| Re: Do you think I have IC?
Did you have tests done to confirm your previous uti's? If not, what you think are uti's could actually just be what people with i.c. refer to as a 'flare'. I am 29 now and was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis 4 years ago. I went to a gyno/urology surgeon. He did a laparosopy and did a cystoscopy under general anesthesia. I actually have pictures of the disease on my bladder. Another urologist attempted to do an awake cystoscopy previously, and I was unable to tolerate it. My suggestion is to try to find a doc/surgeon with both specialties (gyno and uro) that way you can be checked for other underlying conditions under anesthesia.
I have a lot of pain in my pelvis, hips, and all the way to my knees. It was suspected that I had endometriosis, and my doc was surprised when he didn't find that. He did, however, find scar tissue wrapped around my RUQ (right upper quadrant) it was pulling on my intestines/colon and was on the verge of rupturing. It was also found that my i.c. causes my pelvic floor muscles to be stronger/tighter than average to compensate for the bladder. This can make it incredibly difficult to void (empty) the bladder. So what you may perceive as frequency could simply be that you are not voiding completely. I am not a doctor, and I can't see what is going on inside of you, all I can say is to find a knowledgeable doctor that will help you get to the bottom of this. The sooner the better, because if it is i.c. it can continue to worsen and eventually cause ulcers on the bladder (called hunner's ulcers). You definitely want to try to avoid aggravating the condition if you do in fact have it to try and stop the progression of symptoms. Best of luck.
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