Feels So Good!

It feels so good to finally be able to exercise! It has been since mid December since I have been able to resume my normal exercise program due to surgery in December.

For those who don’t know, I have Interstitial Cystitis (IC) or otherwise known as Bladder Pain Syndrome. The later name is a mild description of what it feels like to live with this disease. On occasion it requires that I have surgical intervention, which can be frustrating.

Interstitial Cystitis ” affects millions of men and women around the world. In the USA alone, an estimated 3.2 to 7.9 million women (2.7 to 6.5% of women) and 1 to 4 million men have symptoms” according to the IC Network.

https://www.ic-network.com/interstitial-cystitis/what-is-ic/

IC once was only considered a disease of the bladder or bladder wall. Further studies now show that it can cause problems not only in the bladder, but also the nerves of the bladder and the pelvic floor muscles. This can cause a multitude of symptoms and affect other areas of the body.

I compare it to a domino affect. One area is affected which affects another area, and on and on and on. What is frustrating is you can look normal on the outside but be screaming in pain on the inside. I call it the “invisible disease”.

I could write for days on how IC has affected me personally, as well as my loved ones, but I would rather inform you of some facts for those of you who are newly diagnosed, or are still struggling to get a diagnosis. Here are some facts from the IC Network. The link is above.

• The average age of onset for IC is 40 years, with 25% of patients under the age of 30.
• Up to 50% of patients experience spontaneous remissions with a duration ranging from 1 to 80 months.
• Patients with IC are 10 to 12 times more likely than controls to report childhood bladder problems.
• 50% of IC patients have pain while riding in car.
• 63% of IC patients are unable to work full time.
• IC patients have suicidal thoughts 3-4 times above the national average.
• The quality of life of IC patients is worse than patients experiencing chronic renal failure and undergoing dialysis.
• 52% of women with IC reported panic attacks and over 30% reported depression.
• IC patients pay twice as much out of pocket for direct medical care when compared with someone without the condition.

I would highly encourage you to check out the IC Network for information on this disease that even baffles the medical community. Thank goodness the NIH is now doing research and studies in relation to IC. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4708543/

So yes, it feels good to get back in the gym. To swim, or rather walk in the water, is gentle to the pelvic floor and I feel no pain. I am sure I will be sore for the rest of the day but I am moving once again. I am happy! https://restorehealthybodies.com/