I just wanted to share my experiences with anyone out there suffering from IC and trying to take an active role in getting better. I started the skilled relaxation about a month ago and continue to go to biofeedback once a week. I find this is helpful to stay motivated and assure myself I'm using the correct technique. The woman who teaches me lent me a small home unit that measures temp. As the smooth muscle relaxes, blood flow increases and temp. in turn increases. It turns out that for the first couple weeks, the tingly feeling that I was feeling was actually temp. decreasing. I've continued to go to biofeedback and use the home unit, and I can now get my temp to go from about 70 to 90 in 15 minutes. So I just wanted to show the importance of going to biofeedback a few times until you're sure what you're doing is working.
Also, I've been exploring the possibility of bacteria as playing a role in all this. It turns out that there is a more exact culture done in a broth rather than agar, only nearly everybody discontinued its use awhile back. There are still some labs who will do it for you if you send them a urine sample. I sent a sample to United Medical Labs in VA. (703) 356-4422. It came back positive for a certain type of bacteria. They also send a list of antibiotics that tested well against the bacteria. I plan to take the antibiotics along with acidophilus and a yeast fighting supplement for a couple months. I think it would be foolish to ignore that there is in fact a bacteria playing a role in this. However, I agree completely with what Doctor Stoll says, that there is a reason that I was more susceptible to this bacteria. I have no plans to stop the skilled relaxation as I truly believe the muscle tension is the underlying problem. Good luck to you all.
Follow Ups:
Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria
Posted by Anne on October 15, 1998 at 17:44:53:
In Reply to: IC biofeedback, bacteria posted by NV on October 14, 1998 at 12:00:06:
I, too, am also suffering from I.C. I have been going to a biofeedback therapist for about 3 weeks. Could you tell me what exactly you are doing at home while doing the biofeedback (a relaxation tape?) and while in the therapist's office? My therapist cannot seem to get my temperature to increase. The biofeedback shows that I am successful in relaxing, but am not successful in getting my temperature to increase. I have a great tendency to have cold hands and feet, in general. Also, that's very interesting about the bacteria that showed up in this different test. Did you just call them up tell them what you needed them to do? Thanks for letting us know what is happening to you. Maybe we can all help each other.
Follow Ups:
Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria
Posted by NV on October 16, 1998 at 12:44:35:
In Reply to: Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria posted by Anne on October 15, 1998 at 17:44:53:
I just saw you had responded to this after I posted a follow up to your post. Basically, I tried a technique for about a month where I would lie down, listen to a tape and "try to let go" as my biofeedback therapist describes it. Sometimes my temp would go up, but a lot of times nothing would happen and it was extremely frusturating. Then I switched over to this breathing technique and its working great every time. It's just slow, concentrated, relaxed breathing, making sure the breaths are coming from down low near the stomach area and not from the chest. So that's what I do at home and when I go in to the therapist, she hooks me up to the computer via these bands that wrap around my chest and stomach and then there's a program that helps you learn to breath properly. I would definetley atleast give it a try, especially if you're having difficulty with the tapes like I was. As far as the the lab goes. They use a different culture for a much longer period of time ( atleast a few days) to allow the bacteria to grow out. It costs about $100 plus overnight fed-ex costs and they do take insurance. If you test positive, they do a test with atleast 8 different antibiotics to see which one will be most effective in getting rid of the bacteria. Then they send you a diagnosis for the bacteria and a list of effective antibiotics. I reallly think that this plays a huge role in IC, but like Walt says, there is a reason that we are so prone to this bacteria, muscle tension. Still, as long as you follow a yeast control program and take acidophilus, I don't see any reason not to take an antibiotic along with doing your skilled relaxation. If you have anymore questions, let me know.
Follow Ups:
Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria
Posted by Walt Stoll on October 16, 1998 at 14:59:58:
In Reply to: Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria posted by Anne on October 15, 1998 at 17:44:53:
Dear Anne,
If I were you, I would use the GSR & ignore the temperature trainer for now. You don't have to work on the hardest thing first. ANYTHING you do in this area will eventually help everything else. If you want to focus on the bladder (which I do not recommend) you would have to do the muscle tension one anyhow.
Walt
Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria
Posted by NV on October 20, 1998 at 16:09:07:
In Reply to: Re: IC biofeedback, bacteria posted by NV on October 16, 1998 at 12:44:35:
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. I'M GOING TO CALL THE LAB. LET ME KNOW HOW YOU'RE DOING AFTER BEING ON THE ANTIBIOTIC FOR AWHILE, AND I'LL DO THE SAME. THANKS AGAIN!