Hello Everyone,

It has been a great week. As I said in an earlier post, I continue to learn from all of you and from watching this process as time continues. This week I learned a lesson that I seem to learn repeatedly, and am myself stunned at how this happens too often.

Please remember to tell me about anything you are doing or taking. When I ask at the end of our conversation for you to confirm all that you are taking, please include everything you are taking. All prescription medications, all OTC medications–everything, not just what I have given you to take.

I discovered two patients taking supplements that I was not aware of that would have tremendously impacted my decisions had I realized. Every ingredient is critical, even, and especially, water. Each separate ingredient can be the difference between no pain and high pain, as in zero or 10. I had this happen this week as well.

Communication is so important–please remember everything is important!!

I also want to comment on how many people read my comments on sex. It was super facinating to see the difference in response between interest in anxiety, a common problem accompanying IC and sex! The difference in numbers is astounding. I realize that we must not talk about that enough. It clearly is something that is important to everyone. So, I will make sure to bring up more about that and invite more conversation on this very important part of the process.

Lastly I want to say that I am overwhelmed by the amount of positive and nurturing commentary that each of you are offering one another. Positive creates positive–so, I am thrilled to see that each of you are being extremely respectful and empathetic and contributing a lot of important information to everyone participating on the site.

Thank you to all of you for helping to make a difference. If you touch even one person you have helped to make a big difference in that person’s life and everyone that loves them!

Dr.B