Hey dantheman, have read most of your many posts. Are you taking pain meds? I have been told they only help 30% and I have found that to be true. But hey a 6 or 7 beats a 9 or 10. Big time. I know a man with IC who gets kidney stones also. He is doing well with Amitriptaline sp? The lucky guy. My brother has kidney stones, but no IC. He is a small animal vet, so back in the mid 70's, I asked him what he did with his cats with IC, and he cheerfully replied, "put them to sleep." You can imagine how this made me feel in my early 20's. You mentioned reading Dr. Parsons. I got to meet him at the NIH meeting in the 90's and he answered all my questions. I felt that he was considered the wise old man by other researchers. Dr. Tony Buffington is a vet and does cat IC research. You might be interested in reading his most recent papers.
You have to hang in there. And talk to a LOT of people before you consider having your bladder taken out, promise me. I am a glass half full person since getting IC, but I am more encouraged than I have ever been. IC Queen