Bladder cancer

Hi Dave 54 and welcome to the group. The procedure you will be having is called a TURBT (trans urethral resection of bladder tumour). It sounds worse than it is . Usually done in day surgery but prepare for an overnight just in case. You should wake up with a catheter which will give you some relief. Following the op you may find more relief but it will sting a bit for a few days. A biopsy will be taken and sent for analysis and then a few weeks wait for results.  In the meantime, although it may seem strange in the circumstances, it is important to keep drinking lots of water to keep things out and prevent infection. Best wishes.

Thanks

Hi Dave 54 . Lots of experience here so always someone to answer questions as you go forward. Best wishes.

I think it depends where exactly the tumor is. But don't worry: as Rily said, after the TURBT and after a few days you will feel better. I had an infection that needed antibiotics, but nothing too bad and a price worth paying... I think you will feel much better 10 days after the TURBT and nearly back to normal after a couple of weeks. And take Rily's suggestion about drinking very seriously: you need to drink at least 1.5, 2 liters of water every day. That will help you the most...

Hi Dave 54,Welcome to the group.You may find that the TURBT helps with the symptoms.It’s more uncomfy than really painful and drinking plenty is important afterwards.I hope you find it helpful here.Best wishes Jane

Thanks

Hi Dave54, wondering if things have all settled down following your TURBT, if you had results back and if things are all good.

Fingers crossed you are clear and no longer looking at this forum as you are away somewhere, sipping cold drinks, watching the world go by.

Keep on keeping on

Simon

Hi Dave I feel your pain..I am in the same situation..i have had numerous of tests , and was told on the 30th of June.  The worst day of my life , that my lesion was cancerous . A 6cm tumor.  I am currently awaiting for a bladder removal,  my ovaries to be removed and my womb.. feeling scared and anxious  of the whole of situation.  My symptoms have been going on for over 2 and half years.  Was totally  ignored  by my gp. It had to be my neurologist who stepped  up, and said enough  is enough ..my patient,  cannot be prescribed. Antibiotics.  Where  the symptoms are not going away.  After all is time, they finally sent me for a ultrasound. Where ot was detected 

Hi Jayne79,Do you have a surgery date yet ? It is a big op but there is advice and support on here.Love Jane x

Hi Jane79,

The diagnosis of bladder cancer is unfortunately often delayed. My husband had urinary disorders 4 years ago. He visited the Professor of Urology from our french University Hospital who thought it was due to a prostate problem. After MRI he performed biopsy in December 2018 that all were negative. In January 2020 the situation worsened and my husband met again the urologist who again performed biopsies. No cancer. But also no further investigations. And in May 2022 two drops of blood in the urine and finally a bladder cancer has been discovered (muscle-invasive). He had to receive chemotherapy before intervention but developed renal failure after the first injection (due to a mistake from the oncologist...). On the 12th of August 2022 my husband underwent a 11.5 hours intervention with cystoprostatectomy and reconstruction of a neo bladder. One year later everything is OK for my husband. We travel, swim, go trekking. A quite normal life !!!

Initially it was quite difficult to accept because of the initial medical error (if the diagnostic of bladder cancer would have been performed 18 months sooner probably the intervention would have been avoided, it was perhaps non-muscle invasive at that time). Such thoughts can be devastating and must be combated. 

Do you already know if you'll get a stoma or a neobladder ? My husband has been in touch with patients who had one or tthe other type of intervention. Those with stoma said that after a few weeks they did not care anymore about it. With a neobladder it is necessary to stand up several times during the night (maximum content about 400 ml).

We shared our worries with closed friends before the intervention, and it was a big help for both of us. 

I hope you are not going to wait too long for the intervention and that you get through all the stages as smoothly as possible.

Best wishes

Catherine