If you urinate much more often than others, such as, twenty times a day, thirty times a day, or even forty times a day, a few minutes after urination, you feel that your bladder is full again. If you try to hold it in for a little while, you may suddenly sense a serious pain from abdomen. Frequent micturition and lower abdominal pain are what we call the typical symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis (IC).

    Clinical presentations of Interstitial Cystitis are very similar to Bacterial Cystitis, yet IC is not caused by viruses or bacteria. The real cause of this disease is still unknown.

 

Founder of TICA and Chief of the Department of Urology, Taichung Hospital, Department of Health: Dr. Lee Ming Huei

    According to research results from the United States, the population of the whole country suffering from Interstitial Cystitis is around 0.5 percent. If that percentage also applied to Taiwan, there would be 100,000 Interstitial Cystitis patients needing our medical treatment.

    In order for all IC patients to get the best medical care, Dr. Lee Ming Huei worked together with his team members as well as helpful, enthusiastic patients. He has organized a patient-centered association, which aims to help IC patients all over Taiwan to get non-medical help. After two years of preparation, they finally founded the Taiwan Interstitial Cystitis Association (TICA). It is not only a supportive group for patients, but also the first such association approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and also the first professional Interstitial Cystitis association in Southeast Asia.

 

Chairman of TICA: Ms. Lan Yu Zhen

 

    First of all, we hope that through the work of the association, those whose conditions have been cured to a certain extent, and have almost no physical and psychological problems, can offer other patients a positive demonstration, telling them their conditions can be improved and giving them confidence. Secondly, we would like to appeal to the medical professionals. We hope they can keep working on finding more effective treatments for IC patients.

 

    The Taiwan Interstitial Cystitis Association now has a website up to educate the public about Interstitial Cystitis, the appropriate self care methods, experiences shared by other patients, and topics of monthly patient conferences. TICA also publishes a quarterly newsletter to reveal useful health education information on Interstitial Cystitis. In the monthly patient conference, TICA invites doctors and professionals from related fields to talk to patients and their families about  Interstitial Cystitis, and to teach them how to take care of themselves in their daily lives. Patients can share their experiences, and encourage each other for a better quality of life. TICA has also worked on a Health Passport for patients, so they will have useful information for their treatment, and so they can write about their daily conditions.

 

    In order to encourage patients to leave their homes and lead a positive lifestyle, TICA organizes an outdoor field trip every year, for all patients. The year before last, they visited Huatao Kiln: a pottery workshop in Miaoli. Last year, they visited Green World: a nice, green wildlife park in Beipu, Hsinchu. They brought their families and enjoyed the trips very much. TICA also organized a New Year feast party at the end of 2006. At the party, patients got to know each other more, and built up helpful, supportive and encouraging connections.

 

President of the Taiwan Continence Society:
Dr. Lin Deng Long

 

    I think TICA is playing a very good role here. It tells patients where to get effective medical treatments. When patients meet others who also suffer from Interstitial Cystitis, they will feel better and know they are not alone. Each interaction between patients is a very effective psychological treatment for their disease. Therefore, it is very helpful in addition to our medical treatments.

 

    After the establishment of TICA, the combining of related sections in the hospital has been given more and more allocation. In 2005, under the guidance of Dr. Lee Ming Huei, Taichung Hospital successfully set up an Interstitial Cystitis Integration Care team. From the moment the patient walks into the hospital, doctors from related sections approach him to start detailed, physical examinations and diagnostic procedures. The team includes professionals from Gynecology, Urology, Rehabilitation, Psychology and Nutrition. They all work together to perform an overall health check: training the patient’s pelvic muscles for better urinary control, evaluating the patient’s psychological state, and suggesting dietary modifications. Moreover, this team includes a practitioner of Chinese Medicine.

 

    Psychological conditions are very important to IC patients. Dr. Zhan wants to remind IC patients of what they should keep in mind.

 

Doctor of Psychology at Taichung Hospital, Department of Health: Dr. Zhan Dong Lin

 

    According to the latest medical research, anxiety and depression have a lot of to do with bladder conditions. They affect each other significantly. So if you’ve already got professional help for your bladder conditions, but you still have other emotional or psychological problems, please do not hesitate to go to psychosomatic and psychological professionals. They will use professional methods or prescriptions to make you feel much better. 

 

    Diet control is also important to IC patients. Generally speaking, patients need to avoid eating too much food that is high in potassium anions. For example, most vegetables and sour-tasting fruits.

Besides, fermented food, food with lots of spices, additives, and preserved food, stimulating drinks such as coke, coffee and tea also need quantity control.

 

    During this integrated long-term treatment, TICA found that family support is very helpful to patients. One of our patients’ family members, Mr. Wong, has done a good job. He likes to share with everyone how he has taken care of his wife.

 

Lan Yu Zhen’s husband: Mr. Wong

 

    We need to stick with them and be their best company. So when my wife started her medical treatment, I helped her to instill medicine into her bladder, and always encouraged her to participate in all kinds of activities. The main purpose was to let her forget she was a patient, and allow herself to live peacefully with IC conditions. At last she could escape the shadow of IC.

 

    There are some other patients at Taichung Hospital whose conditions have also improved significantly. They now lead a normal life and have become the core members of TICA. They are willing to share their love and experience to others.

 

Patient: Lai A-Tsai

 

    My illness had once been delayed for over ten years because I failed to find the effective medical treatment. But now my conditions have been very well under control. I believe you can be like me. You will get much better and lead a colorful life just as I do now.

 

Patient: Lee Chang-Hsien

 

    I believe every person who has suffered from Interstitial Cystitis has some kind of scar in his or her mind. Whatever kind of problems you are currently facing, you need others to lend a hand. No matter what, if you decide to walk out of the shadow, to solve any problems you have, you can and you will succeed. You will be able to open your mind widely and be much happier than ever. Trust me, you can make it!

 

Honorary President of TICA, Superintendent of Taichung Hospital: Hsu Yong Nian

 

    We hope TICA will successfully move forward while utilizing the most humane Integration Care in our Taichung Hospital, among other things.We also hope it will radiate more and more light to those who are seriously suffering from Interstitial Cystitis. If they are taken care of with effective treatments, then they will believe that our society is full of humanity and love.

 

    At the annual meeting on December 18^th, 2006, TICA gave out prizes to thank all the hard workers and best friends. They also announced that the year 2007 was the International Year. During the international conference to be held in Japan, Founder Dr. Lee will introduce TICA to people from other countries. This is the great start of TICA’s cooperation with other countries on researches and efforts to develop medical solutions. It is an important milestone for TICA, and a significant step towards an outstanding and meaningful future!

 

The end