[yearsoffrustration]

I'm curious if anyone knows approx WHEN (how many years ago) IC was first considered by doctors or thought of as a medical condition. Is it fairly new (even though so many have suffered for so long) or is it something that doctors always had a name for?

[OABandIC]

i know someone who was diagnosed 20 years ago...
hope that helps!

[OABandIC]

yeah- it truly became known about 20-25 years ago...

[drwenski]

It has been around a long time in that they know what those bladder ulcers are and how painful they are.What they don't know is how to successfully treat IC.I think that is why it is so often misdiagnosed and/or underdiagnosed

[Dori]

HA! I know this. I actually read: "It appears that the first possible case of interstitial cystitis may have been reported in 1836 by Mercier (11). The term "interstitial cystitis" was first used in 1887 by Skene in his book Diseases of the Bladder and Urethra in Women (12)."

I was on another website just before finding this one. Very interesting history of the disease at www.ic-network.com/handbook/basics.html

I especially like these quotes: " A famous professor was lecturing. At the end of his speech he said "There's this disease called interstitial cystitis. It is little old ladies and they have to urinate a lot. They're always in pain and they will drive you nuts. It's a psychiatric disease. It's all in their heads.""
---- it is not in my head. It is very much in my pelvic region.

"In 1998, IC is now accepted as one of the most challenging conditions known to the urology community. The NIH, as well as researchers around the world, are devoting tens of thousands of dollars towards research that is slowly, yet surely, revealing essential pieces to the IC puzzle. "
---- WHOA! They are devoting "tens of thousands of dollars" towards research??? Doesn't that seem like a small amount of money?? I am sure that the posters on this site alone have spent in excess of that in simply managing this condition. I just found it odd that they would state that in such awe-ful way as if it is impressive. I now see why every disease has to have a ribbon & a 5k walk/run to support their researchers. I would think that 10s of 1000s would only support ONE researcher in his endeavors... if even ONE. I personally make 10s of 1000s yearly and still have trouble making ends meet.