I think I might have IC-- I went to a urologist who looked in my bladder (wow what a crappy experience THAT was) and tol dme I have a small bladder capacity but I think it was IC because I didn't have an infection but it was HURTING and driving me utterly CRAZZZEEEE. Does IC fluctuate with the menstrual cycle? It is a maddening disease and my heart goes out to you and all people who have it.
Did your uro look in your bladder while you were asleep or awake? I ask because you can't see the IC when your bladder is not stretched, and they can only stretch it while you're asleep. The procedure where they look in your bladder while you're awake is called a cystoscopy. The procedure they do while you're asleep is a cystoscopy with hydrodistention.
Also, your bladder might not show signs of IC, even after a hydrodistention, depending on the severity. A lot of people have to get the potassium sensitivity test performed to rule out IC.
You can have a small bladder capacity and have IC, in fact, it’s very common. This is due to the fact that most people with IC don’t hold a lot of urine in before voiding so their bladders shrink.
And, yes, your IC can get better or worse during your menstrual cycle. I find that I get the worst flares the day before my period starts.
I was awake but what he did was he looked in the bladder and then filled it with fluid (OW that wasn't nice) and said I had a small capacity. harumph. Then he drained it (wow peeing without peeing, interesting!). He put me on Detrol LA for a few months but i didn't notice any difference. The pain and weirdness took care of itself and just came and went of its own accord. I find it's much worse the week before the period and once the period comes I get pain in the urethra and bladder for maybe a couple of hours which goes away and after that I'm fine. Til next time! LOL I get a lot of that "frequency/urgency" stuff that drives me bonkers.
I didn't know the bladder would shrink -- is that because we urinate more frequently?
ouch! They're not supposed to do hydrodistentions, while awake, because if you have IC they're too painful to perform while you're alert. Some uros do it, while the patient is awake, but most are not as insensitive
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Dang you know more about this than anyone I know -- even ME and I usually read a lot about stuff online. Yeah that procedure is most unpleasant and painful. The uro said he didn't see anything abnormal in my bladder but I was having pain at the time so I'm confused about that. I did bleed after that but not a whole whole lot. Man did it kill to urinate after that ordeal. It was like daggers for the whole day
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Not everything about IC is posted online. I got a lot of my info from 3 uros I've been to :o)
"The uro said he didn't see anything abnormal in my bladder but I was having pain at the time so I'm confused about that. I did bleed after that but not a whole whole lot. Man did it kill to urinate after that ordeal. It was like daggers for the whole day."It's not rare for the bladder to not show signs, as I mentioned in a earlier post. This is why so many people go undiagnosed
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"Would the bladder removal interfere with the reproductive organs at all?"
Nope, it should not interfere with them. They usually only interfere if you had to have a removal due to bladder cancer, since they generally remove your uterus and ovaries as well to prevent spreading. Aside from that, it's perfectly normal to have children after a removal. In fact, there is a benefit since if you had your bladder removed you don't have to do pee so much like a pregnant woman does :D
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The procedure where they look in your bladder while you're awake is called a cystoscopy. The procedure they do while you're asleep is a cystoscopy with hydrodistention.
Also, your bladder might not show signs of IC, even after a hydrodistention, depending on the severity. A lot of people have to get the potassium sensitivity test performed to rule out IC.
You can have a small bladder capacity and have IC, in fact, it’s very common. This is due to the fact that most people with IC don’t hold a lot of urine in before voiding so their bladders shrink.
And, yes, your IC can get better or worse during your menstrual cycle. I find that I get the worst flares the day before my period starts.
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I didn't know the bladder would shrink -- is that because we urinate more frequently?
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"The uro said he didn't see anything abnormal in my bladder but I was having pain at the time so I'm confused about that. I did bleed after that but not a whole whole lot. Man did it kill to urinate after that ordeal. It was like daggers for the whole day."It's not rare for the bladder to not show signs, as I mentioned in a earlier post. This is why so many people go undiagnosed ( ... )
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"Would the bladder removal interfere with the reproductive organs at all?"
Nope, it should not interfere with them. They usually only interfere if you had to have a removal due to bladder cancer, since they generally remove your uterus and ovaries as well to prevent spreading.
Aside from that, it's perfectly normal to have children after a removal. In fact, there is a benefit since if you had your bladder removed you don't have to do pee so much like a pregnant woman does :D
There is a whole page on bladder removal and child bearing here, if you’re curious http://www.hollister.com/uk/ostomy/resource/pregnancy.html
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