Hello 
I am looking for a bit of advice if anyone can help.
My Husband had a TURBT on the 21st Aug this year (so 8 weeks ago) when they removed a 4cm tumour which we now know was a grade 2 ta. he had a chemo treatment into the bladder immediately after as no
al, and no further treatment. He had to have an urgent CTscan 2 weeks after due to the position of the tumour, right next to/over the right side Ureter. That was all clear thankfully so he didnt ne a 2nd op, which oddly the Consultant on the day of his TURBT said he would need.
My question is about healing times. His recovery has been long and extremely painful for the first 5/6 weeks, with various issues from general urethral pain to back pain and 'deep' pain .. Which he imagines is where the tumour was removed from (if that makes sense!) He finds sitting causes more pressure internally and great discomfort.
He also was having issues with constipation causing pressure and..you guessed it..pain! That got so bad he refused to take any more painkillers because they seemed to be causing him to be more backed up. He stopped taking co-codamol a few weeks ago, but now doesnt even like taking paracetamol or brufen. He has done a urine sample and the gp says there is no infection.
He is beginning to feel that there is no end to this and (being a bloke) feels he must be 'weak' in some way, because he should be healed now and back to normal.
All the info we were given from the Hospital stated a couple of weeks for healing. We have spoken to the Specialist Nurse who did say it can take weeks to be pain free.
He is up at least 3 or 4 times a night needing a wee and hasnt slept properly since the procedure. As a shift worker in a pretty stressful job I am really worried now he is back at work (12 hour shifts day and nights)
Is this normal to still have troubles 8 weeks in? Don't get me wrong, he is loads better than the first couple of weeks and is getting less actual pain everyday. But this constant dullness deep inside and feeling the need to wee very often is really getting him down.
Im sure he would get great comfort from hearing peoples own experiences and appreciate any advice!
Many thanks!
Hello . In general it takes an initial 2 weeks for any pain to subside and up to 6 weeks for the wound to fully heal. There are exceptions of course and in some cases, the position of the wound can delay the healing process. Heavy lifting or exercise can also aggravate things, especially in the first couple of weeks. Even if if second TURBT is not needed, your husband would normally have a follow up flexible cystoscopy to check on things. Has your husband been allocated a CNS? If so, it may be wise to give them a call as 8 weeks does seem to be stretching things a bit. Best wishes.
Thank you for your reply
We have a contact number for the Urology Nurse Specialist. Last time we spoke to them they were helpful but very vague to healing times etc and didnt really comment on the issues other than see gp for a urine test, which was clear. That was about two weeks ago.
he was told he will be sent for a follow up cystoscopy in three months time, but due to Covid will probably be more like 6 months. That is all we know. That thought is horrendous for him atm and something he is desperately dredding after all this pain!
thanks for the best wishes 
Hi Starwatcher. Flexible cystoscopies can be uncomfortable ( I've had over 20) but they can be very reassuring if nothing is found, If there is something going on, it will be identified and they can deal with it. Always worth chasing these up as it is easy to drop down the list. Best wishes.
