Is IC All In Your Head? (Interstitial Cystitis Network)

It's not unusual for patients with chronic, invisible diseases to be told by someone that their symptoms or disease is "all in their heads." ICN President Jill Osborne takes on this topic and offers direct, practical suggestions you can use with someone who suggests this to you.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• IC
• interstitial cystitis
• painful bladder
• emotional
• psychiatriac
• Jill Osborne
• ICN
• Network

[justice4J]

I'm sorry your hear dthat bs. I hope you receive support from your family. Best wishes for improved health SOON!

[PeteyPoison]

I think that to some degree, emotions can play a part. I'm almost certain what led to my IC. First off, I fell into a routine of going out for coffee and cigarettes every single night. I still do that. Also, I went through a couple different relationships that dragged on, I was cheated on and it ended badly. Each time, I drove myself into such emotional upheaval that I would tremble and vomit. I had no control, I just felt so nervous and sick all the time, and not long after, I developed IC.

[grettagrids]

@Anastasiaxxoo suffering the IC pain now( my UROLOGIST diagnosed it via biopsy ) but my family says I am faking. BS >:(. The pain is so bad at times I wish I would just die! esp right now.... two perocet and still hurting. had FOUR bladder surgeries! What can i do???

[sofiya060]

thank you so much....

[TheLovelyKira]

I am a hypochondriac, which is why when I started getting these pains everyone ignored me. I pretty much dealt with the pain for a year and a half. Finally I was able to convince them to take me to the doctor and after a month or two I was diagnosed with IC :3

[Anastasiaxxoo]

I have been called a hypochondriac, even by my own family. It is so horrible to feel like you are sick and no one believes you...it makes you doubt your sanity!

[frodobaggins115]

I've had people not understand this issue and think that I must just be imagining this problem. Clearly this isn't a case of a hypochondriac coming up with some invisible fake disease. Why would I ever fake something like this? >:( I hope my grandmother will not do this to me like she did when I had bad sinus problems- I have a feeling she is leaning to this idea. It's like unless I have something noticable (a bleeding wound or broken bone, etc) she doesn't believe I really have a problem.

[keartin]

My uro just said he couldn't find anything wrong with me. I asked if it could be a growth or something in the bladder or kidneys and instead of recommending testing he just said that was highly unlikely because of my age and lifestyle. I left in tears. He never returned my call when I was trying to find out if he thought I could have IC. I'd ask about cystocopy if I had insurance. But even then, having proof that I had IC wouldn't make the pain any better.

[jazziacssong]

That's just more than NOT OK for a doctor to be that uniformed.  I am sorry that happened to u!