Interstitial Cystitis and Relaxation

I have recently been realizing that I need to focus on some relaxation techniques to retrain my pelvic floor. I am constantly holding my muscles in a state of tension and I believe this is one of the primary factors involved in causing my bladder to spasm. This is a common problem among IC sufferes. I've known this information for a long time, I just didn't "get it" until now. I realize that increased tension can result in decreased blood flow and nerve conduction to the affected area. I believe that if I can learn to decrease tension, I may be able to improve my body's ability to begin to heal. Let me tell you, learning to "relax" is NOT easy. The feeling is so foreign to my body. The minute I let the pelvic floor relax, I want to tense it again. Tension feels normal, and relaxation feels oh so abnormal. With practice, I believe I can begin to make relaxation feel normal.

I am still doing the bladder instillations. I went to the doctor last week and he recommended that because I am not really feeling any relief, I should continue for another 6 weeks. Lucky me. There are an infinite number of things I would rather be doing than being cathaterized on a weekly basis. I decided I needed to take a week off this week. Next week will begin my second series of six more instillations. Hopefully soon I will begin to feel some changes.

My IC Story

I am a little bit behind in my posting but New Dawn Pilates received a rave review from Molly Miller PT (consulting physical therapist for the Interstitial Cystitis Association). It's wonderful to have her support for this first project! If you want to see it, check out her website at:

www.roadtoslainte.blogspot.com


Tom and I are overjoyed to have such a positive review of the DVD.

New Dawn Pilates website is up and running!!!

The New Dawn Pilates website is FINALLY up and running!! Tom and I are very excited about this. The website will provide a forum for people struggling with pelvic pain disorders and exercise as well as allow people to purchase the DVD from us. The content is not 100% complete yet. We will be adding additional info on pelvic pain disorders, but this does not in any way affect the ability to use the website. Again, we are super happy that the official website is finished!

Bladder instillations and the Discovery of Tribulus

Since I wrote the last post, I have had three more bladder instillations...yes with the catheters. After my third one, I started experiencing increased bladder pain. I called a friend who has had IC for a number of years and asked her about the increased pain. She told me that when she first started getting bladder instillations several years ago, she would have to go home and sit on an ice bag because it bothered her so much. She told me that the increased symptoms should subside in a day or so. Relieved, I just waited out the symptoms and sure enough, by the next day things had calmed down. All in all though, I have not really had any remarkable breakthrough in my symptoms yet with the bladder instillations. According to some research I found on the internet, I may have another 6 weeks or so before I am really able to tell if anything changed. I am praying something improves! I did however find an AMAZING supplement that has helped me when I feel like I have a UTI. It is called tribulus and the company who makes it is called Standard Process. Originally, tribulus was marketed for impotence...probably not going to help ME much. However, recent research suggests that tribulus has little or no effect on impotence. Tribulus did prove to have an effect on bacteria of the urinary tract. In fact, it inhibited the growth of ALL infective bacteria of the urinary tract that were tested. I was nervous about trying this supplement because so many things (food, medication, supplements etc,) irritate my bladder. After a few days of taking this supplement, any symptoms of an infection I might have had went away! I couldn't be happier about the possibility of finding something that will take care of an infection without the use of antibiotics! I don't know if this product will be well tolerated by all IC patient's, but it certainly has been by me. Thank God! By the way, Thanks friends, family and strangers that check up on me.