After my second operation of not finding any endometriosis, I started to doubt my doctor’s skill level. I had experienced every symptom I knew so well for endo. They were so obviously endo! I had a swollen abdomen, pain during sex, general abdominal swelling and soreness and needed to go to the loo really urgently with pain when I didn’t.
I went for another operation with my original specialist just to make sure, but again they found nothing. No sign of endo and it was all dried up. Though this result made me feel heaps better on some level, it also made me think that perhaps they were missing something, I was missing something. I still had the pain I associated with endo…
Then I read something really, really interesting which is really important that you read.
There is a condition called Interstitial Cystitis. It essentially means an inflamed bladder. Once again they have no known reason why the bladder gets inflamed but it is this swelling, or inflammation, that causes very similar symptoms to endometriosis.
An American study looked at 163 women with abdominal pain and found that 76% had just endo, 82% had just Intestitial Cystitis and 66% had both.
Thing is, it is a possible cause of that constant pain we experience in the lower abdominal area.
The medical books and websites all claim there is once again… no cure for this either BUT…
I found a great way to overcome this one. See, the thing is I have had this annoying pain on my left side for ages. It has been there for as long as I can remember. It flares up when I need to hold on to go to the loo or when I don’t drink enough water. It is a dull ache and it is just there. Not bad but just there. It sometimes hurts more at certain times but well, I always feel it in the morning when I am desperate to go to the loo.
Well, I read about this Interstitial Cystitis the other night and wanted to see if there was any truth to it. I have a remedy I use for bladder infections, which I used to get every other week (another symptom of intestinial cystitis). It is called UTI Clear. I have it sitting in the house in case I get one because there is nothing worse than having to wait when you have a bladder infection.
Well, I took the recommended dose on the night that I read this about IC and I couldn’t believe it; the next morning I had NO PAIN. Nothing! My abdominal area was completely flat. No swelling. I wasn’t sore at all and I had that wonderful hollow feeling which I haven’t felt in years! It was amazing!
So, what do you do with this information? Thing is, testing for IC is really nasty. They need to stick a thin stick up… well you know where. Personally, I didn’t see the point, considering they don’t know what causes it or how to cure it. It doesn’t register as an infection because it isn’t an infection. It is simply inflamed.
Here are the symptoms:
– Need to go to the loo more often than every 2 hrs
– When you need to go, you need to go NOW. It gets sore when you don’t.
– Swollen abdominal area
– Pain during sex
– Sore after you’ve been to the loo
– Sore when you wake up in the morning
– Feeling like you haven’t quite got it all out
Things to avoid:
Acidic foods and drinks which are high in acid.
– Citrus fruit and drinks
– Cranberry juice
– Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C
– Acidic herbal teas like Rosehips
– Green Tea
– Tomatoes (very interesting!)
So, my solution was really easy and simple and it has no side effects. UTI Clear. It is cheap and easy to take. You can also get a bladder-maintaining one which would be good for day to day balancing. I specially asked them the difference and the Bladder Well one is better for daily use. If you have a bad case of soreness, maybe use the UTI-Clear first and then get the Bladder Well afterwards.
You can check them out here:
Bladder Well by Native Remedies
Native Remedies Bladderwell Relieve Burning Sensations And Frequent Urination, (125 Tablets)
I was just amazed at how much lighter and better I felt from just this one simple change. It might be all you need to feel better too 🙂
Do you experience these symptoms? Could it all just be IC? REALLY? Is that all it could be? Why not try it? Just try it for one day! I was amazed at how much of a difference it made!
Here is the book recommended in the comments below:
Along the Healing Path : Recovering from Interstitial Cystitis
This Post Has 30 Comments
Do you feel soreness and pulses in your clitoris? I have all those symptoms plus this and its extremely uncomfortable.
Hello I’m a very confused woman right now on the list above doesn’t it say to avoid thos vits ???? And does anyone know about having a shifted uterus could cause dispurania because that is all my doctor could say after my laparoscopy today I’m disapointed but releved at the same time …:/
Hi Ali,
I am glad you found my site and that you may have the answer to your endless pain. Pain is so frustrating, especially when you don’t know what it is!
If it is IC, your process for healing would be similar to endo – it is after all an inflammatory condition 🙂
Totally agree on the short novel idea 🙂
I have been told for over 10 years by 4 different doctors that i have been told i had Endo…Around th 6 year mark my symptoms got so bad, i tried a implanon (2 actually) to buy me time before have a laparoscopy which gave me some relief on the cramping and painful sex but in return gave me a thickened uritha and psyco temper so I had a laparoscopy thinking that this was the end of the horror & tears and finally an answer to if i can have children….only be told that i do not have a single sign of endo anywhere…That was 9 months ago and i have been going out of my mind in a huge amount pain, healing scars, a broken 5yr relationship, not knowing if i can have children and with no answers… I stumbed on this website I feel like i may have the anwer that i have IC.
Im sure that i had a cystoscopy during the laparoscopy but have made an appointment with my gyno to discuss further and will be buying the books that have been suggested.
I just want to thank Mel for posting her blog and for all you ladies who have shared your story.
Nothing short of a large novel will cover all that we have been through and how it has affected our lives and the people we love.
Hi Bre,
Thanks for your comment and for sharing your experience with the cystoscopy. Sounded nasty, so was never tempted to do it!
I have since found a great solution for it: Cornsilk! It is super effective and worked within a day for me. It is super easy to take.
Hope that helps you feel better 🙂
Melissa
To Melissa
The procedure for a proper diagnosis of Interstitial Cystitis is called a cystoscopy. You are a very wise lady not to have it. If I thought my symptoms were bad before, they were nothing compared to after. It’s 5 months since the dreaded test, and I could count on one hand the number of good days I have. Ladies NEVER be tempted to go through this procedure. If you read on the IC network, many many of us end off worse than we were.
God bless, good luck, and let’s pray for a cure. Mwah xx
Thanks for sharing Heather. I will have to look into getting that one 🙂
Glad you are feeling better!
Another Catherine Malone book is called Awakening Through the Tears. This book is all about the hormone/stress connection to IC. This, her third book, has had the most impact on me:) When I realized I was estrogen dominant that’s when this book really hit home. I have endo too but since I’ve started getting my progesterone up my pain is getting a lot better. Still a long way to go but it’s worth every step 🙂
Heather
Here is the original supplier with the full ingredients list. http://www.nativeremedies.com/products/bladderwell-strengthen-bladder-health.html#tabs
Melissa, I looked at this on Amazon and it fails to state the ingredients. Do you know what’s in it?
hi Melissa: Yes, I did get the Rodney one. I felt like such a fish out of water! But I had the same thought about using my intution , in that I would just know when it was wrong and work to get it right:) Thanks Melissa:)
Hi Heather, I felt the same about Yoga and just started with the basic of basics – Did you get Rodney’s one?
I will create a simple video for you in the next couple of days which is super easy to follow – it is my version of the DVD from Rodney. It is funny but somehow you know when you are doing a move wrong – it just feels wrong 🙂
Yes, I have read that sugar and refined carbs should be avoided. I’ve been wanting to do Yoga forever, and I have a DVD, but I’m intimidated by it!! It looks so hard! And what if I can’t can’t the poses?? I figure I will take one pose at a time and go from there:)
Thanks for your encouraging words Heather! Also, to add to your thoughts, adrenal glands get stressed with too much sugar and obviously stress. Hence doing yoga and meditation helps so much 🙂
I thought I might mention something that could be helpful. I, too, am recovering from both endo and IC. Ugh, I feel for all of us!! But truly, holistic is the only way to heal, and I believe, with all my heart, that WE CAN HEAL!!!! And believing is such a big part of our actual ability to heal!
Endo and IC are about so much more than our bodies being out of balance. It’s about our “selves”, meaning our mind, body, and spirit. So my suggestion is to look at what emotional and/or spiritual blockages you have because healing from those will help heal your body!
Now, yes, there is VERY legitimate, serioulsy messed up stuff going on with our physical bodies, for sure!!!! I went to see a naturopath who thought my high calcium was causing the problem. I had my parathyroid tested and it’s fine. Here’s the conncection I have made: he also tested my adrenal glands which are burnt out! Well, guess what: adrenal failure causes, are you ready, high calcium!! AND adrenal burn out also causes, here it comes… IC!!!!!!!!
SO: here is what I am doing: I am restoring these glands. I have just started so I know it will take time. But what I am doing right now is drinking Barley Grass Powder everyday because it has all the B vitamins (if you read Catherine Malone’s book on IC, you wil see why the B vits are so important), and vitamin C as well. I am also taking an adrenal support supplement. Melissa’s right: even though drinking a lot of water and peeing a lot hurts really bad (and I know because I’ve been in a flare for a week:( it really is essential to rinsing out all the nasties. So in spite of the pain, I know, I know, I feel you, but keep drinking that water. MOST important: NEVER, EVER GIVE UP!!!!!!
With loving thoughts and the Peace of God,
Heather
It is my pleasure. I find drinking enough water was one of the major factors in mine getting worse – I know it is so simple but it makes such a big difference! I always find I forget to drink water when I am stressed 🙂 I hope you recover well and take care of yourself. Also, look into getting a juice – nothing like natural juice to heal the body 🙂
Hi Melissa! Your blog is amazing. I have endo but have severe IC symptoms. I had a laporoscopy in 2005. I was also tested for IC. Ugh. No fun. It came back negative. I was symptom free up until 8 months ago. Well, sort of. I just had another surgery and am recovering but still a lot of IC symptoms. This is the first thing I’ve seen about the two together. Thanks for all of your hard work. Denise
Wow! You are special and unique then 🙂 I am sure you can find a way to flush it out too. Maybe ask him if there is a way to flush out Calcium or what makes one loose calcium and go from there. I am sure it would affect your bladder as it is probably quite acidic.
I am also leaning towards progesterone cream or something similar. I shall write a post about it soon 🙂
no, no supplements or anything. I went in to see a naturopath for routine blood work and my calcium came back extremely high. He is 99% sure I have a problem with one of the parathyroid glands in my throat. It can be very dangerous: it leeches calcium from your bones and can cause breast cancer, heart attack, and stroke in later stages. So I am lucky I went in to see him. It’s extremely uncommon, less than 1% of the population is hypercalcemic. My doctor actually thinks it’s the reason for my IC; that all that calcium is messing with the interstitial fluids in my bladder. It’s all very confusing to say the least. The doc is working on how to treat my endo, I know he is pondering progesterone cream. We shall see:)
Hi Heather. Really interesting about the Calcium bit. Wonder what causes that? Were you taking any Calcium supplements at any time? I am really intrigued by that as it may explain why when we drink more water or have more sunshine, IC seems to reduce. I shall explore that one for us soon 🙂
Well done on discovering you have Oestrogen dominance. That is definitely a big key in flushing out the endo. I would highly recommend a progesterone cream – check out the one on endo-resolved.com site. When you have a good doctor to guide you, that helps heaps too 🙂
I just started going to a naturopathic physician for my endo and IC. He ran all these blood tests and it turns out I have hypercalcemia (too much calcium in my blood and urine). He believes the calcium overload in my urine is what’s causing my IC. So he referred me to a university hospital in Virginia where I will have to undergo a procedure to fix the hyperparathyroid problem causing the hypercalcemia.
I think IC, which is basically inflammation of the bladder, can be brought on my different things for different women, so if it is at all possible, I would try going to a naturopath who might be able to pinpoint the exact cause. I don’t know if the hypercalcemia is causing my IC but I’d sure like an answer:) My hormone tests also just came back and I am extremely estrogen dominant. My estrogen is normal but my progesterone is way low so it is unable to balance the estrogen, and too much estrogen , I am thinking at this point, can cause or contribute to endo. He is going to start “balancing” my hormones and he is researching ways to shrink the cysts on my ovaries.
Good luck, just thought my recent experiences might be worth a mention 🙂
Definitely! It worked wonders for me and made all those symptoms go away. Also drink heaps of water. I find my IC gets worse when I don’t drink enough.
The connections are really uncanny. I agree!
Thanks Heather for that suggestion. I will put a link on the page for everyone to get the book. Afterall endo and bowel troubles all relate to inflammatory conditions so what is in the book will inevitably help endo too 🙂
Also!! If you are serious about recovering from IC, please try evenbetterhealth.com, and you will find a section on IC. This website is how I discovered Catherine’s book. There is also a lot of good info on the website itself for dealing with IC and painful flares, it could be very helpful:) Not all people with IC have “flares”. I don’t. I just urinate and have pain and soreness that comes and goes. We are all so very different. Hope this helps:)
It is very common to have both endo and IC. I had surgery 2 years ago for my endo (cysts and adhesions) and 4 months later I began suffering from what felt like the worst bladder infecion EVER! I was diagnosed with IC once new endo growth was ruled out. There is an amazing book by Catherine Simone called Along the Healing Path. It is all about how to overcome IC naturally. Catherine had a very severe case, not all of us do. But the book is a wonderful guide and I am using it to help heal my bladder. A lot of what causes IC also causes endo, vice versa: Catherine writes a lot about having a “toxic” body and a lowered immune system. The idea behind the book is that our body can heal itself with proper detoxing and then rebuilding of the immune system. If you think you have IC you might want to check it out. It’s kind of scary at first because Catherine’s IC was so bad but she is completely healed! She also suffered from fibromyalgia, and, oh my goodness, I can’t spell it but it’s inflammation of the vagina I believe. She had a slew of other conditions as well that she was able to heal from. So there is hope!! if you think you have IC or know you do, try Catherine’s book!!!
Hi Natali,
I didn’t get an official diagnosis cos they have to stick a thingy up your … well you know and the thought of that sounds just nasty. Since they only confirm it and have no cure or reason for it, I personally didn’t see the point. 🙂
I think it is because they are both simply inflammatory conditions. The body is inflamed which will come out in various different organs. The UTI Clear does wonders! I am getting the Bladder Maintain one in the mail shortly.
Melissa,
Thank you for the post. I had only one operation, but they didn’t find anything either and it’s very frustrating. The question is how the symptoms could possibly be so identical? Were you diagnosed for Interstitial Cystitis?
Hi SJT, I doubt it could cause the other symptoms …. wishful thinking 🙂 but the hormonal imbalances certainly would. It might be that you have both, which is actually fairly common for endo girls. At least there is one possible pain you can cross off the list 🙂
This post is interesting, never considered it could be something like this, though I have run through several other options before (coming from a hypochondriac, that means A LOT of other things…). But I experience much more than just the symptoms above- usually pain around period, stomache issues, vomiting, intense fatigue and numerous other endo related symptoms for years. . . I’m about 98.5% sure that it’s endo (always leave some room for doubt). But just to satisfy the hypochondriac within me, is it possible that this bladder issue could cause ALL that? Seems far-fetched to me… but I have an appointment with my doctor soon anyways about the subject, so I guess I’ll find out *for sure* soon enough.