Bladder issues

I have written before about the bladder issues I have been having after my hysterectomy and my first UTI in October. I was on bio-identical hormones and could not ever feel balanced so went on Premarin 0.625. Went to a urologist back in December and he felt all my urethra pain and bladder spasms were due to low levels of estrogen for so long (my tissues were thin etc). I had lots of incontinence and dryness issues before my hysterectomy. However, the urologist has yet to check that area. He has just talked to me every time I have been in. He did say he would check me out this next time if things were not better. I have been using Premarin cream vaginally and on the urethra area for 6 weeks. Anyway, after going on the oral Premarin my bladder issues got much better just after one week. Then I had some minor discomfort here and there, but things were sooo much better and I was feeling that the urologist was probably right. In January I got a upper respiratory infection where I coughed constantly for two weeks and then had a big emotional week last week. Now I am having more pain than ever. I am taking Davocet's and valium and trying prydium. None of it seems to help much, but I want to take something to help with the pain. Has anyone ever had this? Can the tissues be redamaged even after they had gotten better. I mentioned IC to the urologist and he said that didn't even cross his mind, but it has crossed my mind. This urologist does treat people in my area with IC so I felt he must know what he is talking about, but I am so discouraged. He told me it might take 2-4 months to get better, but I am closing in the the 2 month mark and it seems to be worse now. I have had days where I felt normal-no pain-no awareness of that area at all, but since I was sick it has been really bad. Any thoughts or suggestions. I feel so alone. None of my friends really understand what I am going through.

domwa,

Have you asked your urologist directly what he thinks your problem might be? If he doesn't think it is IC, then what does he think it IS? Sometimes the direct approach is the only way to truly get your questions answered. If it were me, I'd just ask straight out if he thought it could be IC and then ask him,
if so--what can he do to help make it better and
if not--what does he think it is and what can you do to help make it better?

Does he also realize the amount of pain you are in? If you are at all like me, I tend to minimize the amount of pain I have at any one given time. Let him know how much you hurt.

Also, have you considered going to a Urogynecologist instead of just a urologist? UroGYN's deal with all kinds of pelvic floor issues and can test for things other than just strictly urology issues so if other things are at work instead of just your bladder and urinary tract, a UroGYN may be able to find them.

Best of good luck to you. Hope you .....

Yes, I asked the doctor what he thought it was and he said urethra atrophy. He told me he had stacks of files of women just like me who presented with pain in that area.
I would love to go to a uro-gyn, but there are not any in my town of 100,000. I do live about 2 1/2 hours away from Ft. Worth and I guess I could look into that, but it would not be very convenient.
I have called the doctors office during my worst periods of pain and they just tell me to go to the ER, they say they are too full to see me and he won't prescribe anything unless I come in for a visit. this makes me mad, but I don't have a lot of alternatives. He is the head of the urology department at our local hospital and is supposedly the best in town.
Thanks for your reply. I keep praying it will just go away.