If you have Interstitial Cystitis, how to you cope with it?
442826
Diet. Alcohol, tomatoes, spices, chocolate, caffeine, citrus drinks, artificial sweeteners and acidic foods may irritate your bladder. That makes symptoms worse. Try removing these things from your diet for a couple of weeks. Then try eating one food at a time to see if it makes your symptoms worse. \nSmoking. Many people with interstitial cystitis find that smoking makes their symptoms worse. Because smoking is also a main cause of bladder cancer, people with interstitial cystitis have another good reason to quit smoking. \nBladder training. Many people can train their bladder to urinate less often. You can train your bladder by going to the bathroom at scheduled times and using relaxation techniques. \nPhysical therapy and biofeedback. People with interstitial cystitis may have painful spasms of pelvic floor muscles. If you have muscle spasms, you can learn exercises to help strengthen and relax your pelvic floor muscles. \nTENS (this stands for "transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation"). You can use a TENS machine to put mild electrical pulses into your body through special wires. Some doctors think that electrical pulses increase blood flow to the bladder. The increased blood flow strengthens the muscles that help control the bladder. It also releases hormones that block pain.
904423
hey, ball-sy question to ask but...\ni USED to hold it too long and ended up get frequent pains? down there? \nanyways, my friend, too said she used to do this, but she actually ended up getting a bladder INFECTION! so, after hearing this, of course i don't hold it too long. \nIts understandable sometimes, but i would suggest not doing this regularly!\n;)
110242
You have to go to the doctor.  There is no way over the counter to treat it, and you can only treat it there is unfortunately no cure  :(  Your doc will prescribe you some Valtrex, it usually takes less than a week to feel some relief (they may also give you Zovirax cream which speeds up relief).  If it is extremely painful you can also ask for some lidocaine, which is a topical numbing agent which will make it easier/less painful to go to the bathroom.
328345
Drink lots of water, stay away from salt and put your feet up.\nIf it gets too bad see your Doctor. After all my test, my Doctor said I was fine just put your feet up!
364573
Hey I am extremely sorry :(\nI know sometimes it's just the worst pain EVER. Plus u have another condition going on.....really sorry to hear.\n\nFor the cramps, try having some hot tea....that always helps me feel a lot better. Or soup. Take 2 tablets of the painkiller u usually take, instead of one. Sometimes, 1 doesn't do it. But do read instructions before you do that. \n\nTry thinking about ur favorite things that bring a smile to ur face...and just wait it out.....the pain will go away. \n\nI am sorry again :( \nHope u feel better real soon.
279359
Bladder and UTI's can pretty much be the same thing and the best way to avoid these is to drink plenty of water. Sodas and other sugary drinks can aggravate these areas. \nAlso if you are sexually active make sure to urinate both before and after sex to rid the area near the urethra of any bacteria. During sexual intercourse, the penis can introduce bacteria into the vulva and the act of intercourse can push this into the urethral opening and/or help introduce bacteria that are already present in the vulva into the urinary tract, possibly causing a urinary tract infection or bladder infection. Urinating both before and after intercourse can help prevent this.\n\nYour kidneys also need a plenty of water, so not too many sodas and sugary drinks!\n\nYeast Infections can be caused by a number of things including antibiotics. But one huge thing is wearing cotton panties. Let your goods breathe and don’t coupe them up in silky underwear and tight pants/jeans too often. The female body produces natural bacteria, but hot, damp places can breed the not so natural kind!\n\nFor all of the above, avoid too many bubble baths (or anything in the bath for that matter). Don’t let the manufactures fool you into buying all of the feminine hygiene products either. The fact is that soap and water are all you need to keep yourself clean, and these sprays, wiping cloths, deodorants, douches can throw off your pH balance and cause many of these problems/infections. Always remember to wipe from front to back!!!
1146611
Go to the store and get cranberry pills, they're at like Vitamin World and grocery stores and drug stores in with the herbal supplements. \nCranberry Juice and plenty of water. Do not drink anything with caffiene or carbonation for a week after the infection is gone. \nI took the cranberry pills for a week, I took two pills four times a day with Advil for the pain it began clearing it up the first day, no joke. I stopped drinking anything with caffiene or carbonation and just concentrated on cleaning out my system. I felt good enough to work in the warehouse again the next day. I just kept taking the cranberry pills and drinking the water and cranberry juice and I felt totally normal by the end of the third day. \nI got a large bottle of the cranberry pills for $16.00 and it saved me the small fortune I'd have spent for the office visit at the doctors and the prescription for antibiotics. The doctor gave me a prescription for an antibiotic that was supposed to work super good. The cost for the prescription alone was 82.00 for 5 frickin pills. You take two the first day and then one a day for the next three days. It was a load of crap I used the prescription and it didn't do a thing except break my bank account. It didn't even work. So I drank alot of cranberry juice and water and it cleared up real fast. \nThe next time I got a UTI I bought the cranberry pills because they're concentrated and drank cranberry juice and water and the relief begins real soon after you start taking it. I don't get UTI's often but I think that was the worst one I've ever had in my life and I haven't had one since.\nHope your wife feels better soon.
992167
Causes\nThe cause of interstitial cystitis is unknown, though several theories have been put forward (these include autoimmune, neurologic, allergic and genetic). Regardless of the origin, it is clear that IC patients struggle with a damaged mucin, aka the GAG layer, aka bladdering lining. When this protective coating is damaged (perhaps via a UTI, excessive consumption of coffees or sodas, traumatic injury, etc.), urinary chemicals can "leak" into surrounding tissues causing pain, inflammation and urinary symptoms. Oral medications like Elmiron and medications which are placed directly into the bladder via a catheter work to repair and hopefully rebuild this damaged/wounded lining, allowing for a reduction in symptoms.\n\nRecent work by the University of Maryland, Baltimore indicates that genetics are a factor in, and may even (in some cases) be the cause of IC. Two genes, FZD8 and PAND, are associated with the syndrome. FZD8, at gene map locus 10p11.2, is assocated with an antiproliferative factor secreted by the bladders of IC patients which "profoundly inhibits bladder cell proliferation," thus causing the missing bladder lining. PAND, at gene map locus 13q22-q32, is associated with a constellation of disorders (a "pleiotropic syndrome") including IC and other bladder and kidney problems, thyroid diseases, serious headaches/migraines, panic disorder, and mitral valve prolapse.\n\n[edit]\nSymptoms\nIt may well be that the symptoms of interstitial cystitis have multiple causes, and IC is actually several syndromes which will eventually be discerned. For example, patients with Hunner's Ulcers are believed to be the most advanced cases. They have larger "wounds" in the bladder that are much more difficult to treat. It is estimated that only 5 to 10% of patients have these ulcers. Far more patients may experience a very mild form of IC, in which they have no visible wounds in their bladder, yet struggle with symptoms of frequency, urgency and/or pain. Still other patients may have discomfort only in their urethra, while others struggle with pain in the entire pelvis. Some patients may experience pelvic floor tightness and dysfunction, while others have normal muscle tone.\n\nOften the symptoms of IC are misdiagnosed as a "common" bladder infection (cystitis), however unlike cystitis, IC has not been conclusively proven to be a bacterial infection and the mis-prescribed treatment of antibiotics is ineffective. The symptoms of IC may also initially be attributed to prostatitis and epididymitis (in men) and endometriosis and uterine fibroids (in women).\n\n[edit]\nDiagnosis\nDiagnosis has been greatly simplied in recent years with the development of two new methodologies. The Pelvic Pain Urgency/Frequency (PUF) Patient Survey, created by C. Lowell Parsons, is a short questionnaire that will help doctors identify if pelvic pain could be coming from the bladder. The KCL Test, aka the Potassium Sensitivity Test, uses a mild potassium solution to test the integrity of the bladder wall. Though the latter is not specific for IC, it has been determined to be helpful in predicting the use of compounds, such as pentosan, which are designed to help repair the GAG layer. The previous "gold standard" test for IC was the use of hydrodistention with cystoscopy. Researchers, however, determined that this visual examination of the bladder wall after stretching the bladder was also not specific for IC and that the test, itself, can contribute to the development of small glomerulations (aka petechial hemorrhages) often found in IC. Thus, a diagnosis of IC is one of exclusion, as well as a review of clinical symptoms.\n\n[edit]\nTreatment\n[edit]\nDiet\nThe foundation of therapy is a modification of diet to help patients avoid those foods which can will further irritate the damaged bladder wall. Common offenders include coffees, teas, herbal teas, green teas, all sodas (particularly die
752708
The constant thirst combined with having to urinate all the time do sound like a possible blood sugar problem -- I'd suggest getting checked for that right away.  I'm not sure if that would cause your other symptoms, though, but maybe when you get checked your doctor can fill you in.\n\nI also think your "sensitive bladder" could be interstitial cystitis -- that's a chronic irritation/inflammation of the lining of the bladder from an unknown cause, but not caused by a bacterial infection.  I have a couple of friends who have this, and it can become very painful if not treated, but there are treatments that can make the pain a lot better.  Also, I'm not sure, but if you turn out to have both conditions you might want to ask whether high blood sugar might be related to the symptoms of I/C, or make them worse... I think that might be possible too, but I really have no idea.\n\nGood luck; I hope you find out some answers to this!
631221
It's a long process I am going through the same thing.  Take a lot of IB profen it's good for inflammation.  Go to the gym and work your quads, eat bannanas.  Lay on your back put your hurt leg in the air and try to bend it down as much as possible.  It's going to hurt you have to try to get over the pain.  Every time you bend it try to make it go lower and lower.  This will help but you have to work with it and do everything your told to do.
398705
this sounds to me like you have either thrush or cististis if when you pass urine you get a stingingdown below this is a symptom that you might have a water infection go and see you're doctor who can test you for infections or give you medical advice
886766
Did you try the AZO pain reliever? It gets rid of the pain when you have cystitis, urinary tract infections, etc. It always works. You don;t need the prescription for it , and can get it at the medicine section in a store.\nHere the link www.azoproducts.com/\n\nYou still need to see a doctor and continue your antibiotics, but this one will at least help you to stop the pain.\n\nThere is AZO-Cranberry also.
35586
I'm only addressing the first question: you may have a bladder infection.
164276
A Urinary Tract Infection has tell tale symptoms. There is an itchy feeling, and it burns when you pee. You can also feel a little bit crampy.\n\nDrinking a lot of water and fluids can help relieve the itchy burny feeling, but you should see a doctor as the only way to get rid of the infection is antibiotics. Also, this is a bacterial infection and can spread to the kidneys causing severe pain and worse complications.\n\nPeeing after sex can help prevent UTI's.
925490
Sounds like you might have a urinary tract infection, can be cleared up with antibiotics. Go to your doctor ASAP to get checked out.
993459
Take a  deep breath in the water or swimming pool! painful but works
123158
you may have intersticial cystitis ask your doctor. make sure you eliminate after intercoarse and clean up i know it kind of takes away from the afterglow, but its better than all that pain, try to shower instead of bathing in things like calgon and smoking and other things like colas do have an affect on the urinary tract system.  if you cant pronounce it just write it down and tell the dr to check you for I.C. he should know what you are talking about or have him send you to a urologist, feel better! the other answerers have the right idea too! also ask him about polycystic kidney disease too, that one is just a shot in the dark, but may be worth it to make sure it doesnt appear in the future, im not trying to scare you... just ask good luck