Customer Reviews

Bladder Disorder: Interstitial Cystitis (Home Use)

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Interstitial cystitis patients will find great hope and encouragement in Healthy Body Healthy Mind's documentary on IC. Here at the IC Network, we give it rave reviews. It is, easily, the best TV production on IC in history. The production quality and information offered by hosts Carlos Pagan and Wendy Rutledge are superb. Most importantly, it allowed IC patients to share their personal stories.

Nine patients were featured in the episode and deserve our recognition for having the courage to share their IC experience on national TV. Bravo to them all! Stacia Lupinski, Barbara Liebman, 90 year old phenom Rose Goldberg shared their experience with IC symptoms. Michelle Roberson of San Diego and her mother Lana offered heartfelt accounts of IC pain and how Michelle found relief using the new rescue instillations. Melody Thomas Scott, of the Young and the Restless, shared how her IC symptoms began. Morris Waldman and John Branville represented men with IC. Julie Beyer RD, Vicki Ratner MD & Jill Osborne MA added additional commentary.

Dr. Matt Rosenberg (MI) discussed the high rate of misdiagnosis currently occuring with IC patients, particularly patients mislabelled with overactive bladder (OAB). He also shared that many patients simply aren't aware that their symptoms are unusual and abnormal. One patient thought that pain with intercourse was normal for women because her mother also had pain and discomfort. Because of a slow onset of symptoms, some patients don't realize that their frequency is far too high. (Don't forget that Dr. Rosenberg will appear live on the web, next month, in the 2006 IC & PBS On-Line Patient Conference!)

Dr. Lowell Parsons (CA) & Dr. Floyd Seskin (FL) talked about the cause of IC, which is believed to be the result of damage to the bladder mucus. The "marvelous mucus" sits on the surface of the bladder wall and acts as a protective barrier so that normal urinary toxins can't reach the tender tissues below. However, if the mucus is damaged, urine can reach deeper into the tissues where it can have a corrosive effect on the bladder tissues. Urinary potassium can stimulates the nerves and tissues, thus causing frequency, urgency, pain and discomfort.

Dr. Parsons & Dr. Robert Moldwin discussed the treatment for IC. For many patients, the goal is to restore the mucus, thus blocking the toxin and given the bladder some time to heal. The new rescue treatments / instillations were featured. Dr. Moldwin discussed more advanced cases of IC and that IC therapy also involves some trial and error until that patient finds relief from their symptoms.

For anyone struggling to understand IC, this video will give you comfort, solid practical information and, of course, hope.

This is great for a new patient who hasn't been explained to very well about IC. It was very vague and a little pricey for what info it gave