Pain six weeks after TURBT

Hi PoppaSmurf and welcome to the group. Usually pain after a TURBT subsides in about a week or so and the wound should have healed a few weeks later. We all tend to take more notice of aches and pains than we normally would, but it is always best to give your CNS a ring. You should have been given a contact number. There is always a possibility of infection, so if you cannot contact the hospital, drop in to your GP surgery with a urine sample for them to test for infection. Best wishes.

Hi Rily and thank you for your response. I actually took a urine sample in on Friday which has been sent off. My pain has subsided a lot this morning so i'm thinking that maybe i did a little too much over the weekend. If i get any more pain then i will contact my cns or GP. Thank you , as i said this all new to me 

Hi PoppaSmurf. Anything too strenuous can put a strain on things. Because there is nothing visible, we tend to forget we have had a large chunk of our insides cut away and it takes time to heal. I hope all goes well for you. There is a lot of experience in this group, so shout out if you have any concerns or questions. Best wishes.

Hi PoppaSmurf, I usually see the nurse at the health centre & she tests the urine (before sending it off) & writes out a prescription for anti biotics there & then.  Just thought I'd mention this for future reference, & saves you going through any unnecessary pain whilst waiting.  All the best to you!

Hi, i'm a 52 year old man too and was diagnosed with BC back in May, i had my TURBT in June and was then confirmed as having a G3 PTA Transitional Cell Carcinoma.  Two weeks ago I went back in for a routine cystoscopy and have a repeat biopsy taken and i'm currently waiting for the pathology results. 

I have experienced the same symptoms as you have described and it took me nearly six weeks for me not to feel in pain or uncomfortable when passing urine, over time the pain in my penis subsided and became less. I have also experienced some groin pain, but think i made the mistake of over doing things too quickly, however i was advised by my consultant that i'd be fit and well enough to do anything after two weeks of the procedure, so i started doing more physical type work again, i think it was too much too soon. My latest procedure wasn't such a trauma and i was recovering quickly however after a week i developed an infection which after antibiotics for a few days started to improve again. I think we are both experiencing common and expected issues following a TURBT procedure. 

My advice is to continue to drink plenty of water, don't be tempted to do anything too physical too soon and if the pain continues to seek advice from your GP or consultant, you may have an infection. I hope this helps you and good luck. Regards Adrian

Hope what follows is at the very least interesting, if not useful:

t will take 6 weeks from the date of surgery to fully recover from your operation. This can be divided into two parts -- the first 2 weeks and the last 4 weeks. During the first 2 weeks from the date of your surgery, it is important to be "a person of leisure". You should avoid lifting and straining, which also means that you should avoid constipation. This can be done by any of 3 ways: 1) modify your diet, 2) use stool softeners which have been prescribed for you, and 3) use gentle laxatives such as Milk of Magnesia which can be purchased at your local drug store. It is important for you to avoid prolonged sitting. You should avoid sexual activity during this time. Also, avoid driving. The danger is not so much the driving, but it may delay you from urinating if you have the urge; and, "holding" urine may cause bleeding. If you return to work before 2 weeks, you may feel fatigued and require a decreased work load.

During the second 4 week period of your recovery, you may begin regular activity, but only on a graduated basis. For example, you may feel well enough to return to work, but you may find it easier to begin on a half-day basis. It is common to become quite tired in the afternoon, and if such occurs, it is best to take a nap! Also, you may begin to drive as well as lift objects such as a briefcase, etc. If you are a golfer, you may begin to swing a golf club at this time. Sexual activity may be resumed during this time, but only on a limited basis. In general, your overall activity may be escalated to normal as you progress through this second time period, such that by 6-8 weeks following the date of surgery, you should be back to normal activity. If you take aspirin as a regular medication, it may be resumed at this time.

I just want to thank everyone for all your help and it has helped, i am very lucky to have  some great support from friends and family but obviously hearing from people who are or who have experienced the same thing as me makes it easier to cope .

I've taken everything ALL of you guys have said so once again THANK YOU 

Hi PoppaSmurf,

I am a 59 year old man who was found to have G3/TPa in June 2015.  I had a small perforation during my initial TURBT so had to have another full TURBT 6 weeks later at which no tumour was found. I then started 6 BCG and had another clear deep biopsy under General anaesthetic  after another  3 months.   I have since had another 12 BCG and 5 flexible cystoscopies (all clear).

I too have had discomfort/aching in my R lower abdomen since the initial procedure, worse if I overdid things at first. Because of this I have undergone 2 detailed Ultrasound scans and then another CT (over a year after my initial staging one). All the scans have been clear.   I also underwent a full colonoscopy (clear) 18 months before my bladder cancer diagnosis.

I continue to get intermittent aching in the R iliac fossa but otherwise feel completely well and am very active. My next BCG course is in a month and then next cystoscopy in December.

Certainly my aching was worse for about 6-8 weeks after each TURBT/Deep biopsy.

I hope this is helpful.

Hi,  My husband had a TURBT Oct. 17 and a large tumor was removed. It was diagnosed as being Stage 1 High Grade.  He has had 2 BCG treatments but had to cancel the third due to a severe UTI.  He also suffers from difficulty urinating without meds, painful constipation, and general pain in lower abdomen. He is miserable.  The pain is constant and he just doesn't seem to be improving after FIVE WEEKS.  I have three questions:

1. Is his experience normal? He is 74.  Not as easy to bounce back when you're older.

2. Could the BCG treatment have caused the infection?

3. Could something be damaged?  

The doctor is hard to reach and vague.

We just don't know. He's been fortunate to never have had digestive ailments before...nothing major.  He's beginning to think he'll never get better.  Any words of encouragement or warning???  Thanks.

Hi Barbara...interesting that your husband was still in pain five weeks after turbt...I had a similar procedure six weeks ago and am also in pain all the time . Lower stomach hard to define but not in the anus but more around that area... diarrhoea, sleepless nights ...no support from my consultant at all after six weeks despite repeated phone calls .. have had urine samples taken but no positive results so all clear .. really don’t know what to do as six weeks seems a long time to recover ...any advice appreciated...David