IC in the Workplace!

 IC can’t be left at home, so dealing with it in the workplace is a given for employed ICers. Some bosses and co-workers are compassionate and some aren’t. No special formula exists to deal with co-workers, but there are some things to keep in mind. Since IC can take so long to diagnose, some patients must involve their co-workers before they know what’s wrong.

Inevitably, there will be some bosses and co-workers who won’t understand. Though some co-workers are sympathetic, the boss is far from it. Mostly, people who are understanding and sympathetic in general are more likely to be that way in dealing with IC. But those who lack understanding are going to be the same way in dealing with the situations.

“When you treat your disease as you would anything else-just one aspect of your life-others will be likely to do the same”—Anonymous.

Courtesy : IC Optimist

How Urologists can help IC patients

Urologists can help IC patients with their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Urologists need to look at the entire patient and not focus solely on the bladder. One of the major conditions in conjunction with IC is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD). The other conditions associated with IC are allergies, fibromyalgia and migraines. PFD is estimated to be present in 70 to 80 percent of IC patients.

It is very important for urologists to keep a track of patient’s progress. Diagnosing IC is a trial and error process, which is something both the urologist and the patient must understand in working together to find a viable solution.

IC is indeed very painful, but proper management and a little support from your family and friends and some support from your urologist can make life as beautiful as it was before you were diagnosed with IC.

courtesy : IC Optimist

Comfora or Elmiron

Elmiron or Comfora:

              Who out there is not worried about their money? Elmiron is burning a big-hole in the pockets of the patients. When you have a chronic illness like IC, money cannot be.

               Comfora is orally bioavailable Pentosan Polysulfate Sodium. Its mechanism of action is thought to be adherence to the bladder surface supplementing the defective natural glycosaminoglycan layer. It is hypothesized that this action ameliorates the symptoms of interstitial cystitis. Orally administered pentosan has a urinary excretion half-life of 4.4 hours for the unchanged drug. A single dose is completely eliminated in 144 hours.

               The recommended dose is 300 mg/day taken as one 100 mg capsule orally 3 times daily. The capsules should be taken with water at least 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after meals

              Some patients with interstitial cystitis may require 6 to 8 weeks of therapy with pentosan to achieve relief of symptoms. Long-term continuation of pentosan therapy is necessary for persistent therapeutic effect.

              Elmiron and Comfora only differ in their price tag. Elmiron placed at a higher value is not affordable by all. Swati Spentose Pvt. Ltd. took the initiative in launching the only Indian Brand- Comfora. large segment of patients, for whom it was difficult to afford Elmiron can now buy it and lead a comforting life even during IC.

             The next issue will cover the All-India USICONS held at the capital as well as the regional USICONS attended by our expert staff.

             The symptoms in women exacerbate just before or during menstruation, during ovulation or if they are taking contraceptive pills. It should be emphasized, however, that many patients never progress further than a relatively mild form of IC.

Refined by Sanaa Jummal

What is Interstitial Cystitis?

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a recurring painful condition of the bladder and the adjacent pelvic areas. It is also known as the painful bladder syndrome. As the name suggests, the bladder pain is due to irritation of the bladder wall.

Both men and women can suffer from IC, irrespective of their age, but women in their middle age are known to be commonly affected with IC.

Normally, the bladder and urethra are lined by epithelium known as glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer 

GAG layer functions by

• defending the bladder wall from the irritants and toxins in the urine and
• preventing bladder infections by keeping bacteria away from sticking to the bladder.

Causes of IC

The cause of IC remains a mystery. However, studies have found that IC is not caused by any viral or bacterial infection. The proposed causes are enlisted in [Table 1].

How Does IC Begin?

IC can occur even in the absence of any recognisable cause. It can occur following a severe bacterial infection, any gynaecological surgery or even child birth. The symptoms may progress slowly over a period of time or may be sudden and severe. Prolonged period of IC can progress to advanced stages where the bladder will be shrunken and scarred, decreasing its capacity to hold urine. As the symptoms of IC are similar to those seen with urinary tract infection/bladder infection, they may be misdiagnosed. Often physicians diagnose IC only after infectious causes are ruled out or patients fail to respond to antibiotic treatment.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a symptom complex of chronic pelvic pain and urinary frequency in the absence of any urologic or systemic pathology. It is an idiopathic hypersensory condition of the bladder characterised by epithelial dysfunction, sensory nerve upregulation and mast cell activation.


Disease progression owing to a delay in diagnosis affects the quality of life. Successful management of IC necessitates prompt diagnosis with initiation of effective treatment interventions in the early stages of the disease. While traditional diagnosis was based on findings in severe and advances disease with procedures to establish the diagnosis, the current approach is based on patient history, physical examination, laboratory findings and symptom surveys.


In spite of considerable research, there are no universal consensuses on treatment protocols for IC. It usually consists of supportive, behavioural and pharmacological measures. A surgical approach is rarely warranted. The identification of clinical markers in the future may aid in ascertaining the aetiology and pathophysiology of IC.


However we had Elmiron as the only Medicine for the oral treatment of IC which is costly and hard to afford as regular medicine for long time, but we have a generic of Pentosan Polysulphate Sodium brand name COMFORA. which is much cheaper to afford and effective. 


Order Comfora online.
About Comfora .