Why is it ok to talk about Sex, but no one talks about Bladders?

Disclaimer: this post was written while on painkillers, so if my grammar/structure is confusing, I apologize.

OK, so this doesn't really have anything to do with the law school experience, but it DOES have something to do with MY law school experience.  I was recently inspired by this article that looks at why it is normal to talk about sex but not to talk about women's pelvic pain. (GO READ IT!!)  So, today, I am sharing a huge part of my law school experience with you.

I suffer from a condition known as Interstitial Cystitis (IC), which causes extreme pain in the pelvic area.   No one knows what causes it or how to cure it, but doctors have noted that certain foods and stress make it worse.  IC pain can be as little as just a small amount of localized pain from day to day, or as terrible as a sharp burning pain ripping up and down your midsection and legs, while sending chills through the rest of your body.  Some people in end-stage IC have to quit their jobs and go on disability because they are unable to work due to pain.  As for me,  I've been hospitalized 5 times, had numerous procedures, and am constantly on medicine for the pain. Painful periods are known as "flares" because your body acts like it has a UTI-- your bladder inflames, you produce white blood cells in your urine, and you feel like you are peeing burning knives.  TMI? Maybe.  But I would rather have people acknowlege this "taboo" condition with a little too much info from me than keep on ignoring it.
 

IC has been a problem for many women for years.  Because people don't talk about pelvic pain, many women suffer in silence.  Others are told they're crazy, (three doctors told me this) that they are pill-seekers, (got this one too) or that they simply have a UTI (three months on antibiotics finally proved to my doctor that this wasn't right). This confusion and frustration leads many women-- including myself sometimes-- to become depressed, angry, and stressed, which in turn leads to more painful flares.  It's a vicious cycle.

Urologist and Urogynocologists have been all over the map concerning IC, with no standard therapy from place to place.  Some doctors still refuse to believe that IC exists.  Some give you pain meds, some prefer physical therapy, some like DMSO treatments that fill the bladder with pain medication, etc. etc.  Several weeks ago, the first treatment guidelines for IC were released by the American Urological Association.  It recommends aggressive treatment of multiple kinds specifically tailored to each patient, addressing physical symptoms as well as pain management.  Hopefully, this will put all practitioners all on the same page, so we can start to find a cure.

Triggers are different for everyone, I can't eat anything with artificial sweeteners, anything super-processed, any meat with a lot of preservatives, or (the worst) coffee/soda/anything with caffeine.  I try to get around this last one sometimes by drinking low-acid half-caff coffee and green tea when I know I'm having a "good day."  Still, getting through law school without coffee is PRETTY tough sometimes. Pair that with the nights I spend lying awake in pain, and you get a pretty sleepy (grumpy) Caroline.  This is why naps are God's gift to the law student, especially me! Another one of my daily battles with IC is the "IC Belly" produced by inflammation of the pelvis.  While I'm a thin person, I do get self conscious when my stomach pokes out from being so irritated.  I've stopped wearing tight shirts because it bothers me so much.  Some days, I hurt so much I can't even bear to wear pants-- the feeling of them rubbing against my pelvis hurts too much.  This is one reason why I love sundresses-- they hide the inflammation and don't press on my stomach when I am already in pain. AND they are cute!  Winning.

My law professors have been wonderful in understanding my condition.  This might be partly because they are all men, any time you mention that you are dealing with "woman issues" they just go "OK Do whatever you need!!!!" to get you to not say anything else :)  But UR law profs have really been wonderful.  I do worry about exams, though, because of time limits/being drugged.  It's hard to write an exam essay when under the influence of percocet. Still, anything is better than ending up in the ER again.

So this is the bare-bones overview of IC.  If you are interested in learning more, I suggest you visit Interstitial Cystitis Organization's website.  They have a lot of information on this condition.  My hope is that spreading awareness of this awful thing can make the conversation easier, and help women start talking and stop suffering in silence.