Treatment happening quickly-making me worry more

Hi and welcome again, Please assure your husband that having no symptoms is perfectly normal, it's very good his cancer has been caught before it got bad enough TO cause symptoms.

The speed of NHS reaction appears to be a kind of national lottery from all the posts on here over years. Please try to keep busy with whatever engages and distracts you rather than worrying about being fortunate enough NOT to be waiting a week or two between each event. You'll get more time after the TURBT, as it takes a while for the lab to culture the cells removed in the TURBT enough to assess them, it can't be hurried. So then the lab work goes to an MDT, multi-disciplinary team meeting. Then you will get results and treatment choices. Feel free to vent on here in the meantime as much as you need.

Best, 

Denby

Hi Xebedee . Try not to read anything in to the timing of appointments. If they all come at once it is more of a coincidence than anything untoward. Different departments do not liaise with each other and send out appointments independently. The CT scan is routine and is more to rule anything else out. The main diagnosis tool is the TURBT. I hope all goes well. Best wishes.

Hi Xebedee, 

It's really good that your husband is being seen so quickly, it doesn't mean things are more serious.

These are all standard tests so would have taken place at some point. To have them done so quickly is a good thing, less time to dwel on and get your results back sooner.

Please try to see the promptness of the appointments as a good thing. Mine was also fairly quick. Blood found in urine end November, flexible cystcopy, CT scan, MRI, pre-op, and first TURBT by 21st December. 

I wish your husband all the best on his upcoming procedures.

Kindest Regards

Trevor 

Hi from France Xebedee,

Is it a cancer ? Is it muscle invasive or not muscle iinvasive. To date there is no answer. As you say, only analysis from samples collected during the TURBT will tell. The worst diagnosis is of course muscle invasive. BUT as your husband has no symptoms it is more likely non invasive but everything is possible. If it is non muscle invasive there are several options and the choice is sometimes difficult (BCG therapy, local chemotherapy or cystectomy in case of some kind of superficial cancers which are known to growth quickly for instance). For my husband this was clear: after the TURBT that it was muscle invasive. We chose chemotherpy and cystoprostatectomy with neobladder. Eighteen months later we are very happy with the results of surgery. Our life is very closed to what it was before.

Don't panic. You have a long way in front of you. Try both to keep physical activity, social contacts. Communication with your husband is essential (if you were not used to communicate before it will be harder but till possible !). During the fisrt week-end after my husband diagnosis I asked him 10 times a day "How do you feel ?" I realized quickly that it was a bad idea because he looked very well out ! Then my husband was thankfull when I stopped asking  !

Best wishes

Catherine