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Hello. This is my first time on this forum as I was recently diagnosed with IC. This whole process began over 6 years ago when I thought I was getting UTI's monthly. I was away at college and was being treated with cipro at the clinic on campus. After years of "treatment", after I graduated college and came home, I asked my primary doctor to send me to a urologist. There is when I had my cystoscopy/bladder distention. My diagnosis was IC, and a very narrow urethra. The urologist said he would suggest I start coming in every 3 months for a urethral dilation. I did this every 3 months for a year and half and was symptom free. I felt great and thought that the treatments were working. This past August, my symptoms came back hard. I thought maybe this time I did have a UTI (which the other times, i don't believe I ever did). I went to my doctor and she did a urine test and culture. My urine came back clean so I did a breakthrough visit with the urologist in September for another dilation. After a month of my symptoms just getting worse, I went back and entered his office in tears. After researching IC, I found that the bladder distention that he originally did sometimes brings relief for people for long periods of time, so I begged for another. He is an amazing doctor and very kind. He got me in to an off site surgery center the next day. I was so happy and thought my days of pain were going to be put aside for another year. I thought, hey if this is what gives me ease, I can do this annually. I had another cystoscopy/hydro distention/urethral dilation and my symptoms did not go away :( I called my urologist back after 3 weeks of surgery and they suggested DMSO. After researching this and finding this site, I have called to cancel the DMSO as I fear of it not working and being very painful. I feel like I havent tried to do everything in my own power to heal my bladder and I want DMSO to be a last resort. Do any of you have positive experiences with DMSO?
I feel my case is different than many that I have read so I feel alone and confused right now. I do not have any urgency/frequency problems per say. I do feel like I have to go, but I know the difference between that feeling and really needing to urinate. My problem is PAIN. Its so much pressure and burning. I have spent endless days with a heating pad or sitting in a hot bath. I come to work on vicodin and cant function properly. NOTHING takes the pain away, it just makes it a little better and tolerable. Can you have IC and not have frequency problems? My urologist says that I empty and hold well. I have a great bladder capacity too. Im so confused. I am 28 years old, I have a 6 yr old son, newly engaged and terrified that I am going to ruin my fiance's life as when we got together, I was in remission and we lived an active lifestlye. I am starting to get depressed and feel hopeless.
Yesterday we went grocery shopping and bought only items on the 2012 IC food list. This list seems different that the way Dr. Brizman looks at things though. This list allows one to have whole wheat bread etc. Do any of you know the proper approach to go about food with this. I want to give this 100% but want to make sure Im doing it correctly. I also bought calcium citrate with vit. D, magnesium, vit D, and probiotics (5 billion). I just want to heal my body. I have a very strong mind and willpower so any help will be appreciated. I want to learn everything I can and would love to see Dr. B, but I am all the way in Michigan.
Thanks!!!!
Krystal Smith
Hi Krystal - bluntly put,
Hi Krystal - bluntly put, get your butt on a plane to LA. I know that Michigan is a ways - but she has patients that come from all over the world. With all my heart I don't think that you'll ever regret it. As for your symptoms, everyone is extremely different. I do need to tell you that it took me four months of scouring everything on this site before I took the leap of faith. The first thing I did was to start the diet program - list one. ( You'll find it up above, under the Integrated Approach tab - then go to diet) For me I was fortunate that the pain was considerably reduced by this. Other than a horrible UTI two months ago, Dr. B got my pain under control rather quickly. The few times that it has flared, she's adjusted herbs for few days and swiftly got the pain under control. Please don't be discouraged by the amount of time that I've been a patient - my history and health are very complicated. The supplements that you've bought may or may not help you. Again, in truth, I used this site to find out some of the things that she had people on, and gave it a whirl on my own. I was lucky that it didn't make me worse. My body's reaction to some of the things, such as awful discharge from all orafices, sweating, bizaar colored bowel movements, made me realize that my body really had some horrible things to get rid of. It also made me realize that I didn't know enough about squat to do it on my own. I have NEVER regretted my plane ride from Washington State to California.
Best of luck -
I concur. Do not trust your
I concur. Do not trust your treatment to anyone else. This disease is too serious and no one else besides doctor B knows how to treat it. Read our posts from earliest to latest. See that our bladders got better. Best of luck and Godspeed.
I concur. Do not trust your
I concur. Do not trust your treatment to anyone else. This disease is too serious and no one else besides doctor B knows how to treat it. Read our posts from earliest to latest. See that our bladders got better. Best of luck and Godspeed.
Hi Krystal, I am currently on
Hi Krystal, I am currently on holidays but I decided to respond to you because I was in your shoes not to long ago. I was diagnosed in June and also had a cystoscopy with hydro distention. My urologist suggested I tried other treatment but deep inside it did not feel right for me. I found Dr. Brizman's and I made the call. Within 3 weeks I made the appointment and I flew out to LA from Montreal Canada. It was the best decision I ever made. I finally feel that someone gets it!! I agree with the ladies and suggest you fly out as well. It is important that if you follow any treatment that it is not on your own. Especially if you are taking vitamins and probiotics. When I first started the protocol they did not agree with my bladder. I was in contact with Dr. B by email everyday until she was a able to ajust the doses so that I was no longer in pain and my body could start healing. She also recommends the brands she wants you to use. Please be careful with what you are taking because it can make things worse for you. I have only been in treatment for 1 month and I'm already seeing some improvements.
Best of Luck!!
Krystal, be careful with vitamins. Some of them exacerbate vaginal itching if administered randomly, without a plan.
Btw, I don't have much frequency, but some pain. My symptoms are very similar to yours. The story is somewhat similar, too. I regret cystoscopy and DMSO. I've been in treatment for over a year and feel much better now.
Thank you all for the kind
Thank you all for the kind words and support. I woke up today in so much pain and feeling so alone. It is making me so miserable and I am taking it out on my fiance and son. I sit at work in a daze as most of the time I am taking vicodin to ease the pain (which now I dont think it even helps much). I am terrified and FRUSTRATED! I wish I could fly out to Dr. B today but I don't see this being able to happen in the near future. I am in the middle of purchasing a home right now, and am planning my wedding this November. I don't have the funds, plain and simple. My goal is to save as much as I can to make this trip soon. I will continue to read on this forum and vent vent vent as I know I can relate to many of you!
For the time being, do any of you have any home remedies for a flare up besides taking pain killers?
Thanks so much,
Krystal
I tried to clink on the link
I tried to clink on the link on this page to purchase the dissertation and it keeps kicking me to bohamed's website. Is there any easier way to order this?
Thanks,
Krystal
Krystal,
Krystal,
I had IC for 11 years before I saw Matia. I did everything the doctors told me to do and I was okay for those years. I followed the IC Diet like you are doing and took the meds they prescribed. I had cystoscopy with hydrodistention, dilation, and DMSO. I also took Elmiron and Hydroxizine every day.
Then all of a sudden, my symptoms got out of control. The IC Diet, the medicines, and the supplements you are taking will not get your body healthy. The diet might help you from feeling worse, but since sugar and yeast are allowed, will only make your body worse. The supplements might actually hurt your body in the long run because certain supplements exascerbate inflammation. And the medicines will only mask the pain while your body continues to deteriorate. If you try to self-treat with natural products, you will be wasting precious time and money. Many people who now see Dr. Brizman have tried self-treating, but it will only get you so far.
If you really want to get your body back to health again, please see Dr. Brizman. If the pain is so bad that you must take vicodin in order to function (I've had to do this as well in the past), please please make this a financial priority to get well. You will not regret it. And we will all be here to support you. Read the success stories on this site.
My cousin had IC for 2 and a half years and was on Vicodin daily like you before she saw Dr. Brizman. Within a year and a half, she was pain free and living her life normally. She is a very active person like you and she is still doing fantastic six years later.
Feel free to email me if you have specific questions. It is really tough to make a big decision like this when you are in pain, but IC is one of those conditions that will keep interrupting your life and your plans if you don't do something about it. Take it from someone who knows and wishes she would have seen Dr. Brizman a lot sooner. I'm getting better, but it's taking a while for me because of how long I waited to make this decision and get started.
By the way, I think you can buy the dissertation on amazon. I've read it and it's amazing! This treatment is amazing! It is quite a journey, but so worth it to get your life back!
Also, my cousin lives in Michigan on the west side. And I live in North Carolina. Don't let the cost of the plane ticket get in the way of doing this. I am pretty passionate about this treatment as you can see. But I would hate to see you suffer more than you already have.
Sincerely,
Lisa Ann
LIsa Ann- That is a wonderful
LIsa Ann- That is a wonderful post and so helpful.
Krystal- So sorry you have found yourself in this situation. Sending you strength and hope (((hugs)))
Krystal
Krystal
I don't have much more to add because others have posted so well.
Western doctors can't heal this condition because the very nature of the western medical model doesn't allow them to understand that this is a systemic condition that requires a holistic approach to heal. Just treating the bladder will NOT correct the imbalance that led to IC. There are a few doctors and health practitioners using a more holistic "Functional Medicine" approach to treat IC. But no one knows this condition as well as Dr. B. Even those who understand that the gut must heal for the bladder to heal, dont understand the delicately balanced approach required to treat this imbalance and not make it worse.
It is very possible that in a matter of weeks of beginning treatment, maybe a month or two, you will no longer need Vicodin to get through the day. I personally was off of all western medications within a month of starting treatment. If it were me, I would be re-scheduling my wedding and prioritizing my health with the knowledge that when you are on the true healing path, your wedding will be MUCH more enjoyable.
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Dissertation on amazon and
Dissertation on amazon and now kindle if you want instant gratification
Dissertation on amazon and
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Krystal- The other technical
Krystal- The other technical part of this is that I haven't really spent all that much money on this! Yes- it is a new expense and the trip to CA cost over a 1000 when all was said and done but if you have any extra income or savings you can do this. I started working a little extra and it pretty much covers my treatment. I say this knkowing that I am in a safe financial position with a working husband and the opportunity to make extra income so please, if you are in a really struggling financial position do not be offended. I have been there in my life and I get it. But when I first found Dr B I had ideas that this would be 1000's of dollars. Her first appointment is 350 and monthly apppointments are 150 and then there is the herbs and probiotics. Just wanted to clarify that! It mght not mean dealying your wedding at all but just trading a band for a dj or whatever- if you know what I mean!