Last Spring, a routine mammogram found calcifications in my left breast. For 90% of women, these are the result of injury and are usually nothing to worry about. But, in 10%, calcifications are an early sign of breast cancer. Two needle biopsies confirmed the presence of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (Stage Zero) in my [...]
Butternut Squash Pear Soup When you think of bladder friendly veggies, pumpkin and squash come quickly to mind, especially with the onset of Fall. This all-time favorite soup is incredibly easy to prepare and the perfect accompaniment to a grilled cheese sandwich. If you like a creamier soup, feel free to add your choice [...]
Wisps of fragrant barbecue smoke drifting over fences, the sublime sweetness of a ripe melon slice, and the sound of laughing kids running through sprinklers– this is how we like to remember the last weeks of summer and the first days of Fall. For much of the country, late September and early October are [...]
This special issue of the IC Optimist is one of our biggest to date with a wide variety of articles, some of which were my way of coping with a sudden and completely unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer last May. I was hoping to spend the summer with trips to the beach, hiking and [...]
Every September, the IC community rallies together during IC Awareness Month to educate, empower and support the many patients who have suffered in silence at home alone. This year, we hope to reach patients who are struggling with treatment and/or not responding to typical bladder therapies. Why? Because IC symptoms are often the result [...]
Dr. A. Lenore Ackerman (UCLA) is a rising star in the IC/BPS research community. Her specialty is the study of the microbiome, the bacterial communities that live within our body and, to our benefit, the urinary tract. In 2023, she was the first to suggest that some patients with IC/BPS and bladder pain may [...]
If you have spent much time in an IC support group or forum, you’ve undoubtedly seen some patients share that they have a curve in their spine, known as scoliosis. It’s been a point of discussion here at the IC Network for the past 25 years. We now understand just how and why scoliosis [...]
There’s nothing quite so satisfying as an ice cold milkshake on a hot summer afternoon. The challenge? Aside from often insane calories, many of the milkshakes available from fast food outlets are filled with extra ingredients that can irritate, such as preservatives, colorings and flavorings. It's better to make milkshakes at home, using high [...]
One of the questions we always ask patients who contact the ICN for assistance is to ask if they were traveling prior to the onset of their symptoms. Why? Because certain diseases can be contracted while traveling. Case in point: Tuberculosis (TB), a deadly infection that most often infects the lungs but can also [...]
I am often asked what I think about OTC supplements and their use by IC patients. I never anticipated selling supplements via the ICN website because I was focused on patient education and research. That changed in the early 2000's when some doctors began telling patients that the only treatment for IC/BPS was Interstim®, [...]
