I know a lot of people just get better, don't look back, and move on in life. That sure would be nice! I started treatment about 2 months with Matia now. Let me start by saying that I love Matia and her comfort. I have put my all my faith, my hope and my life in her hands. My symptoms are extreme bladder soarness, heavy bowling ball feeling when standing, achey back. It started just out of the blue one morning when I woke up feeling a bit like a bladder infection, but different. Luckily, I had a knowledgable gyno who put me in with his uro friend and I was diagnosed within 2 weeks by one of those cytoscope things. He said he was surprised how bad it was in such a short time. Anyway, I guess I thought that after I started treatment with Matia that within a month or so I would feel some big change. I just want to hear from others that maybe they didn't feel a big change in symptoms for while. It's hard not to get scared when your not one of the lucky ones that feels better as soon as you start the diet, or have done treatment for a couple months but don't have any change in symptoms. I have had a couple good days, less noticable pain, but then I go right back to misery and I don't understand why the next day doesn't offer some relief again, or the next or the next. I understand we are all different - our conditions are all different. I would just like to hear other people's strugglethat maybe they didn't feel a change for awhile. To keep my head up and that it REALLY DOES GET BETTER when you hang in there! My energy is good, my spirit wants to move on, especially with spring coming, but my bladder won't budge in being a constant reminder of it's condition. Is this normal what is happening to me, my lack of improvement or break in ouchiness??? I'm just wanting a sign that this is going to work from my body!
Thank you.
Fear
The terrible discomfort of IC makes the waiting so difficult. I've had treatment with Matia for 10 months now. Sometimes I feel that IC is going, or gone completely, only to find symptoms return a few days later, for no apparent reason. This seems to be a common pattern for many patients. The alternative to Matias program is not an option I would consider (the urologists approach). On bad days, I also wonder if my body is the exception to the rule and won't respond to the treatment. But I realise that I'm not that special - and I will over come this, as others have. I also appreciate all the other diseases I'm preventing in following Matias program - besides IC. I find it helps not to have too many expectations - and then I'm often pleasantly surprised. Hang in there, and don't let fear get in the way of your recovery.
Stick to the diet
My symptoms were not as severe, but I had IC for a long time. I've been on the diet for over a year, and as long as I stick to the diet I'm fine. It's very difficult at first because it feels like the diet is so restrictive. I just ate at home and made my own meals whenever I would be out so that there was no reason to cheat. Whenever you have any problems, call Matia- She may need to change the supplements.
hang in there it will come
I've been a patient of Matia's for a little over a year. I struggled with the program a lot in the beginning. I would say it took about 7 or 8 months for me to notice some improvement. And I didn't get any major improvement - it was mostly small, incremental progress. Occassionaly I will get a flare that reminds me how far I've come -- I'll lay down in bed in agony and think --- wow, I can't believe I used to feel like this all day log. It's a really big motivator for me when I all I want to do is gorge myself on Korean food and wash it down with lots of alcohol. But I still have a long way to go. I have a tendency to read the IC success stories obsessively and compare my progress to other people, and then I end up feeling really bad that I haven't come as far as some of the others who were basically cruising at this point. It was really helpful for me to stop reading those stories all together and just focus on myself.
Thank you for your reply. I
Thank you for your reply. I really do appreciate and like hearing from others and how far they have come and what they have been through to get there. I had a couple better days and now this week has been back in the pits. I wonder if anyone else, or if they remember back, had a mentholy or acidy smell to their urine when they were in a flare. I know that sounds discusting, but I notice that everytime I'm in a lot of pain, my urine takes on an odor. Maybe that's inflammation - not sure, but sure would like to know it is common. ??? I'm still having a hard time getting my bowels to work right - that is so frustrating with all these vegies, it should be easy! I would love to hear more stories from people, they really are what keeps those of us getting started and scared going. Poor Matia has to reassure with every phone call, her shoulders take on a heavy load.
Thanks to all for their time.
Ditto