Interstitial Cystitis Association educational video

Even with more awareness, it will become another "cancer".

Always looking for new "treatments", with no intention of ever finding a cure. It's pretty much destroyed my life as well I'm at least 2 weeks into a no sodium/bread/nuts/juice/etc. diet and I don't feel any different.

Marshmallow root/slippery elm/aloe is supposed to work over a 2-5yr span so I can't tell if that's working either.

Men, don't rule out IC if you are experiencing pelvic pain. Although I've not yet been diagnosed with IC, I am 99% certain that I have it as I have all the classic symptoms. don't waste years of suffering, taking drugs that do nothing, and getting nowhere. When all other diagnosis and treatment fail and you are still in pain. Suggest to your Dr. the possibility of IC. I pray that a cure is found before I get any older. I've had this pain most of my life and I'm sick of it.

I went to doctors and a urologist for years believing my problem was my prostate.
After taking about every prostate drug with no relief my urologist gave up on me. I found another urologist who provided me information on IC. Since then I've read up on IC and grew discouraged after reading how hard it is to diagnose and that there is no cure. Recently I had a flare-up so bad I thought I would go insane. They previously thought that only women get IC but I'm here to say that man also suffer.

I too, have a severe case of IC. Nice to find vids for helps and other folks who too suffer w/ this. I wasn't formally diagnosed till later on as well, and believe I had it long before. I use prelief and other things, but find no real relief from this awful disease!

I just started taking Prelief before I eat meals and drinking baking soda in water when I need it. Others swear by it, hope it works for me too.

IC is like having CANCER and most doctors think becuz the test keep coming back clean that the pain is all in our head. I had to travel twice to the USA to get the necessary meds becuz Trinidad is also backward with medication :( Hang in there hon. I will pray for you. Just dont eat n e spicy foods.

Can a person actually have intimacy with IC. I know everytime I have sex I end up in the emergency room with flare-ups :( Its ruining my life although I have a caring bf.

I'm SO sorry and can relate. Check out this book and other info from the ICA on intimacy issues. I've had to learn that sex and intimacy are two different things...I think you have to figure out what works best for both of you.

There's a lot you can do without meds or relying on a doctor. I just recently diagnosed myself with IC & urologist was useless. The following books I mention describe natural treatments which for many are better than meds:

Along the Healing Path

and

Solving the Interstitial Cystitis Puzzle

I also recommend doing a search for "interstitial cystitis supplements" in google.

For some people, the supplement quercetin or marshmallow root herb alone have done wonders.

Hope you find relief soon!