Interstitial Cystitis (IC) Support Group

I am in the same situation as far as IC and extreme pain so I can relate, it's not fun! I am not longer able to work and live on the couch aside from leaving for my weekly doctors appointments. I am using pain pills that don't seem to make a dent especially when my pain goes from bad to worse, but continue to use them. I have tried numerous (at least 6) different drugs for anti depressants since certain ones are supposed to be beneficial for IC pain. I had bad reactions to them so was unable to continue but ones continually prescribed would be Amitriptyline, Nortriptyline to name a few. I was recently given one that targets the nerves and on the 2nd day was able to cut my pain meds in half which is huge. I had an adverse reaction to it but am restarting on a lower dose in hopes it will work and I will not have any reactions. That medication is called Gabapentin (I believe also called Nuerotin) my suggestion would be what I said above first and if that does not work move on to the nerve blockers. Good luck.

I am on many meds but have added Neurontin in the last 6 months and am now up to 800 mg, 3 x daily. I also have a high tolerance to the effects of pain drugs. The best thing I have found, the a wonderful pain management doctor is the "hypogastric plexus nerve block", a simple procedure done in a surgery center with very light sedation (I once did with no sedation). The doctor injects through the back in front of the spine. The 1st time I had it done lasted for 6 months. A significant relief of pain, and also did not need to get bladder infusion treatments. I am about to have my third procedure done on Tuesday. This procedure has been a miracle to me. I even had the botox injections in my bladder done by my urologists, but because of the heightened sensitivity of my nerves turned out to be a bad experience. I suggest you try to find a really good pain management doctor to help you. I have found that between my urologist and my PM doc I have finally come to a place where IC doesn't rule my life all the time.