keep me posted, i'm considering it but am worried about it's side effects and how long it takes to become effective.
good luck
aloha

I just started Elmiron 1 month ago. It has not helped me at all and my doc said it can take up to 6 mos. to take into effect. I don't know if it will even help or if I should stick out the 6 mos. I don't have any side effects though. It is too expensive and the people w/ IC I have talked to says it doesn't work. Does anyone know if it is worth taking?

I hate to be negative....but I haven't met a soul as of yet who elmiron has helped; I took it for a very long time; expensive and didn't help a bit...........I recently posted a article in one of my journal entries from the IC Assoc. it pretty much says that in spite of research over the last decade no cure for IC; no successful treatments for IC ...and it is the year 2007!!! They just don't have the funding to do more research......truthfully I find taking care of myself; to avoid IC flares up is a full time job.......the only thing that has helped me is I had the Interstim device implanted....and it seems like I dont have as many flares and when I have pain it doesn't last as long........

YES I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE SAME THING THAT DBA ASKED......HAS ELMIRON HELPED ANYONE WITH IC?

hi IV been on Elmiron for 10 years and I have dmso treatments every 3 months Im in a bad flare up for more then 2 weeks I find it hard to know what works ,I use heating pad alot thats what keeps me goping but Im in bed all the time with the pain anyone else feeling like that just diont know what to do anymore

I have to say that I have been on Elmiron since late January 07. It has helped somewhat. I don't seem to have the pain I was experiencing before treatment. I take 1 Elmiron 3 X daily and I take it with 2 Prelief tablets. If I do have any pain it is very mild, barely noticeable. My only problem now is with urinary frequency. I take Vesicare and it has helped somewhat, but I still get up 3 to 4 times nightly.

Laura

Yes, running to the "Powder Room" often is a symptom of IC.....I myself; go through periods where I am constantly getting up and down..day and night and then I have times when I sleep through the night....it seem if I am having a flare up or have a UTI...or the battery is no good in my remote control for my implant.....I start running to the bathroom...non-stop....
I have learn to live with it; but it does irritate me when I lay down after just getting out of the bathroom and I still feel like I have to go....and that can happen all night sometimes.....I have night when I get next to no sleep...due to this frequency. I am not going to take Detrol or any other pill that stops frequency...because it causes more damage to the bladder........well got to go pee............

I've been on Elmiron for 4 1/2 months and it seems to be helping me. Recently, I've started to notice a difference in the amount of times I need to get up during the night. My frequency in urinating is down. It is still more than the average person but much better than I was doing before Elmiron. For me, it seems to be worth it now. About 6 weeks ago I had a really bad flare and was wondering if the Elmiron would ever work. My doctor advised me to hang in there and give it more time. I'm glad I did. I know it doesn't work for everyone, but it now seems to be helping me quite a bit.

I started Elmiron in late April, and I know it is working for me. I am almost completely pain free now thanks to the Elmiron and supplements I take for IC.

I've taken it for a month now and it has been very effective and haven't had any side effects.

I can say that Elmiron has helped me. I went from someone who was barely able to walk (because of severe pain) to now being able to exercise 2-3 times per day. It has helped with frequency somewhat (now going evey 2-3 hours during the day). I continue to pee every 2 hours during the night, though. I'd just like to get a few uninterrupted night's sleep, but I don't think that's going to happen.

elmiron helped me as well, when i took it religiously and followed the diet, however it could have been the change in diet they suggest along with it... as all those foods they tell you not to eat are irratants anyhow...

I havnt been on it for nearly 6 mo due to pregnancy i was fine following the diet but cravings got the better of me and now im in a flare up... darn kid likes tomatoes n citrus >.>

I started elmiron in 1996 and in 1999 I was in remission. I also took imipramine which is a antidepressant. Elmiron takes time so don't give up. It tok me over a year before I started feeling better.

Linda
caliqueenbb@aol.com
interstitialcystitischronicpain@yahoogroups.com

You say that Elmiron has worked and you are now in remission. Do you still have urinary frequency? If not, what did you do to get it under control?

Laura

I would REALLY recommend also exploring some alternative therapies out there. I am pregnant, for example, and I can't take Elmiron as there are not any human studies done with Elmiron and pregnancy (just some pretty cruel pregnant rat studies), plus it is a fairly new drug -which means long term studies could take decades to come out. There is a wonderful website called evenbetternow.com that has lots of safe alternatives without the side effects of Elmiron. I have tried both and have found the natural remedies work faster (2 weeks compared to 3 months) and are MUCH safer and easier on my system, with no side effects like headaches and nausea. There is a wonderful homeopathic doctor on that site that you can email or call for free advice. He has WAY more knowledge than even my urologist! There is also a great book called "Along the Healing Path" by Catherine Simone about a woman who overcame IC using only natural therapies. I have only been on this stuff for 2 weeks and my flareup is gone and I feel great! Even though most Western doctors have only one or two options to treat IC, there are MANY options out there that they are simply not trained in. Do lots of research and you can overcome IC!! Good luck and good health!