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Urinary Frequency and Urgency for 4 months!! Help!

I'm a 20 year old female and I've never had any urgency or frequency problems until now. Lately I have to go 10 or more times a day. It is worse if I exercise or bump about (like in the car). I don't have any leakage though. It all started 4 months ago in May. I've been dealing with it as best I can but it's interfering with my life and I'm so sick of it... the problem started while on a car trip (which was terrible timing, let me tell you). I had to stop every 15 min. to pee. My parents are tired of driving anywhere with me because I have to stop so often. I've been put on oxybutynin, which didn't work for me at all, then Detrol LA, which relieves the constant 'gotta go' symptoms somewhat. Urinary Tract Infection has been ruled out (several times I might add) and diabetes. I've had some blood tests done which all came back normal. Finally visited a gyno-urologist a couple weeks ago. The gyno-urologist gave me an antibiotic for inflamation, which worked for a while but I wasn't able to finish it (horrid side effects- stomach upset, nausia) so now I'm back to square one. Doctor wants me to do one of those 24 hour urine diaries. I'm just wishing someone could give me a straight answer as to what's going on. Today the burning/discomfort in my bladder and urethral area and frequency have been interfering with my sleep. It's so frustrating! What's wrong with me?? Help please!
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489228 tn?1291531454
Godgirl,
   Believe it or not bladder pain can cause low back pain.  I suffered for years
with pain and did not realize it was my bladder.  I have a chronic low level infection
as well as many many kidney stones and IC. It was not until my 2nd bladder instill
when every thing went numb for the first time in my life, and this huge light went off...
like wow, that is weird.  I do not know that I had ever experienced no bladder pain...
and when my low back pain left as well, I was amazed!

   I have just finished writing a book for children with IC based on my own experience and suffering as a child.  We had no idea, I thought I had stomach aches etc.  My step grandfather was even a doctor but little was know about IC back then

A good uro will rule out other issues and truthfully chronic cystitis even with a negative UA has the same symptoms as IC but can be cured.  There is a good article on the difference between chronic cystits and interstitial Cystitis on our website., however either way right now you have frequency and bladder pain, so many of the things that help might help you while you find your answer.

   Did you ask your doctor's office if they treat Intersitital Cystitis or complicate chronic infection or chronic cystitis?  If they do, I would request a visit with the doctor himself
to talk about your concerns etc.  If not then you would know you might need to find a urologist more knowledgeable about these.  Getting an IC diagnosis does take time and patience since other issues do need to ruled out first, however again some of the self help things might help you make it through in the meantime and it does help to
as the doctor if this could be what is causing your pain.

I will add one thing, as an iC support group leader, I have found  truthfully a doctor who may not have all the knowledge or even be experience in IC, if they are compassionate and open to learning more about it as well, as working with you to find your solutions
may often be the best doctor to have.  IC is a very individual disease and finding what' helps you take time!

Keep me posted on how you are doing!
Shelly
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi,
There are 2 things which need to be ruled out first before thinking of anything especially in the case of females. Firstly, an infection of the urinary tract which is quite common in the case of females and especially cystitis (infection/inflammation of the urinary bladder). This commonly causes increased frequency of micturition. The other possibility is of a stone in the urinary tract, especially in the ureter which can cause increased frequency of micturition. An ultrasound/CT scan abdomen will help in ruling out the stones. Once these two possibilities are ruled out, then only one should think of other ones like diabetes etc. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care.
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Avatar universal
Went to the uro-gyn again today and only saw a nurse. It's pretty frustrating to drive an hour and a half for a nurse to look at you, attempt to use a catheter on you, then have you pee in a cup and tell you something that you already knew: you don't have a UTI. Then she had the nerve to say that if I have back pain, I should see my primary care doctor. It makes me mad because my lower abdomen was throbbing slightly on the way back from the doctors and my back hurts more than it did earlier. I really done think the two are unrelated.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you so much for the information. I was wondering if I had IC since I'd read about it online.

The antibiotic,doxycycline, I was given was to treat the burning symptom I was having around my urethra. It seemed to help a little and I didn't have to use the bathroom as often while I was on it. I'm not sure how much of this was the medicine and how much of it was me wishing for it to work. I couldn't finish all 14 days because of the havoc it was reeking on my digestive system. I'm going to have my urine tested again today since my symptoms got much worse over the weekend. I've had to get up 4x a night for two days now and am having mild burning lower back pain as well.

I took the questionarre on the Elmiron website and got a fairly high result, which makes me even more suspicious that it could be IC. I wonder if it's possible to have IC and have pain more in your urethra/vaginal area than in your bladder. My bladder just feels like there is a slight pressure on it and feels uncomfortable. I've tried cutting out orange juice and cranberry juice which seemed to make everything worse when I drank it. Thanks so much for the info, I'll try to update this when I find out what's going on.
Helpful - 0
489228 tn?1291531454
It is possible that you have chronic cystitis or Interstitial Cystitis.  I have IC and am an IC support group Leader for Missouri and Arkansas.  I just posted to someone else
with very similiar issue so will copy and post here as well. I hope we will try find good he

Chronic cystitis does not always show on standard UA's or cultures since those test are designed to find low level bacteria.  The test we use today have been around for a very long time over 100's for cultures not sure how long on the standard dip sticks but recently doctors have begun to understand more about complicated or chronic infections.  

The symptoms of these are the same and only a good urologist with time can help determine which maybe causing your symptoms..   It helps to ask to make sure the doctor you are going to is familiar with Interstitial Cystitis as well as asking if they treat complicated infections like chronic cystitis.  Chronic Cystitis can be cured in time with long term antibiotic treatment that will keep you on a low dose antibiotic.  

Do your symptoms improve or disappear when you are on antibiotics?

It may take trying different ones since they can also be resistant to what you are taken.  Standard cultures are designed to find acute not chronic infections!   This is crucial to ruling out chronic cystitis.

There is no cure for IC however there are many treatments that help control the IC symptoms.  I have IC and am an IC support group leader Our support group is set up mainly to network patients and medical practitioners throughout Missouri and Arkansas, but I have tried to put a lot of articles on the board to help any patient as well. Our group is MOARK IC.

Either way your having bladder pain right now, and need help!  The first step like I said is to find a good urologist that treats both of the things listed above.

Also the Elmeron website has a questionarie that test you the likelihood that you might have IC.  Now keep in mind again they symptoms are the same but taking this questionarie to your physician can help him in the diagnosis process.  It basically lets them know they need to consider IC.

There are several great sites/organizations that can help you learn more about IC
and the self help and info can help control your symptoms while you are getting treatment if it is chronic cystitis as well.

You can pm me for the links and information on these if you would like them!

Now in the meantime... here are some self help things you can try to get you through,  get a water bottle with spray top and rinse yourself off every time you go to the bathroom... you can put a little baking soda in it as well since it is soothing.

You can use the AZO The is another one on the market called Cystex too.  Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure these are OK for you to try. Ice sometimes also feels really good and sometimes heat, but not too hot to increase inflammation.  Soaking a warm not too hot bath, with baking soda in the water helps a lot too.  I know when I was first diagnoised or in the process I spent a lot of time in tub... not that easy with 3 that close in age but they are also not babies any more either and can understand mom is not feeling well!  

I also found a natural herb that helped my pain issues, it is called Nerveblend Sp-14 by Solaray.  Meadow brook carries it here in town, I just pain I think $7 for 100 capsules.  This helps me rest etc.  Discuss with your doctor any medication even herbal you try to make sure they do not interact with your other medications.

Also drink water to keep things diluted!  Many also take either baking soda in water 1 tsp I think, ( make sure it is OK if you are on heart meds etc.)  I capsulized it myself and take it when my urine is real acidic  The other thing you can take is called Prelief.  It is over the counter.. as well and somehow helps to make your foods less acidic too

Diet is a big thing and avoiding acids foods as well as preservatives is important. The bladder is irritated and needs time to heal.  There are several good articles on the websites above on diet that will help a lot.. however the big triggers are cranberry or very acidic foods or spicy foods, caffeine in any form, soda, coffee, chocolate etc.,preservatives along with alcohol and sm
alcohol or smoking,


I hope this helps!

Shelly


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Avatar universal
also, i usually don't have to go very much. a few oz. at a time.
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Avatar universal
They told me they didn't find any bacteria in the samples they took. : /  I've had a few uti's in the past but not in several years. I have the burning sensation almost all the time, along with slight pressure on my bladder. The burning isn't when I pee. It doesn't burn until a few minutes after I go. I am a virgin so the last question doesn't apply.
Helpful - 0
1022177 tn?1252160753
Do you know why they ruled out a urinary tract infection? I have had so many of them, both severe and minor and your symptoms sound very similar.

When you do pee is there very little in amount? And does it burn when you are finished? Did this problem develop after having intercourse?


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