Interstitial Cystitis Awareness and my True Care Experience.

As I have said in previous blogs, I have been diagnosed with IC.  Well I haven't had the greatest experiences with doctors helping me.  They all tend to pass you off when it comes to an IC diagnosis.  Finally, after about a year and a half, and finally gaining health insurance, I was able to visit a specialist that is perfect for my condition.  I went to a UroGynecologist.  I had been to see a Urologist but that experience was not pleasant.  She was rude and quick to get me out of there as she seemed very busy.  It seemed like I was not important and she was too busy so she sent me to a Physical Therapist.  That experience was also not comfortable.  The therapist herself was wonderful.  However, my pain increased each time I went.  I stopped going to her.

After visiting a couple of websites geared towards Interstitial Cystitis such as http://www.ic-network.com  and other sites, I was directed that I needed to see a UroGynecologist.  They seem to be the only doctors that truly specialize in Interstitial Cystitis.  They are hard to find, however.  I managed to find one about 40 mins. from my house so I quickly made an appointment.  After a wait of about a week and a half, only because of my husband's work schedule and needing him to be home for the kids, I was able to see my doctor.  The experience was AWESOME!!  First of all she was young and attractive with no accent that I could not understand.  Her age was a concern at first because I wanted to make sure I had a doctor that had plenty of experience.  But quickly I learned that she really seemed to know her stuff.  She spoke in doctor lingo to her assistant who was taking notes on the lap top and then translated everything to me so I understood it clearly.  After a PAP and exam which were not as uncomfortable as others that I have had, she asked me a pleathura of questions about my symptoms and went over what she had discovered in her exam.  I just remember feeling so comfortable and taken care of.  I felt cared for for the first time since all of this began over 2 yrs ago.  We have a treatment plan now.

I have to do a voiding diary for 2 days and record when and the amount.  Pretty strange but whatever.  I have to keep eliminating "trigger" foods that are bladder irritants one by one until they are all out of my diet.  This will allow my body to heal some and then I can start to add foods back into my diet one by one and find out exactly which foods are triggering my pain and other symptoms.  In 2 weeks I have to have a cystoscopy.  This is when they will put a camera into my bladder that will determine how bad the condition is.  From there we begin real treatment.  I am looking forward to moving on with all of this.  I know that this is incurable but I also know that there are forms of relief that will bring me some comfort.  This is what I have been waiting for.  Care.  True Care.

Sorry if this is a little too much information on the personal level, but that's what my blog is about.  My real life.  Well, this is it!!

love to all
Lauren