IC and the common cold

So I have IC. It's annoying and painful and it limits the way I live. But I have gotten used to it. No use crying over uneaten chocolate. There is one thing that is really getting to me though. I miss cold medicine. More specifically I miss Psuedophed, Nyquil, and that nasty tasting thera-flu. Now that I have IC all those drugs are on the "no-no" list. They would cause a flare just as soon as they made me feel slightly relieved of my cold symptoms. Then where would I be? I'd be sick, congested, coughing, sneezing, and in the ladies room every ten minutes with constant bladder pain. No thank you. I will take my illnesses one at a time please.

But this leaves me, and everyone else with IC, in a bit of a bind over what to do when we get a cold. Its like I am living in the dark ages. I have been sick now for four days and I think I have found some good coping mechanisms. I am going to share them with you dear readers and if you happen to know any other cold coping strategies please feel free to post them to comments.

1. Hot Tea (Peppermint or Chamomile) I don't know why but hot tea seems to at least make me feel a bit better when I am sick. Plus if I add honey to my tea it coats my sore throat. Since I can't have OTC broth and I am too lazy and currently too sick to make broth for myself, hot tea has become the substitute.

2. Afrin nasal spay. However, one must be aware that this stuff is highly addictive. It can only be used for three days tops if you use it every 12 hours as the dosage instructs. Maybe you can stretch it to 5 days if you only use it at night.  Afrin (and its competing brands) nasal spray is a great drug. I went from severely congested and feeling like I was drowning to breathing freely for about 8 to 10 hours. This is perfect for when I need to sleep. Its also the only decongestant that doesn't make my bladder cry out in pain.

3. Advil. This stuff is great. It brings down fever and it also brings down the inflammation in my nasal passages that restrict my breathing.

4. Dye-free Benadryl. It helps me breathe a bit more easily and makes me sleepy enough that I can rest my way into better health.

5. Go to the Doctor or urgent care and get a prescription for better drugs. I can't take OTC cough medicine but I can take Tessalon Pearls (http://www.medicinenet.com/benzonatate/article.htm).

6. (I can't do this but I know from others that it works) Neti Pots and Nasal Rinse. Flushing out the sinuses really helps alleviate cold symptoms. Its safe for IC patients as its drug free. Its a bit uncomfortable but not painful. Why don't I do it? I am one of the very few people who have ears nose and throat issues that prevent me from using a Neti pot or a nasal rinse. I get water behind my ears when I do it. But I am the exception. Try it for yourself and see if it helps you.

7. Nasal Saline Spray- Like Afrin but not as effective or addictive as its drug free. It keeps your nasal mucus membrane moist and that will help make you feel much better.

8. Rest and push fluids. Really. Don't think you can just "push through". If you have IC then you get sick with a cold its going to make you more likely to flare. Let's face it. Stress makes this disease worse. So when sick, rest and push fluids.

9. Eat simply. Now is not the time to try new foods. In fact the best way I have found to prevent a flare up that can follow a cold is to keep my diet as simple as possible.

10. (because I really wanted list of 10 things) Stay on all my regular IC meds and supplements. Though I when I am sick I add Colostrum to my supplements as it helps booster the immune system and doesn't anger the bladder.

For more information from a trusted source follow this link..http://www.ichelp.org/page.aspx?pid=964

And remember wash your hands frequently, get your flu shot, avoid people who are sick (send them a card or an email telling them you still love them but not their germs), and get lots of rest during the cold and flu season.

I hope you all stay healthy and flare free.

The Goose Girl

DMSO - A Love Hate Relationship

On Monday if all goes according to plan  I will pick up my DMSO from the pharmacy and go to the doctor's office for an instillation. I both love and hate DMSO. Here's why. I love that it makes me feel almost "normal" for several weeks. That is, after a DMSO treatment I don't feel my bladder every waking minute of the day. Most people are only aware of their bladder when they feel the need to void,  lucky bastards. While I do get occasional instills of Heparin andSolu-Medrol, they aren't as effective for me as the DMSO. So that is why I love it, simply because nothing I have done as worked as well.

But DMSO also has a dark side. First off, it hurts and burns like hell to have it inside the bladder. God forbid the doctor accidentally drip any of the medication on to my labia, which has happened, because it burns like fire. A treatment of DMSO usually involves at least one does of Tramadol about one hour before the instill, this helps reduce some of the pain. Then I get to hold this searing liquid in my bladder for an hour. I swear when I void that stuff, I can feel the pain release as far as my finger tips. So I think I have established that the pain is pretty freaking nasty. If that were DMSO's only negative side effect, well that would be bad enough. Sadly however, its not, DMSO leaves me smelling like rotting broccoli and sulfur. No amount of perfume or mints can cover this odor. The smell is like a gift with purchase, except that gift sucks and the only thing I am purchasing with all this pain and aggravation is a few weeks during which my IC symptoms are relatively mild. Its worth noting that I still have to strictly adhere to the IC diet  just one chocolate and all my hard work would be for naught.

Lately I have started taking a "super greens" supplement for a day or two before, the day of, and the days after the DMSO treatment. I have noticed that this helps reduce the amount of time that I smell like a old fart. I am forever thankful to Pigeon for bringing me the super greens and convincing me to give them a try. This time, I started taking them yesterday and my hope is that I will only smell bad for a day or two at most. Whereas, I usually smell bad for at least three days. Since when I smell bad I tend to sequester myself in my home until the coast is clear, DMSO takes me out of my life more than IC does. When I am in  flare I will usually still try and go out, but when I smell bad I feel awful subjecting others to the smell. Its really annoying,

So that dear reader is my love hate relationship with DMSO, if your doctor recommends it I would say try it. For me nothing has worked better. If you are on DMSO I would be curious to know how it affects you and how you deal with the side effects.