Terrified of IC or something else, please help me!

[Leslie735]

This past couple weeks have been a whole new level of anxiety for me, it's unbelieveable how scared I have been. I have pretty much completely shut down and can hardly function. I find myself sitting on the couch under a blanket. I'm a married women of 2 young boys. Anyway, almost 2 weeks ago everything was fine, I went to get my hair cut and came home one evening. My oldest son had a cold so I was rubbing vicks vapor rub on his chest and back and feet. Afterward I washed my hands then went to the bathroom. Immediately, after I was done I had burning around to urethra. It felt UTI like and I thought I got vicks somehow down there so ran into the shower to get it off. Things calmed down but did not go away. I had light UTI symptoms over the next few days, the follow Monday (this all started on the Thursday night before) I went to see my Dr. to see if maybe I had a mild infection. My only symptom was feeling like I needed to urinate when I didn't. Very uncomfortable! The symptoms would come and go in intensity. She did a urinalysis but it came back perfectly clear. She said maybe my bladder was just overly contracting or something like that so gave me this medication that turns your urine orange and said if that didn't help to call her back in a couple days. So I went home, took the meds and I don't know if it was in my head or not but it made things much worse. So much so I couldn't sleep and was up all night. I called her back and she decided to go ahead and call me in a 5 day 250 mg twice a day Cipro antibiotic. Freaked out but it all I started googling my symptoms and came up with all kinda of terrible things. The one that scared me the most was Interstitial Cystitis and urethral syndrome. I went into a terrible panic. Couldn't do anything but stay on the couch and worry. My husband even missed work to stay with me. The meds helped and made me feel better so I got a little more positive until this past Saturday night. I was feeling pretty good all day, was starting to get rid the anxiety some and then that evening before I went to bed the symptoms came back. The pressure feeling of needing to go to the bathroom but no burning or pain involved. I was up most of the night. By Sunday morning the symptoms have subsided and I took my last antibiotic. Ever since I've been in a terrible panic. Yesterday, while my hubby was at work my Mom had to come over to keep me company. I can't even look forward to Christmas (today is Christmas eve) b/c I'm so stricken with worry. Somebody please help me. All I'm doing is sitting on my couch, praying to God and worrying that the symptoms are not going to return. :*( I'm a 29 year old female by the way. Thank you everyone!

---------- Post added at 14:57 ---------- Previous post was at 13:37 ----------

Anyone? I'm so scared! :*(

---------- Post added at 16:11 ---------- Previous post was at 14:57 ----------

Somebody? I'm really worried and scared. :(

[Althea]

There's also a pretty common syndrome that sounds much like what you describe and that I know well, unfortunately: a bladder prone to irritation by certain foods.

Here's a list of possible culprits from the Cleveland Clinic:
http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/overactive_bladder/hic_bladder_irritating_foods.aspx

If there's anything on there you recently had an unusual amount of, that's a good place to start. (For me it was oranges.)

[Leslie735]

Thank you, I have ready about foods causing problems during my google searches. The only things on that list that I have regularly is yogurt, bananas, grape jelly (maybe b/c of the grapes listed) and tomatoes.

[emeraldgirl]

Had something really similar a few weeks ago. No trace of infection in my urine sample but just the same feelings as you. I did have traces of blood though which got me really scared. I also googled and came up with IC. The doctor said it was probably just a bit of an irritable bladder. It hasn't returned. Try not to worry.

[Leslie735]

Had something really similar a few weeks ago. No trace of infection in my urine sample but just the same feelings as you. I did have traces of blood though which got me really scared. I also googled and came up with IC. The doctor said it was probably just a bit of an irritable bladder. It hasn't returned. Try not to worry.

Thank you! When I've had symptoms I have only felt it in my urethra area. Is there where you felt it? Did you worry as much as I am? I just had to have my husband come home from work b/c I was so scared.

[emeraldgirl]

Yes! I was in a dreadful state, had to see GP out of hours due to the anxiety and had to stay off work all due to the anxiety not the symptoms and yes the nagging ache was just the same place as yours, although I did have some really low down aching in abdomen too. I posted on here about it I was in such a state. I was actually hoping it was IC at the time as it was the best of all the options google was coming up with. Hope you are feeling a bit better.

[HoneyLove]

Hi Leslie, if you've only had this problem for a couple of days I really wouldn't worry about IC. If it ever did turn out to be IC some day in the future then there are lots of treatments - dont scare yourself by reading worst case scenarios online.

I've had issues like this on and off for years, and I've had the same as you - lots of burning and pressure but no infection, sometimes when the doc checks a urine sample there's a little blood in it too. It worried me for a while, but I began to notice that certain things can affect it:

- wearing tights or tight fitting pants too much
- drinking too much caffeine
- drinking too many sugary drinks
- unhealthy diet, like too many fatty foods
- sitting too long in my job, not taking proper regular breaks to move about
- it sometimes happens around ovulation or just before my period, so hormones may be a factor
- stress levels
- drinking alcohol
- being overweight, I began to feel much better once I lost some
- eating a mainly gluten free diet seems to help me as gluten tends to slow my digestion down and puts pressure on my lower abdomen, I'm not coeliac but if I don't overload myself with gluten I tend to feel a lot better.

I don't have IC, but there are many things that can affect our bladders. If lots of these things are in combination all at once it can lead to problems, at least in my own experience.

Best thing you can do is take a look at your own body & lifestyle to see what seems to be making you so sensitive and see what you can do to improve the situation. If it persists then a chat with your doc would be a good idea.

Just try to take it rationally instead of jumping to the worst possible conclusion straight away x

[Leslie735]

Thank you everyone! :)