In November of 2004, when I was 21 years old, I contracted what seemed like another run-of-the-mill urinary tract infection.  I've been prone to UTIs throughout my life, and this one was no different - I had burning upon urination, horrible pressure, frequency, bladder soreness, etc.  I tried to get an appointment at my doctor's office, but because it was around Thanksgiving and going into the hectic holiday season, they could not squeeze me in.  Instead, the receptionist said she would have the doctor to phone me in a prescription and pain reliever at my local pharmacy.  The prescription was for a round of Levaquin (broad spectrum antibiotic) and a bottle of something similar to AZO-Standard, which numbs the urinary tract.  I only took the prescription for Levaquin because I'd already been using an over-the-counter urinary analgesic to counter the burning (didn't help much, though).

I felt a little better upon finishing the Levaquin, in that I no longer had to take the analgesic tablets because my burning was gone.  But I still had terrible pressure and frequency.  This time, I visited a different doctor, who was kind enough to fit me into her schedule.  She found a trace of white blood cells in my urine and gave me another dose of Levaquin to get rid of it.  It didn't help.  By this time, I was getting really frustrated because now it was Christmastime, I was finishing up with final exams in my college classes, and I was also working insane hours at my job on third shift (I worked with people who had behavioral problems, mental disturbances, or sometimes just severe mental retardation; it was a scary, stressful, and dangerous environment).  This doctor was persistent in trying to find out why I had pressure, still, and all of these other problems.  She put me on Doxycycline for my third round of antibiotics, and then a week later, she did a pelvic exam.  This
doctor found that I had yeast and bacterial vaginosis, so she gave me a prescription for Diflucan and an antibiotic for the vaginosis, called Metro-gel, which is used internally. 

The Metro-gel burned me terribly, and it was all I could do now at night to sleep after using that particular antibiotic.  I still had pressure, frequency, etc., but now I also had vaginal soreness and pelvic pain/soreness.  I held on to the belief that it was just the yeast or whatever bothering me, and soon I would be better.  I returned to the doctor after using all of that stuff...she still found yeast and the Metro-gel was not effective against the bacterial vaginosis.  This time, she prescribed another antibiotic, Flagyll, to kill the vaginosis, and gave me more Diflucan.  The Flagyll made me burn even more than using the Metro-gel, internally...Flagyll is a pill.  It was horrible.  I took all of that.  Finally, I guess the doctor realized that I was serious when I said something was very wrong...she didn't give me anymore antibiotics, but instead prescribed out of not knowing what else to do, a Diflucan, without the other drugs.  Taking the Diflucan alone made the pressure in
my pelvic area subside, and I was incredibly relieved.  That was the most difficult symptom of the time, and I'd had it for two months by the time I got rid of it.

I found out about IC when I was typing on a search engine, looking up 'frequency'.  I still had frequency and pelvic pain, along with a sore urethral/vaginal area, although I no longer had pressure.  This disease, Interstitial Cystitis, came back.  I read that there is no cure...I was terrified.  My doctor referred me to a urologist, who did not really want to do the test for IC because he said if I had it, it was a mild case.  I was voiding 3-5 ounces at a time.  Apparently, some doctors feel that in order to qualify for a diagnosis of IC, a person has to use the bathroom around 50 times a day.  At about 15 or 20 voids a day, I guess he didn't think I came close enough.  He gave me some meds for overactive bladder, to see if that would help...it didn't. 

Needless to say, I didn't return to any of those doctors.  I went home, got on the computer, and found out about Bomamed and Matia Brizman.  I was skeptical at first and the diet seemed extreme, but I was pretty desperate.  I debated about if for awhile, then I decided to go to church.  They were having a healing service that evening.  I hoped to glean something from it.  You know what the message was on?  It was about how if you want to receive healing, you have to change what you've been doing.  Not exactly what I WANTED to hear, but I guess it was what I NEEDED to hear, because that was the push I needed to call Bomamed.  I called in March 2005, had my first appointment in April, on my birthday, of all days!  I did not get my usual birthday cake because I was now on this strict diet...

The diet was a nightmare for me at first.  No cakes, no cookies, nothing good.  I used to love eating junk food, fast food, etc.  Now I had to cook all my meals at home.  It was a sad time, in the beginning.  Plus, I was impatient...I wanted to be better NOW.  Chinese medicine is slow because I guess when you have damage, it takes time to repair.  As for the die-off symptoms, I got a cold that lasted for about 3 days.  Mine wasn't really too bad.  I think I also had, and still have, a lot of vaginal discomfort from die-off or treatment.  Things slowly started to improve.  I noticed that with starting the diet and switching to ONLY spring water, my pelvic pain and bladder soreness went down a good 80%.  My frequency also leveled out, although I did experience a relapse back in June '05 with it...I think now it was just die-off, and it only lasted for one day.  Still, it was a little hard to handle.

Now it is August 2005.  I have NEVER cheated on the diet, and I am happy with my new eating habits.  I look forward to making a complete recovery.  I have had amazing progress: I no longer have urethral spasms, pelvic pain is completely alleviated, for the most part, and I void AT LEAST 10 ounces!!  Sometimes, I void up to 16 or even 20 ounces.  My bladder feels much more calm.  In fact, the only things that really bug me now...I feel soreness inside my urethral area, and my urethra feels weak, like when my bladder gets filled up, the urethra has trouble supporting the weight of the urine or something.  Matia and other people who are in treatment have assured me that it is just some tissue that probably hasn't yet healed, but I know that eventually, that will be gone, too.  I also still have some vaginal irritation. 

I'm very thankful to Matia.  She has a wonderful staff in Raquel. Plus, there's a really nice support group for Matia's patients.  Most of all, I am thankful to God for all the life I've had and yet to have and for giving me a chance to have it restored.  I think miracles can happen, still, if we just have the patience to wait.  For me, I feel like I've had a miracle.  As for IC being incurable, that is a statement made by man.  Man is not the ultimate authority on human life.

I will continue to update this story until I am completely recovered.  If someone out there is having problems with their bladder, please give Matia a good chance to work on your illness.  It might take awhile, but you'll overcome it.