You will get better
Chances are you found this site because you are in pain from debilitating bladder symptoms, that you are scared the pain will never go away and that no one believes you have cystitis. That no one believes you is the hard part, the part that makes it scary. Because without believing you, it'll be hard to get the help and support you need to get better.
As I write this, I remember the sheer, unadulterated fear I felt when first-line treatments weren't working. Appointment after appointment yielded negative results from urine cultures, diminishing the chances of mainstream doctors taking my worsening pain seriously.
Fast forward seven years, and I can tell you that it will get better. I will share with you how, slowly, I got better and how you can accelerate it. Even the medical profession is getting better and acknowledging that there's a problem with testing, diagnosis and treatment. My own condition may not be "cured" yet, but it is manageable, the pain sporadic, the anxiety under control.
Make no mistake - the condition is war. War against interstitial "biofilm" bacteria - first in your bladder, then in your vagina, then in your gastrointestinal tract. It is war. But before I tell you how to arm yourself for battle, let me send you a message of hope - you can achieve IC victory.
Resources
I am not a medical doctor - which is a necessary disclaimer on a website like this, so I'm not here to provide cures or advice. I am, though, here to support you with information based on personal experience. I will share my story, and encourage you to do your own research, make your own judgements and take control of your condition. I've constructed the 'order' of the pages in the order of how my recovery occurred. Yours may take on a different path, but the essentials are likely to be the same.