I'm feeling a little anxious the last few days.  I've had a bad few months and was officially diagnosed with MCAS at Mayo two weeks ago after 14 years of IA. I started Singulair but was allergic and also strated Gastrocrom this week and think that is going okay however I've started slow with 5ml instead of 10ml.  I'm feeling better this week then I have in a long time and will be going back to work on Monday. My issue is that I'm so used to feeling crudy that it is almost scary to start feeling good. Besides the mouth bumps, hives, or inflammed taste buds (whatever they may be) and a little symptomatic at night which is when histimine is at it's highest, I'm feeling pretty good. It's almost like I'm waiting for the next shoe to drop. I should be doing a happy dance and instead am feeling nervous like it's been so long since I've felt good that I almost don't know how to handle it.  I'm also a little anxious about going back to work next week. There is something calming about knowing if I don't feel good during the day, I can relax, pray, do some self talk and be in my own setting as opposed to being at work with 100 other people in an uncontrolled environment. Ugh! I'm putting my health in God's hands and praying for guidance to make the right decisions and choices about food, activities, exercise, friends and picking my battles.

Thanks for the encouragement.  I had another reaction this morning. I think it was to the Cipro I'm taking for a uti. I was feeling great until yesterday and I started taking the Cipro Wed. I took another dose late last night and was anaphylactic this a.m.  Boy, that didn't help the anxiety! LOL!

My urine came back clean after only two days on Cipro (had to stop because of reaction). Two days on an antibiotic isn't usually enough and.  I'm continuing to have severe back pains and all the symptoms of IC.  I've had these in the past with clean urine samples.  I believe it is the masto kicking.  I went back to work Monday and had severe flares Mon and Tuesday.  I took today off after having all last week off (boy, is that going to go over like a lead ballon) and spoke with Mayo. I asked the nurse to run the IC/Masto flare up by Dr. Rank to get his opinion.  I started steriods last week to get my IA under control and I'm still flaring which is puzzling but these urinary problems are definetely flaring as well.  Does anyone know if IC causes masto flares or do masto flares cause IC?

Hi Nikki!
All I can do is tell you about MY experiences. I have frequent UTIs.. then I realized it wasnt a UTI anymore its IC... Dr confirmed... You know how you can tell?? The urine lab result will say "no or few bacteria".

OK Now you gotta realize that mast cells there will kick up just like an infection sometimes,, that low back pain, urgency, frequency... I cant take many antibiotics either--but Cipro is a good one--I also react to it--here is my solution (Im doing it now). When I get those flares, I take Cipro--the directions are usually 500 mg twice a day. I snap them in half and take 250 mg 3 times a day, hey it works for me! I am on prednisone too--It caused me to go into anaphylaxis before I realized it was going on....

Now it doesnt make sense that antibiotics should be needed with no bacteria showing BUT.. somehow it calms the bladder down and helps...

After this is all through, take vistaril to help stop those bladder spasms... I hope you are much better soon!!
hugs to ya,
Ramona