Yes, Amy, I have the same problem and it my not so good urologist dxed it as "trigonitis", a diagnosis that has largely been replaced by the term interstitial cystitis. He did not give me the IC dx because my bladder was holding too much urine that day for the dx, but he saidit just may have been a "good day". There is another similar condition called chronic bladder pain, all the pain and no way to really fix it so much. IC is an autoimmune condition they think. It is triggered heavily by diet and there are a number of sites for IC that give a good list of foods to avoid. Soy is a big one, as it diet drinks and sweeteners. Diet coke and coke one are definite no-nos and a local man here was told his bladder cancer was entirely triggered by the use of sweeteners and especially diet coke, whch he switched to after a diabetes diagnosis. I'm sure diabetes doesn't help, as it seems to change the way you blood is, how thick and thin, and also is tied with vascular problems.
I actually had angioecstasias in the floor of my bladder--the trigone--and lots of urethral polyps, which were never even mentioned by the first urologist who scoped me. I believe that liver and kidney diseases increase the blood pressure on small blood vessels, which rupture. Angioecstasias onthe face are the familiar spider veins. I would guess if you get them on your face, you may get them elsewhere like in the intestine and bladder. I also have them in my small intestine.
Angio ecstasias in the intestine are a common finding in the elderly, but not so with younger people, but are often not mentioned unless you have a complaint--I was really nauseaus with mine and had bladder infection symptoms all the time and it was maddening.
Diet resolved my bladder problems about
90% though the ultram probably masks some of the pain. Also, ultram and pain meds can make you not be able to pee, quitting for a while helped me. I try hard to remain hydrated, not drink too much or too little water and to keep gatorade on hand for the electrolytes (I like distilled water--which has no electrolytes).
I would try to find a female urologist or a good urologist and have them scope your bladder--they do it in the office-- and tell you what they find. They can burn off polyps and test you for IC, and at least have an eye outfor it.
The diet is the one thing that helped me. Followng a liver friendly diet, replacing lunch with my liver friendly smoothie full of fiber and whey,not soy, really helped. Soy is not very good for people from a liver and bladder diet standpoint, and full of cancer feeding phytoestrogens, very high sodium too. Hope this helps and tha you feel better.
Love, Marji
Ills--Sjogrens-Lupus cond., AI polygland. dysfunction 2, hyper/hypopigment, scoliosis,kyphosis,stenosis, deg.,O.A.,spine surgeries, salivary/lymphectomies, NASH, COPD, RLS, UT/GI bleeds, hystero, brain/nerve damage,TB
Meds--INH,Plaquenil, Evoxac, Metformin, Synthroid, HCTZ, HRT and Lidocaine patchs, Voltaren gel, Klonopin, Vicodin, Restasis, Albuterol, steroids