We all talk about how challenging it is for many of us as we struggle with our symptoms and finding the right treatment(s) options to help us. One of the things that I have struggled with is this never giving up attitude. I have felt frustrated, angry and emotional and felt that nothing is working and have often felt like just plain giving up. But one of the things that really was another "ah ha" moment was my appointment with my doctor yesterday.
My doctor never gives up!
I am so grateful to have a doctor that has NEVER given up on me, when I know that others would have long ago. My IC issues alone are complex and difficult to treat, but these chronic UTI's I've been dealing with for the last 3 years has frustrated both me and my doctor. Although he was the first to admit that he knows all too well that his frustration is not comparable to mine.
We had a long talk yesterday about my situation with the UTI's and through my tears, I told him I understood that medicine doesn't always have an answer but that I had a hard time accepting that there was NOTHING we could do to help me get rid of these UTI's. He gave me a hug and said he was not giving up; that he would keep researching, talking to other doctors and doing everything he could to help me.
There's something to be learned from a doctor who has that attitude. If my doctor won't give up, then how can I? I must keep following his recommendations, be vigilant and never give up.
So, I have to keep self-catheterizing and be vigilant. I must keep my bladder as empty as possible as much as possible, since my retention is a leading cause of infections. I am using the vaginal estrogen cream, which also helps with preventing infections (in addition to helping with my vaginal/vulvar atrophy) and I have a catheter that I really like that is supposed to help with preventing infection. Here's a link to a little video about this catheter. I love them!
My doctor never gives up!
I am so grateful to have a doctor that has NEVER given up on me, when I know that others would have long ago. My IC issues alone are complex and difficult to treat, but these chronic UTI's I've been dealing with for the last 3 years has frustrated both me and my doctor. Although he was the first to admit that he knows all too well that his frustration is not comparable to mine.
We had a long talk yesterday about my situation with the UTI's and through my tears, I told him I understood that medicine doesn't always have an answer but that I had a hard time accepting that there was NOTHING we could do to help me get rid of these UTI's. He gave me a hug and said he was not giving up; that he would keep researching, talking to other doctors and doing everything he could to help me.
There's something to be learned from a doctor who has that attitude. If my doctor won't give up, then how can I? I must keep following his recommendations, be vigilant and never give up.
So, I have to keep self-catheterizing and be vigilant. I must keep my bladder as empty as possible as much as possible, since my retention is a leading cause of infections. I am using the vaginal estrogen cream, which also helps with preventing infections (in addition to helping with my vaginal/vulvar atrophy) and I have a catheter that I really like that is supposed to help with preventing infection. Here's a link to a little video about this catheter. I love them!
Well, my doctor really proved he was REALLY listening to me yesterday, which is so important. This morning my phone rings and it's my doctor's nurse. He wants to prescribe a medication for me to take prophylactically every day, twice a day for 90 days. This drug belongs to the family of medicines called anti-infectives. It is used to help prevent infections of the urinary tract. While dosing is always up to the physician based on the patient's situation, often the dose is 1 milligram. However, my doctor has prescribed 1 GRAM twice a day for 90 days! That's a huge increase in dosing over what might normally be prescribed, but I am excited that he wants to really get aggressive and attack this. I like this idea and I am on board.
The most impressive thing to me is that after my doctor walked out of the exam room, he was obviously thinking about me and my problem. We often wonder if we're just forgotten the minute they walk out the door. My doctor kept thinking about my situation, clearly did what he said he would and not in two weeks, but right away.
He never gives up on me and this is something that I am so grateful for. But it has taught me that I too must never give up on myself or in fighting to find ways to help myself. I think this is something we all could work on. Keep working with your doctor, keep trying everything, keep an open mind and NEVER GIVE UP!
I don't know if this will work or not. But I am pleased to have a new option to try and I am really excited to give it my best shot.
So here's to hope and NEVER GIVING UP!
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