Always keep this picture in mind while at a doctor's office

My first urologist demanded I have a hydro to be officially diagnosed. I knew I had IC for three years based on food triggers, remissions, STDs being ruled out, and finding the ICN support group.

For someone my age (19) it could have only been cancer, an STD, a stone, or IC. STD was ruled out. I didn't visit a doctor about my IC after the first one told me to go get a scope for diagnoses until just last year. So three years of on and off pain, a year of remission, and nothing else happening meant it wasn't cancer and not a stone.

It was painless way to rule out everything else.

Now my first Uro was a kind lady. She gave me a hug when I started to cry. I cry easily, especially when frightened, and I'd rather fight a shark than have a scope done on me while awake. (Actually, I'd fight a shark just to do it.. I love marine biology and know they're pussies if they can't get a stealth attack in, but alas, this blog isn't about fish).

She left me alone in the room with my boyfriend to make the decision. And that was the picture that popped into my head and made the decision. What was wrong with her? The new guidelines clearly stated hydros were USELESS for diagnosing and scopes were only need in complicated cases such as ulcers, which I did not have or else I would have been screaming the whole car ride over. What is wrong with these doctors? Don't they read guidelines? When I confronted her WITH A PAPER FROM THE ICA that had the new guidelines she said, "Well, that's just how we do things around here." Kind of like when you were a kid and your parents would win any argument just by saying "My house, my rules." It was patronizing to the extreme.

Thankfully I had researched hydros months before the appointment and found that its basically a 50/50 chance of it helping or permanently hurting you. Not worth the risk.

I walked out, still thinking of that picture.

I'm very happy I did. I found my dream urologist who doesn't even charge a co-pay, gives free samples of anything you request, listens, and also provides tips on day-to-day life and letting me know that GMC sells quercetin pretty cheap, and that yes it helps IC (something I already knew, but I didn't know GMC sold it for much cheaper than Cysta-Q). She also gave advice how to get rid of the toilet stains the Utira-C would cause.. and basically.. just treated everything by informing me of everything she knew that wasn't directly medical related, but would certainly help me live my life easier.

Dr. Grumpy on his blog made a post about "That Lady Doctor" which gives out free meds, prescribes anti-biotics for UTIs at 2 A.M., speaks to patients in stores, gives free medical care, and other such things. He was being sarcastic. But you know what? Both my uro and GP are "That Lady Doctor." They exist, much to his disbelief, and those are the ones you need to find.