Recurring Cystitis? Interstitial Cystitis?

I'm 17 years old, and have been getting bladder problems for well over a year now.
I get very bad pain when urinating, I feel a constant need and urgency to urinate. And when I do urinate, it is over very small amounts.
I tend not to be able to leave the bathroom, for when I leave, I find myself needing to go back to the bathroom again straight away. I often get very sore aswell and wearing underwear can be very painful.
Although it usually never lasts for more than a day or two, I can get these problem up to around 3 times a month and it becomes very inconvenient and I become very restricted in what I can do as I am not able to leave the house.
I would like any information on what it is that I have and what can be done about it?
Thank you

[hickchick]

have u gone to a doctor to have it checked out? i would definitally do that! i am 21 and i have been fighting a pelvic pain for 3 years, they removed my appendix thinking that was it and it was not. they have done 4 different test on me and evything came back normal. now i have to go see s urologist because they think i have a disease in my bladder calles interstital cystitis. ik what ur going through.

[kappycake]

I have been to the doctors quite a few times about it, 2 of the times I just got given a prescription for antibiotics and sent away, and then the last time I went they took a urine sample for tests but they never got back to me about them and then I phoned them they tried to tell me that they had no idea what I was talking about, they didn't have my results and I had apparently never given them a sample. So I'm a bit stuck on what's going on at the moment

[Melissa_1982]

I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis MORE then 10 yrs ago & still suffer from it.  I had been put on meds to help it, but havent been on any in at least 6 yrs.  It is VERY painful. They will probably want to do a Cystoscopy which is basically a catheter palced into your bladder & they then fill it with saline & empty it, them fill it with potassium & empty it.  if it burns with the potassium then it's definitely interstitial cystitis.  I remember that pain as vividly as I remember the births of my 5 kids & my god it hurt.  Be sure to take the meds they prescribe as if u dont you can burn a hole in ur bladder which is VERY painful & you will most likely have a special diet to folow such as no foods high in potassium like bananas.

hope that helps. feel free to msg me if you want more info.

Melissa

[ICanHelpYouToo]

Potassium test has been discredited; should not be done anymore.

[Melissa_1982]

oh ok TY for that update.  I need to be re-checked as I have a new DR since I was tested last & she had said the test would be the same as before.  Do u know what they do now instead

[achilles2]

When it is difficult and painful to uriniate is it around the time of your period if so you might want to find a endometriosis specialists and get checked for endo.

[achilles2]

I did not get to finish my post-- I wanted to let you the test is a cystocopy with hydrodistention
http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/interstitialcystitis/#diagnosis

To help with mine I take Elmiron and know what food triggers I need to avoid. *which is different for everyone for example a website says that pears are safe and to avoid strawberries well it is the exact opposite for me.)

achilles2