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Catherine - Canada.....
It was a bright, sunshiny day at the lake. My husband and I were at a
cottage for a week in August of 1997 and were enjoying our vacation. I felt
like I was experiencing a urinary tract infection, but, it was mild, so I drank
cranberry juice and soldiered on.
When the symptoms increased, I saw my doctor and had a urine culture and
sensitivity done. It came back negative. He put me on a course of antibiotics
anyway and I did seem to feel better. The symptoms recurred and more
antibiotics were prescribed (I haven't had them since..).
I asked to be referred to a urologist and traveled 1 ½ hours to see him. He
catheterized me to investigate and it was pure agony. Why he would do this when
I told him how sore I was is beyond me. The ride home was a treat - not! He
eventually sent a letter to my family doctor to say I had an 'irritable
bladder'. As this doctor did not look at me once during our conversation and
he was deaf in one ear and couldn't hear out of the other, I was less than
impressed.
I asked my G.P. for a second chance with another urologist. Thankfully he
agreed. Now, this man was wonderful. He told me right off that he thought it
was interstitial cystitis, but, that the only way he could be sure was with a
cystoscopy under a general anesthetic. I truly do hate anesthetics, but, wanted
answers. I was booked and the procedure proved him correct. This was
in April 1998.
Wouldn't the world be a better place if the western medical profession had
closer links to the eastern medical profession?
For that 8 months before diagnosis I suffered terribly with urethral spasms. It
got to the point where if I dropped something on the floor, it was agony to bend
over to pick it up. Ditto every time I sat down. The urologist gave me a
prescription for Buscopam which helped the spasms, but, traveling in a car
seemed to set them off. Isn't that fun?
I was told that Rimso 50 treatments (DMSO) would help my symptoms. I wanted to
believe the urologist. I had to believe him. I was desperate. What choice
did I have? And so, crazy and maddening as it seems to be typing this, I
endured a treatment once a month (sometimes more) for the next 5 years. Being
catheterized, having the DMSO instilled in my bladder, and having to hold it
there for an agonizing 20 minutes. Oh, I tried telling myself 'at least it's
not chemo' and 'there are people worse off than I am', but, deep down it was
something that had me so upset I dreaded the impending appointments and likened
them to a torture chamber.
One evening when I couldn't start a stream and felt I was about to burst, and
was in tears with the pain, my husband took me over to the Emergency Dept. (I
phoned to say I was coming - they knew me from being there once a month) so I
could be catheterized. It was a 10 on the scale of 1-10 in agony. Just as I
arrived they brought in a man on a stretcher that had had a heart attack and he
was their priority patient. When he was wheeled by me I thought to myself that
he had passed away, but, knew they would try to do all they could. Meanwhile, I
paced. I had taken another Buscopam on the way over and went into the washroom
and turned the tap on and prayed that I could void, even just a little. I did
and went out and told my husband we were going back home. A nurse was chasing
me out into the parking lot to say they could help me now, the man was
deceased. Bye, bye..
That night I searched the internet. I knew there had to be someone out there
who could help me. I don't know how I found Matia, call it fate, call it my
stars all being lined up in a row.. whatever..my life changed from that day on.
My first contact with Bomamed was with Jane. She was extremely helpful,
insightful, and contacted two other Canadians asking them to e-mail me. One
lady did and I was in touch with her to find out her story and we've gone back
and forth.
What a wonderful woman Matia is! She's so personable, patient, and caring.
Talking to her, you just know that she understands how you are feeling and goes
out of her way to help you.
I felt like I had been saved! There would be life with IC!
I started on her diet. This program is not for the faint of heart, or to be
entered into lightly. Your will power HAS to exceed your breaking point.
The next 6 months of herbs, phone consultations, and dieting was extremely
difficult. No, more than extremely difficult. Added to that, I live in Canada
and paying in U.S. dollars was expensive with the exchange. FedEx loves me. I
paid U.S. FedEx and then had to turn around and pay FedEx Canada as well. I'm
expecting a Christmas card from them this year!
It's been so worth it. What Matia has done for me is give me my life back. I'm
off the 4 times a day Buscopam. I haven't had a DMSO treatment since December
24th, 2003 (Merry Christmas to me in 7 days!) It's almost my one year
anniversary. I haven't consumed alcohol in about 1½ years, so that will not be
part of my celebrations. I have had spasms twice in the past year.
Ironically, the last episode was just last Saturday evening. It lasted for 10
hours and was quite bad. I had two Buscopam in that 10 hours and it eased it a
bit. I'm hoping these do not rear their ugly head again. I don't know what set
them off, but they have left again.
I haven't been a saint with my diet since Matia has told me she thinks I'm well
on my way to recovery. I've been extremely fortunate. I've gone through her
treatment program quite quickly and with excellent results, but have to take
each day as a new beginning.
The only glitch in the cure process was a trip to Mexico in March of this year.
Matia told me not to eat any of the vegetables offered at the hotel, even though
it was a 5-Star hotel. That week sent me spiraling down into constipation
hell. It took me a couple of months to get straightened out again. If I were
to do it again, I think I'd rather tempt the fate of the IC gods, and eat the
vegetables.
I've tried to keep my sense of humour the past 7 years. No one likes a moaner.
I named my disease Icabod. It's 'icky' and it's in my 'body'. My closest
friends will ask me how Icabod is doing and it takes a bit of the sting out of
the medical terminology. My husband has been a phenomenal support. I couldn't
have done it without him. He's stuck by my diet and done it along with me as
much as he could stand.
My urologist is very interested in my progress and I've told both he and my G.P.
to have any of their IC patients call me. Sadly, none have. You have to be a
believer...
"My name is Catherine, and I'm a chocoholic". It's really hard to stay away
from it, even though I know that sugar is 'white death'. And so, I take it day
by day, trying to be strong and on track. I am so thankful to know that Matia
is just an e-mail away with my enquiries and concerns. When she was born, God
must have decided that he had a special mission for her life. I'm just
glad that mine has crossed paths with hers. She's an angel! Because of her
research I have a long life to look forward to now, and I don't have to dread
anymore DMSO! Thank you Matia, from the bottom of my heart!
P.S. Losing the 25 lbs on your diet is a bonus!
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