Forums:
Hi All! I found this
site back in January and FINALLY have an appointment next month. I have been
reading all of these posts for months and realized that it is time for me to
start participating. I want to be as
much help to others as you have all been to me.
I have found SO much hope through reading your posts and am so thankful
that so many of you are able to be so open with everything you are going
through. I have been doing my best with
the List 1 diet for about 5 months. I do
feel significantly better than I did last fall overall but still have some really
terrible moments too, like today. I was
wondering when you all finally accepted that your symptoms are not actually a
UTI. I was tested repeatedly last fall
when I was sure I had another UTI and never actually did. For some reason, every time I seem to flare
up, I go into panic mode that I have gotten a UTI and will have to take
antibiotics again. How are we supposed
to tell the difference? Anyway, I am so
outrageously thankful that I found this site and have an appointment next
month. Thanks so much for all of your
insight, it helped me commit!
Alishia
Hi Alishia
Welcome. I know what you mean about being confused about UTI's. Even before I put the term IC to my condition, I was beginning to learn that what I thought was a UTI, was put on antibiotics for, might well end up not being an infection. So, for awhile there, I would go to the doctor and insist on waiting for the lab results before I started the meds - nine times out of ten it wasn't an infection. Now that I see Dr. B, I have so dramatically improved, there has only been one time where I wasn't sure. So, I calmed my anxiety, made an appt. for the next day, and made a plan of action. I would get the results and contact Dr. Brizman by E-mail, and let her treat me with herbs. As it turned out, it was just a flare, I woke up the next day much better and canceled my doctors appt. However, I know from reading this site, occasionally it turns out to be an infection, and Dr. Brizman does get people through it. So, you don't need to worry about having all the answers - baby steps, one day at a time. You've taken an incredible leap of faith - you've found your inner voice and had enough wisdom to listen to it- despite how crazy and insane some would find your journey.
All my best
Thanks so much for your
Thanks so much for your responses! I notice too that if I just calm down and go to bed it's usually a little better the next morning and I can rationalize that it isn't a UTI or the 800th time... I'll keep you posted on how the appointment goes, I'm struggling now with who all to tell about this appointment, I live in a rural area far far from California lol and I just dont feel like having to explain my decision to everyone I know, anyway, thanks again and I can't wait to get started!
Alishia, I just wanted to
Alishia, I just wanted to tell you that you are so smart that you made a decision to go to CA.
UTI
There are test strips you can buy at the drug store to test your urine for infection. If you are worrying about whether your pain is just an IC flare or UTI, it is worth spending the money on the strips. They are pretty accurate, and it saves running into the doctor's office.