Being diagnosed unexpected can be scary. I was diagnosed at 39yrs old unexpectedly when I was being treated for optic neuritis. The opthamologist sent me for a full scan and found I had stage 3 bladder cancer and I was given a few months to live if I didn't have surgery. The surgery was to remove my bladder womb and ovaries as these organs are all connected and the cancer could spread. After the surgery I felt awful for a few months then was back on track cancer free. I have now had to leave work due to medical problems I've had ever since that surgery. I can't work. In pain everyday and vomit a lot. I feel so worthless
Hi Bladderless and a very warm welcome to the online community which I hope you'll find is both an informative and supportive place to be.
You are right that having a cancer diagnosis is scary but it's great that you're now cancer free. However, it's not great that you are in pain daily and that you are feeling worthless. I assume that you have spoken to your cancer team about the pain you are in. Do go back to them if the painkillers they have given you are not working as they have lots of different ones for you to try.
The online community is divided into different support forums so I'm going to recommend that you also join and post in the bladder cancer forum as you'll then connect directly with others who have had this type of cancer to ask questions, share experiences and get support.
You may also like to join the life after cancer forum which is for cancer survivors and people who have finished treatment. There you can discuss things like the physical and emotional after effects of cancer, returning to work, or trying to move on with your life.
To join either or both of these forums, just click on the links I've created and, once you've joined, you can start a new post in the same way as you did here and join in with existing conversations by clicking on 'reply'.
It would be great if you could put something about your diagnosis and treatment into your profile as it really helps others when replying to you and also when looking for someone on a similar pathway. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. To do this click on your username and then select 'Profile'. You can amend it at any time and if you're not sure what to write you can take a look at mine by clicking on my username.
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
