Rockville, MD (August 15, 2008) - The importance of people with interstitial cystitis (IC) playing an active role in management of their healthcare was the theme of the Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA) Regional Forum held on Saturday, August 9 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Approximately 90 people gathered to hear prominent IC clinician and researcher, John Forrest, MD, FACS and nationally recognized IC educator, Saundra Seidel, APRN-BC, discuss current IC, also known as painful bladder syndrome (PBS), treatment options and self-help strategies.

Dr. Forrest highlighted the need to seek medical care at the first onset of symptoms—which usually include pelvic pain, pressure, or discomfort related to the bladder typically associated with persistent urge to void or urinary frequency. Early diagnosis may improve response time to treatment; avoid unnecessary, inappropriate, or invasive treatment; and translate to years of improved quality of life. He also encouraged patients to ask questions about treatment options and be an active partner in their care.

Seidel described IC as a disease of balance—if you are doing well you can cheat a little and be less diligent about following the recommended self-help steps. However, if you are not doing well you have to tow the line! Seidel highlighted the following self-help strategies:

• Figuring out which foods irritate your bladder
• Keeping a voiding diary and retraining your bladder
• Learning how to manage your individual life stressors
• Working with a physical therapist and doing exercises designed to relax the pelvic floor
• Asking your healthcare provider if herbal therapy, biofeedback/electrical stimulation, and acupuncture may be an option for you.

One audience member bravely asked about IC and intimacy barriers. Dr. Forrest noted that painful intercourse is not uncommon for people with IC. For the more than one million Americans—of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities—who live with IC, both speakers emphasized the need to talk with your partner openly about intimacy issues. Pain management strategies included applying an ice pack to the pelvic area both prior to and after relations, using lubricants, identifying positions that are least painful for you, and asking your doctor for local pain medicines (suppositories, compounded creams, or pelvic floor muscle relaxants such as Valium or baclofen).

Both speakers are in clinical practice with the Urologic Specialists of Oklahoma. Dr. Forrest is a clinical associate professor of Urology at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center-Tulsa and widely published in interstitial cystitis, urology oncology, and the economics of medical practice. Seidel holds a master’s degree in nursing science from the University of Arkansas for Medical Science with prescriptive authority in 1994. She volunteers with the local IC support group and is secretary of the Oklahoma Urology Nursing chapter.

The Interstitial Cystitis Association (ICA) is committed to finding more effective treatments and ultimately, a cure for IC. The authoritative source of IC information in the United States, the ICA promotes and funds research; educates the medical community and public; advocates for IC patients, healthcare providers, and researchers; and offers support for people with IC, their families, and friends.

The Tulsa Forum was made possible in part through funding from Bayer Healthcare & Elmiron, Desert Harvest, Inc., Teeccino, and Uroplasty, Inc.

For more information, visit www.ichelp.org or call 800-HELP ICA (800-435-7422).