Bladder Instillation by Cathater

Well, so far my UTI thing seems to have subsided. Thank God! It's been going on for months and months! I've been trying to decide for quite some time now what other treatment I want to try. I really feel like I am much more open to doing whatever I need to do to feel better. Although I desperately wanted to feel better before, I would never even consider the possibility of medication, maybe some sort of phobia or something of mine. Anyway, I came across a recent forum where a girl had developed IC at the age of 16. She stated that after some careful "thought and prayer" amongst her and her family, they decided that doing the bladder instillations would be the appropriate course of treatment for her. She is now 21 years old and doing quite well. Once I read her article, it was as if I too felt like I could prayerfully consider the idea of the bladder instillations. I decided that this also would be the right course of treatment for me to take. I had my first instillation by cathater last Tuesday, the 18th. The cocktail that I am currently using is a blend of heparin, lidocaine, saline and sodium bicarbonate. It is said that heparin has a similar composition as the mucosal lining of the bladder. The idea is that by putting heparin directly into the bladder, it encourages the formation of a new mucosal lining which is thought to be missing or damaged in IC patients. The formation of a new mucosal lining in the bladder reduces the amount of irritants That come in contact with it, thereby reducing pain. Sodium Bicarbonate (fancy term for sterile baking soda) is added to alkalize the mixture increasing it's permeability into the bladder wall. Finally, Lidocaine is a numbing agent decreasing sensitivity within the bladder. Treatments are given 1 a week for 6 weeks, then 1 a week for a period of time and eventually going into a maintance phase. I will not know if this has helped me or not until about week 10. I am really hoping it does. I would really like to take a vacation somewhere this summer. It's been a long time since I've been able to go anywhere so I am really wishing there will be some break through for me soon.