Depressed and in bad pain this week

The Dr. says I have Interstitital Cystitis. He says my bladder wall is damaged and I have tissue damage in my bladder that’s why it hurts when urine is in my bladder. Ughhh I’m in such pain. He put me on this bland diet. And I can’t enjoy anything with my friends or going out in the real world. No alcohol chocolate, etc. anything with acid. I’m in so much pain I don’t want to have sex. I wish I have TMS but I don’t think I do because it feels like acid in my urethras. I don’t think that’s TMS. Anything y’all recommend?

 

I'm sorry that you're in bad pain and depressed, twocups. I know how frustrating bladder issues can be.

My doctor told me the same thing when I was diagnosed with IC 12 years ago. Looking back, it's obvious that it came on after a very stressful period in my life. The bladder symptoms went away after my life situation changed dramatically. At the time, I didn't really know about TMS. Because I didn't know this and take care of the underlying factors that were causing my nervous system to be continually stressed/stimulated, I've experienced a rotating 'cast' of symptoms in the years since, but the bladder pain and urgency/other issues haven't returned. I had the same things that you've described in your posts; pain with bladder filling, 'acid' burning in urethra, diagnosis of 'damaged' bladder wall, etc. All gone, so please don't feel that what your experiencing isn't TMS. I think it very much is, and there is hope for you.

I read your other posts. You are torn between believing that this is TMS vs. thinking/fearing that it is a real physical issue. No judgement here, I understand that struggle, even now that I 'know' better, I still succumb to a bit of doubt on occasion, especially when an old symptom rears it's head. As I see my symptoms improve, it becomes easier to move past that doubt. That can be difficult in the beginning, though, when we are very much in fear and pain. I think @miffybunny gave you great advice. I would go back and reread her responses to you. I don't have much more to add, just wanted to let you know that I experienced the sensations that you are, and that, as hard as it may be to believe at times, it definitely can be caused by anxiety/stress/emotions.

 

Thanks Kati. I really appreciate you trying to help and sharing your personal experience. And of course miffy has given me some great advice as well. You are right I’m in that limbo stage where I am having trouble believing it. When and how did you believe you’re was TMS?

 

I didn't realize it was TMS until long after it went away.
To make a very long story short: Because I didn't take care of the anxiety I had had since about age 7 or 8, or the underlying false beliefs that drove the anxiety, I continued to get other symptoms. I started to look more closely into the mind/body connection when I developed symptoms of dysautonomia during my (stressful) pregnancy. Although it made sense to me that the mind could affect the body, I didn't -really- believe that it applied to me, and so I made little progress. Things came to a head about a year ago, when my anxiety escalated into panic attacks and 24/7 fear and obsession about my health and symptoms. I realized that things had to change, I had no life to speak of, and looked more into TMS and I have gradually been recovering from anxiety and physical symptoms since then. I still have some lingering issues, and like I mentioned, I still have occasional fears, like when an old symptom 'pops up' again, but I'm getting better with practice.

I know miffybunny suggested to you to do the SEP, and watch Dr. Schubiner's talk that he did recently, which you can find in the general discussion thread, as well as maybe look into therapy with a TMS therapist.
I second that, and I would also suggest, if you haven't already, to check out Claire Weekes' books/and or audio recordings for anxiety recovery...many forum members on here, myself included, can attest to them.
Also, try not to compare yourself to others, some people recover from TMS very rapidly, but for many of us it takes time.

 

Hello @twocups88

So sorry to hear you have been suffering.

I wonder if you have come across Nicole Sachs’ podcast The Cure for Chronic Pain? I thought of this because I listened to an episode the other day that talked about TMS as pelvic pain, including cystitis. It might be worth a listen.
Hopefully this link will work, if not search for episode 86.
https://audioboom.com/posts/7610423-episode-86-all-things-pelvic-pain-with-whitney-rydman (The Cure for Chronic Pain with Nicole Sachs, LCSW / Episode 86 - ALL THINGS PELVIC PAIN with Whitney Rydman)

Sending you healing wishes,
R x

 

Kati- Sorry I took so long for the response. Thank you for sharing your story. I find it a lot similar to mine.

Rainstorm B-thank you for the link. I will check it out tonight.