How to Cope with Interstitial Cystitis Flares

Interstitial Cystitis, also known as IC Disease for short, is a painful, chronic bladder disease. Interstitial Cystitis is so painful due to the inflammation of the bladder wall. Like many other chronic illnesses, the cause is unknown and it can be very frustrating living with this illness. The main symptoms of IC Disease include urinary frequency, urgency, pain and pressure in the vaginal area and the lower abdominal region.

I was diagnosed with IC Disease approximately four years ago and during that time I have developed some coping skills that have helped me to deal with both the physical and mental aspects of the disease.

Most IC patients will find that the first few months up to the first year of their illness are the worst. My symptoms were so severe the first several months that I could not walk more than a few feet. The pain and pressure were so severe that walking through the grocery store became impossible. Symptoms typically will begin to decrease and IC patients will tend to have "flares", which are a sudden and dramatic worsening of their bladder symptoms. Learning some coping skills early on in your IC illness can help you deal with the flares when they happen.

Here are some tips I have found helpful in managing and coping with my Interstitial Cystitis:

Journal your symptoms and urinary frequency. I found that in order to know how to control my flares I needed to journal my symptoms and urinary frequency. The first year of my illness I was urinating every 10 minutes. Along with journaling symptoms, you need to write down everything you eat, drink, the supplements and prescriptions you take daily.

Was my flare due to sexual intercourse with my spouse? This can be a tough one for many women. I know of a few women with IC Disease who have completely given up sex with their husbands because the pain and the flares are so severe after intercourse. There are ways to still have sexual relations with your spouse and not have a flare. You can try changing positions and spicing up your sex life in other ways. The missionary position tends to be the worst for IC women so experiment a little and talk to your spouse.

Purchase Depends and don't be afraid to wear them! Many times new IC patients will be afraid to go anywhere due to the urinary frequency and urgency. I didn't want to live the rest of my life as a shut in so I purchased Depends so that in case there wasn't a bathroom close by I would have some protection.

Use heat to help with the pain. I bought a heating pad and take a lot of warm showers with the water running over my abdomen when I am having a flare. The heat is very welcoming and seems to ease the pain.

Ask your doctor for prescription painkillers. The pain of IC Disease is unique to where over-the-counter painkillers do not help. Always follow the recommended dosages prescribed by your physician and if you find you are not getting any pain relief, talk to your doctor before increasing the dosage on your own. Muscle relaxers and opioids are often used to treat moderate to severe IC pain.

Try to avoid stress. Stress always makes everything worse, including IC symptoms. Learn some relaxation and breathing techniques to help avoid stress. Talk to your family, friends, co-workers and boss about your illness and the effects stress has on your symptoms.

Reach out for support. There are many online support groups and local support groups you can reach out to for support in helping you deal with your illness. Finding support and having other people to talk to with the same illness can be very therapeutic and can be emotionally healthy also.

Hopefully these tips will help others deal with IC Disease and you can still have a happy and full life despite your illness.