IC or something else?

[smckenn]

I have has 12 UTI's this year. I went yesterday to have thepotassium test and they told me I might possibly have IC even though I only mildly felt pain from the solution being injected into my bladder.

The past 8 months I have been nauseous, pain in left lower abdomen (burning, throbbing), dizzy, headaches, frequent urination, frequent UTI's (although only comes back with white blood cells in urine and I do not respond to antibiotics), fullness feeling in abdomen, fatigue, and extreme thirst.

I have had urodynamics test done, a CT scan, ultrasound, urnialysis, and not the potassium test and yet my symptoms are still here. Any ideas what it could be or is there something they could be missing?

[David A Burks, MD]

Hi,  The first issue is--what is your diagnosis?  You didn't mention it but what did the urine cultures while you had symptoms show?  To have IC you have to have symptoms with a urine culture showing no infection.  IC usually doesn't cause dizziness, headaches and extreme thirst.  You hay have a second disorder going on unrelated to the bladder symptoms.  Are you a diabetic??  The potassium test is not a good test to determine if you have IC. If antibiotics are not relieving your symptoms, either you don't have a UTI or you do but Macrobid is not the right antibiotic.  Its certainly possible to have frequent UTIs and have IC.  Once you're sure you have symptoms when you don't have a UTI, and you've been infection free for at lease a month you need the cystoscopy and hydrodistention to rule out IC discussed above.  Good Luck.

[smckenn]

thanks you. I have a follow-up with the urologist next week and he said if he wasn't happy with the results from the potassium test then we'd do the cystoscopy next. I've been on a constant round of a macrobid but stopped taking it because it was making me sick and wasn't preventing the UTI's. I can't take Batrim because my body reacts to the sulfer unfortunately.

I am really glad you finally figured out what your deal was. I know even without the chronic UTI's, I am constantly having to go the bathroom...so maybe it is IC afterall.

[Totie]

Have you had a cystoscopy done? That is what discovered my cystitis sciatia, basically all of my "plumbing" pertaing to the bladder is severely inflammed. I am on a 6 month course of Bactrim, have been since Oct., but don't see a change in the frequent urination.

I have apparetnly had this for years 7+ and not one doctor ever sent me to a urologist. I never tested positive for a UTI, and it was not painful, now it is only slightly painful, but not much. My problem was the frequent urination. I literally go 25-35 times a day. I can not hold my liquids, LITERALLY. I try to stay under 40 oz of liquid a day to avoid going. I am only comfortable with a complete empty bladder.

I would ask for a cystoscopy of the bladder.