First visit to consultant on 27th August

Hi Winker 60  write down any questions you have because when your in with surgeon your mind tends to go blank , also take a pen and make notes of what is said  ,hope all goes well x

Hi  winkers60. Always good to have someone with you to take notes. As Ade123 says, you can be overwhelmed with info which you soon forget or get confused about. Some doctors will allow you to record the meeting. You need to know your stage and grade, treatment options and timescales. Also ask to be copied in on the meeting notes. Your consultant usually sends a report to your GP and you can be asked to be copied in. Macmillan have prepared some information here about meeting your consultant, Questions to ask your healthcare team (link). I hope all goes well. Best wishes.

Thank you Ade123 & rily.That's interesting about being copied in on meeting notes.I do like to know exactly what's going on,as I can cope much better.My sister will be with me.My partner was supposed to be taking us but he is currently ill with a flare up of ulcerative colitis.Jane

Best wishes winkers60, I like to know what's going on and getting in on the meeting notes is  a good idea.

Thanks foxbrush

Hi Wiinkers 60 I agree with above definitely someone with you . Mind you I took the Mrs and she went blank and I took it all in. 

Make sure you write down anything you can think of from now until you go, doesn't matter if you think it's silly, just ask the question. Make sure you have details of someone to contact , usually CNS if you have questions when you get home. Usually given all that but just make sure.

Best of luck.

Thanks Lugsy,My sister Sarah will be with me.

Hello

The Bladder Cancer bloggers are correct. Try to take someone with you. Take notes so that in the lonely hours you can remember what has been discussed. You need to ask stage and grade of tumour and what treatments are available. I was diagnosed with T grade 2 with the Consultant talking about radical surgery. I am so glad I went to see the Oncologist who offered me chemotherapy and radiotherapy instead of bladder removal. Don’t be bullied into treatment get all the alternatives and discuss with your loved one’s which to take.Macmillan online community is a great source of information and support from people with a shared problem. Good luck

Basically what you want to know are the treatment options (is there anything they haven't offered), the pros & cons of each approach (including short & long term chance of cure), how much time can they give you to choose. Depending on the path result, they may want to do further tests before being able to recommend best options. It's possible there may be only one course of action relevant to your stage & grade.

Hope you get good news. Keep us posted - ther'es usually someone here who has had similar choices.

Hi Winkers60

I'm under the Bristol Southmead team now as well. You'll see Jon Aning or one of his colleagues, I rate them.

I've cribbed some questions to ask off the Fight Bladder Cancer website, I used these 3 years ago when I didn't know what to ask:

• What kind of bladder cancer do I have? Is this a common type?
• What is the stage of the cancer?
• What is the grade of the tumour?
• What are my treatment choices?
• Which treatments do you recommend and why?
• What are the benefits of each kind of treatment?
• What are the risks and possible side effects of each treatment?
• Will the treatment affect my normal activities?
• Will the treatment affect my sex life?
• Can I speak to a patient who has already had this treatment?

As it can be hard to take in all the information you are given and the details of your cancer diagnosis at your appointment, it’s a good idea to write down the answers so you can refer to them later. It’s also good to have someone go with you, as two pairs of ears are better than one. 

Once you have answers, do come back here and we'll be able to advise you further.

If you'd like to chat this through with a real patient, I'll be happy to do that if you send me a friend request so you can DM me.

CB