Acupuncture Saved Me From Physical and Mental Pain

A Patient's Perspective - My story by Margaret

I've had IC for approaching two and a half years but was diagnosed with IC approx one year ago.

To start with I saw the local GP and had antibiotic treatments for recurring cystitis and then kidney scans and x-rays to check for other possible causes; these came back clear. After approx 18 months
I saw urologist who diagnosed IC after a cystocopy. The urologist suggested several alternate treatments - we started out with an exclusion diet which helped and then after several months,
acupuncture.

I've now been having acupuncture for approx 6 months (since December 2005). I started having sessions once a week but now I go approx once every three weeks.

Acupuncture started to reduce my IC symptoms right from the start. Within a few sessions I found that pain on passing water was gone; also the sense of feeling like you need to go again within minutes of passing water stopped. The latter returns on occasions but the very next acupuncture session always stops it. I've gone from a typical frequency of once an hour, to once every two hours as standard or three hours on the best days. Also, before I started acupuncture treatment I had to get up once or twice every night with IC - now I sleep through 8 hrs pretty much every night. I've been able to start eating and drinking things I had excluded, for example most drinks triggered an IC flare up but I'm now able to drink a glass of red wine or a bottle of a certain brands of lager with no problems.

I'd really recommend acupuncture to other people with IC because as well as the IC-related benefits there are others too; the sessions are relaxing and I always feel re-energised the next day and it helped my digestive system and my immune system.

For further information please contact Toni Tucker:

01628 525 299/ mobile 07958 730 157.