Hello all,

first of all, I want to say that I am so grateful for finding such a great and strong community of people, who actually seem to be on their right path to health... I am scared to death, depressed and it helped a bit. I have few questions I can not ask dr. Brizman personally at the moment and hope to find some answers here. I would also like to share my story in a nutshell, just to clarify why am I having such a stupid questions and don´t just go and ask Matia stright away:

I am from the Czech Republic (so, please excuse my language mistakes), and I just finished the college a year ago, being in depths (I had to take a loan so I could study, in spite of the fact that I had occasional jobs during my studies of course). I hoped to find a job quickly, be on my own, make a career and finally get better (separate from my family as much as I can as they were constantly pushing me down). Then this nightmare started. I had an intercourse (protected!!) with one man, then I got some vaginal discharge (thought that could be candida, something common)... But then came the strange feeling after urination (sharp pain in my urethra after I peed - but like two minutes or so after I peed, not straight away, which is so strange). Then came burning in the whole area and more vaginal discomfort and as it got worse, I went to my gynecologist. He just laughed and prescribed some antibiotics (without any tests), and said to me that I could not have any STD, just take it and go away, so off I went. Those antibiotics did not help at all and made me horribly sick (headache, nausea, I was shivering all the time) so after few days I had to stop. Then all the horror started. It won´t just go away, so I went to my practicioner. She found nothing in my urine, but gave me another antibiotic. Things got even worse. Then I went to the urologist. She found streptococcus agalactiae, massively, both in vagina and urethra. Gave me another atb. Again, worse, allergic reaction. Another urologist. Long story short - after some painful, invasive examinations they found I have active HPV infection, strep B, chlamydia pneumoniae and lyme disease - all that currently active, not just traces. Gluten intolerance. They told me that probably I have ureaplasma infection, but could not find it (broth culture is not available here as far as I know). My bladder got worse and I got worse - could hardly get out of bed. I was put on several antibiotics, like 12 in a row. Then chemical antifungals. I lost my job. I almost could not see, because my eyes went so dry - it was like having sand in them all the time. I could not keep balance - something happened to my brain, I don´t really know what. Strange tingling in my feet occured, I could not sleep because of the pain and that. Cystoskopy result is "leukoplakia on the trigonus"  they told me it is rather normal and that they do not know what causes my pain, and that I should eat antidepressants (in fact, they pushed me strongly into it). I studied psychology, so I think that I have an insight into how one´s mind could be connected to the illness. I know that my family has its role in my body/mind weakness. But I knew that those pills won´t help me with my illness and that´s not a mental disease I am having. And I was scared to take such a medication while having neurological issues. I know far too much how these drugs work. But, I developed serious depression and suicidal thoughts, which never fully went away.

Then I stopped seeing doctors (they mostly even do not know that something like ICS exists, and I was in denial I could have it myself that time) and tried to heal myself. I found that fresh vegetable juices might help me, so I started them in spring. Also, I started to see an acupuncturist (he is from China and is a doctor of TCM, but he works in massage center so he does not use herbs). I tried some herbs myself and they helped a little (nasturtium helps the most, oil of oregano is fine, too). I have been on anti-candida diet for almost 7 months. It also helped tremendously regarding medication consequences, although some of them stayed - my eyes, some minor digestive problems, fatique which got gradually better after the juices. But my bladder is horrible and won´t get better. At the beginning, it was only in my urethra (burning and that sharp pain after urination). Now I have all this plus dull pain in my bladder and urgency all the time. It is surely much better than when I was on antibiotics, but that was really excrutiating pain. 

One hopeless day, I found this site and was amazed. It seemed great - I am not alone, someone understands. There is a treatment. But, oh my. In L.A.?! I am completely on my own. I have no financial or emotional support from my family. This I can´t change. Even if they were supportive, they don´t have the money.

I work half-time and even that is too demanding for me. I am in debts, because my illness already costed me so much (I tried plenty of naturopaths or homeopaths... And acupuncture sessions are incredibly expensive, I can only afford them once a week or two). I have lost most of my friends - I never go out, ever. I just go to work and back, exhausted, I don´t understand their worlds anymore and they don´t understand mine. That´s problably natural, in such situation. I can´t have sex or any relationship. But, I have no idea how could I ever get to L.A. and pay for the treatment. I can´t afford more debts. Sorry for this long story, but I am exhausted, depressed and desperate. 

I have two questions and would be very grateful if you could answer... First: Is it really essential to travel to L.A. to became a patient? Could I just do it long-distance from the beginning (via skype or something like that?). Tickets from Czech R., are just so expensive... And I do have an idela how expensive is this treatment for east-european girl without proper job. And - does she treat people with diagnosed bacterial/viral infections - chlamydia, lyme disease, strep B, HPV?

Second thing... I tried to start with the diet. I stopped my juices. I was a vegetarian for years and actually felt really well on that diet, but I thought well, maybe i was so wrong!! So I started List 1 and eating meat (including organic red meat). Maybe I am weird, but protein (egg, meat) with every meal is just too much for me, even in smaller amounts than recommended. It´s not only that I do not like meat from my childhood (I just do not like the taste no matter how well is it prepared), I can get over that if it hepls. But my intestines said no. My stomach feels sick and I started to be TERRIBLY constipated. When I drunk those juices, everything was nice and regular. Now I won´t go, 3 days, 4 days... Everything is worse - bloating, constipation, fatique is back. Depression worsened, anxiety is here, I feel tired and empty. I tried poop soup (ugh) and magnesium, nothing helped. Is there anyone else having this problem? Any advice, please? I used to eat lentils and beans to get protein, but I understand that it is not good while having IC. I miss my juices. I don´t know what to do. Coffee might help, but it makes my bladder worse.

Thanks a lot for reading this. And for your patience.

Aya