Problem
My name is Marielie Vasquez and I have suffered from chronic pain for 15 years now. Interstitial Cystitis is a chronic bladder pain that affects more than 8 million Americans. This bladder chronic pain is constant, unbearable and feels like battery acid. Is a every day pain we urinate more than 60 times a day and our doctors are telling us that there is no cure. Is very difficult to treat and the treatments are not really effective. There are no new medications all they have is Elmiron and that medication makes our hair fall out and cause eyes problems. Many urologists are suggesting sacral modulators but in my case it made me worse increasing the pain and making me less mobil. Interstitial Cystitis deteriorates the lining in our bladders meaning that everything we eat or drink can cause horrible flares inwhich it causes, acid-like, knife-like, penetrating, pulsating and being ripped apart pain, even the cold weather affects us. Interstitial Cystitis has been ranked the worse pain closest to cancer pain. The doctors are sending us to pain management because now is a pain issue. Pain management doctors are being very limited because of the opioid abuse that has nothing to do with chronic pain patients. We are desperate. We have no social life. Relationships are very difficult to have and most important Interstitial Cystitis patients are being denied treatments in the Emergency Room because of these new laws. The suicide rate has increased and it is so hard to see our brothers and sisters committing suicide. This is a very long journey for us. We are desperate.

Solution
All we need is doctor's and scientist who want to research create new medications to give us a sense of a normal life. We need Interstitial Cystitis to be understood because having this conditions brings along other painful conditions such as Vulvodynia, Fibromyalgia, IBS and other diseases.

Personal story
I have been in pain for 15 years. I have lost my job, child and relationship. This conditions takes a huge toll on you. It's like your internal organs are being ripped apart. Please help us with research and new medications. We have created a facebook group called The Raw Reality of Interstitial Cystitis along my two friends Naquitta Hudson and Lisa Duncan who also have Interstitial Cystitis. Please help us as advocate.