Bladder Cancer Possibly.

Dear James, my husband has several long term conditions and didn't even get his bc diagnosis in addition until he was well over 70 - he's celebrated his 80th with the family this summer. Please don't back out of the TURBT they are offering, my husband has had several and is about to have another, precautionary, one. Whichever hospital you go to, I am sure they will take very good, and kindly, care of you, I don't think I've ever heard otherwise in years on this forum.

Wherever you read or heard that bladder cancer "spreads fast throughout the body,"  you have been misled as this is frankly as far as I'm aware, quite UNusual. The fast spreading ones could be blood cancer not bladder cancer

Please give the Macmillan helpline a call between 8 am and 8pm daily on 

0808 808 0000,

"this is what they say:-

Whatever cancer throws your way, we’re right there with you.

We’re here to provide physical, financial and emotional support."

With your anxiety I would really plead with you to talk to them, a TURBT will be done under anaesthetic of one kind or another as the doctors know is best for you. You will get pain relief after, if it is as most likely, a general anaesthetic you won't even know about it so the 'very unpleasant' bit shouldn't come into your experience. Please stay away from internet searches from now on.

With very kindest regards, and please take notice of everyone else's reassurances too, 

Denby

Thank so much for responding all of you. I wanted to go peacefully in my sleep but it looks like this is not going to be the case. I am a Goth so to be at my parents grave until I freeze to death would suite me fine.

Much appreciated all of you.

Kind regards James.

James, do you have any family or friends that can support you through your diagnosis and treatment? Please don't give up hope! We are all here to support you even if it is from afar.

Sending you a big virtual hug, whether the Goth in you likes hugs or not ️

Love Ade xx

Dear James, I can see you are upset but I do think you are assuming a lot. I don't know where you learnt that bladder cancer invariably spreads quickly. Mine hadn't though it had invaded the muscle before being diagnosed.

I've been clear of cancer for nearly 2 years, my TURBT wasn't at all painful. It's done under General Anaesthetic or mine was. And when woke after it I rang my friends to sort out our next book club meeting (I run it) from the recovery room. The doctors told me some weeks later that it was cancer by the way and then gave me a clear pathway to decide what to do.

Macmillan nurses are great but they don't have access to your information from the hospital where you had the cystoscopy and if you just googled bladder cancer God only knows what it said. I recommend this site or the NhS for the truth.

And I just celebrated my 72nd birthday (Monday). I decided from the first that I would deal with whatever this illness threw at me. I have done, step by step and it's all been bearable. Including chemo, removal of bladder and later on some immunotherapy. I have a stoma and use a night bag which gives me 8 hours uninterrupted sleep every night (my husband who is 80 is envious, having to get up 3 times during the night). It has been much better than I feared at your stage.

I have enjoyed life despite cancer and so have my family. We have learnt a lot, all of us. I haven't even considered my funeral as it hasn't been necessary.

By the way, my mother did what you want to do - ignored bladder cancer in 1974 aged 63. I was a student when I dragged her to see the GP after finding her in pain in an armchair at summer break before my final year. It was far too late though they took her into hospital for investigations and she must have had it for at least a couple of years by then.

She told me she had cancer over the phone in late  November. I was told 3 days later to rush back home from university and sat by her bed with my 19 year old sister and distraught Dad for 10 days. She didn't want to die. And would have killed for the chances I have had 50 years later.

So I know why I'm having all the treatment the NHS will give me. And so far it's working. If it comes back I'll think about it then and there's usually something they can offer. If not I'll face it then. 

Of course it's up to you to do as you like, but please don't use the thought of a little unpleasantness now as a reason to give up. And by the way I just read a report on here by someone who had the test and it was negative for cancer so it might even be so for you.

With very best wishes,

Latestart

Hi James try not to get too anxious just take one day at a time ..you now are being seen to by hospital so you shouldn't be long waiting to have your turbt to find out what biopsies will show ...in my opinion this was the worse part as you just want to get it all over with and get back to normal ...the urologist told me when I first got diagnosed that this is a long term thing and you'll be monitored for years ..I suppose I was under no false impression by being told that in the beginning and now 4 years have passed and I'm still getting checked albeit not as often as I was in the earlier days ..I have a cystoscopy in December and as the time will get nearer I will start to imagine all sorts of negative things but hopefully I will deal with whatever I need to ..good luck on your journey and ask the group if anything is worrying you so many have been through so much and are a wealth of advice.. they have helped me so much..Tina 

Hello James, try not to despair. My mum is 80 and her TURBT revealed the tumour was contained in the bladder. Another scan was done because the biopsy revealed the tumour was ‘very’ high grade and the team wanted to double check the cancer had not penetrated the muscle wall, which it hasn’t and she was told sometimes in older people, cancer can be slow acting. They were able to tell us she has had it over a year. Mum will get 6 treatments of radiotherapy. She was bleeding for 3 months prior to diagnosis and despite a couple of jammy days she has bounced back and the 2 of us are vibing off each other.

I have stage 4 cancer and was diagnosed June 2023. We have to literally put our lives into the hands of the specialists and trust them. Please do try, treatment nowadays is so advanced and they do their best for us xx

Hi James

Even if you have bladder cancer, you can be treated successfully

I had more than 10 tumours removed this year, 6 weeks of chemo and I am now cancer free

Please take everything the NHS offer you, they are amazing

A TURBT is quick and painless, even the chemo directly into the bladder has very few side effects, a bit tired but otherwise life carried on as normal

I was told during my Cystoscopy it was cancer so that fact that they are just investigating is very hopeful as it could be any number of other things

Take care and keep us posted, we are all here for you

Much love Tina x

My CT Scan showed no signs of Cancer anyware else and no Lymph Nodes involved I have just found out today. I have got a Pre Op for Tuesday at Oldham.

Thanks for all your encouragement.

Kind regards James.

That's lovely news James, and not long to wait for your pre-op. Frankly needing a pre-op is a handy general MOT you wouldn't otherwise get, so a sort of silver lining. Hope you can find a parking space OK [often the biggest hassle, certainly in Sheffield!] or your public transport goes without hitches.

Denby

Hi James, thats good news from CT, best of luck with your operation. stay in touch