Online Resources and Support for Interstitial Cystitis

Interstitial Cystitis is a bladder disease that results in a chronic and severe inflammation of the bladder wall. Like many other chronic illnesses, the cause is unknown and Interstitial Cystitis patients will go in remission for periods, and then their symptoms will flare. Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis include urinary frequency, urgency, pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic region, and vaginal bleeding. There is also severe pressure in the pelvic region that can make it difficult to walk.

Some illnesses related to Interstitial Cystitis are Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, endometriosis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, lupus and myofascial pain syndrome.

When someone asks an IC patient what Interstitial Cystitis feels like, he or she may have trouble explaining how severe the illness is. How I have often described Interstitial Cystitis to people is that it feels like having a bladder infection times ten 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

When I first became ill with Interstitial Cystitis I was desperately seeking answers online. My symptoms were so severe that I had to ride in the electric carts at the grocery store because the pain and pressure were so severe I couldn't walk more than a few feet. I thought for sure that no one else could be feeling as bad as I was. Once I started researching Interstitial Cystitis, I was surprised to find that there are not a lot of websites that focus on this illness. I have been able to find a few online resources and support websites and blogs that have been a great source of information.

Interstitial Cystitis Network, http://www.ic-network.com