Hi - sorry don't know your name. I can so relate - I've gone through horrible anxiety and insomnia - probably happened two years into treatment.  In desperation I strayed from Matia's protocol to try sleeping pills, the dreaded benzos, the more accepted Elavil, a prescription for pot, supplements from a natural path - who knows what else.  While I can say with certainty that none of these helped - made my bladder, and often anxiety, even worse, it seemed like I just had to try it all before I hit some sort of acceptance that I had to commit to this process, no matter how impossible it seemed and was.  I think around this point, I checked myself into an out-patient mental health program through Swedish.  For two weeks I got buzzed into the mental ward for the day - 9th floor.  Of course, they too wanted to dope me up - tried a few things but my bladder rebelled.  I don't have too much positive to say about the program, went through it during horrible insomnia - however, it was a distraction.  So, you are talking to someone who can relate to the hell that you find yourself in.  Here's the thing, you can find your way - even if your path strays out of your need to search for some sort of damned answer that's a hell of alot easier.  I'm not going to tell you that I'm 100 percent a poster child for mental health.  However, I sleep now, I know myself better, I'm in an incredilbe counceling program called Internal Family Therapy and my bladder rarely bothers me. Again, I get it - it gets better - you can do this - and yes - it sucks

Hi- I have/had IC and have been doing pretty well....comes and goes but I seem to be managing and way less scared when I have a little pain.  Anyway,,,,I am also a pharmacist and I work in a psych hosptial.  The meds are not good, except for a last resort.  Try reading Mercola.com for anxiety and insomnia.  Here is a link to a tapping method to help with anxiety......https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWu3rSEddZI.  There are lots of articles and videos to help.  If you don't sleep for 3-4 days - that gets scary...kind of an emergency.  Amitriptylline helps and use the lowest dose possible for the shortest time you can. It is an antidepressant that causes sleep and dry mouth....thats why we give it at bedtime.  Another suggestion is to see an endocrinologist.....or try bio-identical hormones if you are pre menopausal.  Matias method is still the best and safest long term in my opinion.

Bella hang in there!!! I am in treatment almost 2 years too and I had happen to me 6 months ago - just horrible!!! I also had "sadness; felt like I was going to lose my mind; fear; very emotional; decreased appetite and this Monday it turned into full blown insomnia." I was maniac - laughing and then crying in one breath - it was sooooo scarey. I also eventually found out my magnesium was in the basement too. It truly is a horrible feeling! I took blood test after blood test - something couldn't be right. On top of it all I gained almost 20 lbs. I kept asking Dr. Matia how can I be so sad I have nothing to be sad about, how can I feel so hopeless it doesn't make sense!!! She kept reassuring me that it was dieoff - every organ holds emotions and they are releasing. I did come out of it but it took some time. And now I just have small bouts here and there. I always try and tell myself it's a good thing - more healing - I know it's sooooo hard though!!! I still have horrible dieoff - almost constantly - and I think after almost 2 years how is that possible??? This is a long journey but well worth it!!!
HUGS!
Claire C