Bladder pain/problems and fibro

Hello everyone,

I am not new to bladder infections, I have had them all of my life (maybe a sign of fibro and I didn't know it) anyway sometimes I get bladder pain and spasms after I urinate. It feels like a bladder infection, but a few times I went to the md and had no infection. I had pain that started last thursday BUT it was only after I had a pretting intense flare. I took an otc uti test today, showed positive for white blood cells but negative for nitrates...so that's iffy, I may try to test again. I have no odor, fever, back pain or any other symptoms of uti.

So my question is, does fibro cause bladder pain that mimmicks an infection? I have read that it can cause bladder irritation. Has anyone had this problem and not have a bladder infection? I may just keep and eye on it, because I only have the pain and spasms.

The thing is, if I told my md fibro can cause bladder irritation he would probably laugh at me. Ya know they don't think fibro can cause that stuff.

Thanks!

Have you been tested for interstitial cystitis? I have had bladder problems my entire life. It goes in flares. The testing I had was done under general anaesthesia (sp) when I was having another procedure done. It was confirmed that I had the tiny microscopic holes in the lining of my bladder and that is where i was getting infections.

I had to go on muscle spasm medicine for a while until it calmed down. I also have antibiotics on hand to treat it at home if symptoms flare up of infections. (mine were worse than labor pains. TMI, it would even cause my intestines to spasm)

I hope you can see a urologist that will believe you and help you seek out the answers.

Wow what a wacky fibro world, I have the same promblems but i think on the 101 site they talk about that. Like I am going through the process of finding out what causes my chronic ibs syptoms at the moment. I will go though all this probably to find there is nothing wrong and its just another fibro thing......................An interesting fact though, i first though i might have ms when 1st going though the dx stage because they also have bladder and bowel problems which goes to show like the researchers are finding out that it is more nerologic based after all.
hope that helps...................:)
Azumi

You should check the medicene you're taking and make sure it's not a side effect. I have some issues with this as well I get urges an then nothing and it takes forever to urinate sometimes even if I feel I really have to go. I have yet to bring it up to my dr.

With fibro you can get the feeling like you have a bladder infection. In the book I have on fibro it is listed as a symptom as is colitis symptoms. You don't really have it, it just feels like it. Fibro is a strange thing. I tend to run a higher than normal pulse. A rapid heartbeat is another fibro thing. can't say how many tests I have had over the years to rule things out. they always come back negative so we know its the fibro up to some new tricks.

Cats strange you mention Colitis because I was tested for that and Crohns, had to get a colonscopy and an endoscopy (think that's how you spell them??) fibro tends to mimic a lot of other diseases, I've been tested for these along with MS, Lyme disease, athritis, Lupus, even had heart monitors, and all this has led to hyperventilation syndrome due to years of worry, panic attacks and stress with it all:(
I have found however since becoming vegetarian, eating lots of fruit and veg and drinking cranberry juice and taking supplements etc have made my stomach problems feel a bit better than before but maybe I'm not going through such a bad flare up!?!
I think certain foods can as you say make symptoms worse, I can't eat spicy foods anymore either, had to go to hospital the last time I ate something spicy, jeez I hate fibro!!:-S

Klambert, I had UTIs most of my life until I had a hysterectomy for adenomyosis nearly 2 years ago. Since that time, I have only had one, which is a record for me. At times, I would have all of the symptoms of a UTI, only to hear that there was no infection when I went to the doctor. The symptoms would then finally subside on their own after a few days, only to resurface at a later point. It seemed that certain points in my cycle would trigger them. My MD once mentioned that I might have interstitial Cystitis, and that if I kept getting the infections and/or symptoms, that he would need to send me to the a urologist to be checked for this. However, I had my hysterectomy soon after this, so it was not necessary.

I do know that sometimes when I have had the symptoms and have tested negative, the test has come back postitive for a UTI when the test was sent to the hospital's lab for further culturing. So it is imptortant to insist on this if you are having a great deal of discomfort. Sometimes, the doctors have advised me to schedule another lab appointment to get rechecked after two weeks when medications have been prescribed. There have been times that I have forgotten to do this, and the medications have not totally cleared up the infection. Then the symptoms have returned a week or so after that even worse than they were before.

I have a 15 year old daughter who has problems with these, also. I have started getting her Cranberry Chews (the Walgreen's in our town carries these). They have about the same amount of cranberries in each one as what would be contained in 7 glasses of cranberry juice cocktail. She has been on these for over a year, and has only had one infection during that time. She is also very sensitive to any type of bubble baths, and most soaps (she can use only Dove). I also have a tendancy to forget to drink enough water, and will drink coffee or soda instead. This nearly always gets me into trouble if I don't catch myself within a few days. I usually try to drink about 60-80 oz per day.

Good luck with your situation. I don't believe that anything hurts like these do. I hope that you are able to find relief soon.

Hear hear! Although my husband is the one that always blames Fibro. /-:

I too have painful urination but I have just kind of 'gotten used it' as much as anyone can get used to it. I'll take a look at the literature and see what I can come up with.

Re: rapid heart beat, I have the opposite. I sometimes have my pulse very low to the point one doc wanted to give me a stress test. At the time I had literally been waiting at the doctors office for two hours and was practically falling asleep (college/free clinic) so assumed it was that. I still don't know but it's usually pretty low unless i have coffee and then it gets to the 70's. Yay?

Small Fiber Polyneuropathy has been found in about 50% of Fibro patients that have been tested for it. While most people think that it's just something that affects hands and feet it actually affects all small fiber nerves in your body (which are everywhere) and can definitely cause issues with your bladder, digestion, and sexual organs. I'm getting tested next week. Granted knowing I have it doesn't really help me since I'm already being treated for it with gabapentin but I think it's nice to know that there is SOMETHING.