the past couple of weeks, the Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA) has been soliciting applications for their Board of Directors. They announced, today, that they are extending the deadline through Sunday, July 20th. (See announcement here!) I want to encourage anyone who has passion for the IC movement to apply. They have a simple application process [...]

By |2017-01-31T10:11:49+00:00July 17th, 2015|Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal|Comments Off on Why You Should Apply To Join The ICA Board of Directors
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Why You Shouldn’t Load Up on NSAID’s for IC, Bladder or Pelvic Pain

When you struggle with IC and/or chronic pain and don't have access to traditional pain relievers, using an OTC pain relief pill may feel like your only option. Right? I, like most patients, turned to Advil and Tylenol to help reduce my bladder pain when I was first diagnosed. Seriously, IC can hurt terribly and if it's the [...]

By |2017-01-31T10:12:34+00:00July 14th, 2015|Consumer Alerts, Interstitial Cystitis Network Blog, Jill's Journal, Pain Care, Pelvic Pain|Comments Off on Why You Shouldn’t Load Up on NSAID’s for IC, Bladder or Pelvic Pain
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