Just been told i have bladder cancer

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Hi to everyone on here  after some info if possible just been diagnosed with T1 badder cancer  they are going to remove bladder prostate and lymph nodes  can someone tell me which would be best i want to continue working in a heavy lifting job  but not sure if a (i think they said NEO bladder or stoma is best ? to have fitted when i go for op  thanks in advance 

  • Hi  . I've not had removal so not much help, but let me welcome you to the group. I am sure others will be along to share experiences. I do know there is a long recovery period which may not be conducive with heavy work. It may help if you let us know what you have done so far . Have you been offered any other treatment other than cystectomy? Best wishes.

    Best wishes to All,   rily.

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  • Hi N19ULS, welcome to this friendly informative group, you will gets lots of help on here. I have not had bladder removal, did get offered it but choose the Bcg route.  I had Grade 3A PT1 with CIS. Diagnosed in 2022 and been on the Bcg since then after tumour removal. Was bladder removal your only option? 

  • Hey 19, 

    I had an RC for T1 bladder cancer. If you go into the search bar and search Orillia, you can read my comments over the last 6 years, most are  pertinent  to some of the questions you have and will have. Orillia.

  • Hi. My husband had a radical cystectomy 8 weeks ago. His prostate, bladder, some lymph nodes and a kidney were removed. He left hospital after 8 days. He has recovered pretty well. No problem getting used to the stoma. In fact, it's been a lot easier than he thought. He still has some fatigue if he does too much I.e. walking round tesco and going for a long walk. But that's to be expected. I'd say that you need to talk to your consultant. Whichever route you take, you need at least 6 to 8 weeks for recovery after the op. 

    If you do heavy lifting in your work, you need a consultants advice. If you're not sure, ask for another opinion. And talk to the macmillan nurses. They are brilliant. 

    Good luck for your op.

  • I had neo - does take quite a lot of patience & determination to learn to use. In terms of heavy lifting, possibly different issues with each option. Some people wear a support belt with stoma, to avoid risk of hernia. With neo, might be a danger of incontiennce/leaks. 

    Overall recovery time is similar for either op. I was able to start phased return to work at 3 months, but around 6 months before doing all usual activities & 8 months before shedding end of the day fatigue. May depend a bit what reserves you have - I'm quite slim so losing weight and muscle had quite an impact.