Newly diagnosed Alanjay

13 years 1 month ago #36465 by alanlee
Replied by alanlee on topic Newly diagnosed Alanjay
I am new here and trying to navigate around so please bare with me....Here is my saga so far....I have had an enlarged prostate for some time and take meds, but about 3 weeks ago i started bleeding when I went to the bathroom (urinating) so I ran over to the emergency room and they did a ct scan and was told i need to follow up with a uroligist but it looked like a bladder infection....Cipro for 2 weeks......in the meantime i went to a urologist who did a cystoscope and saw a "redness" on my bladder that he wanted to check out.

This past Tuesday i went in for another cysto procedure, with anethsesia, to do a biopsy....the doc told me that he had to go deeper than he thought with the laser, but it didnt appear that it penetrated the wall of the bladder and i was at an early stage....he did say bladder cancer however....so naturally for me I am freaking out....I had a catheter for 2 days and boy that was THE PITS, and when i had it taken out thursday, he said he would have the pathology report this coming Wednesday, it cannot come fast enough.

I have been a little uncomfortable, I guess from the laser burning the crap off, and also have been VERY nervous and feel like a sick person!

Now I know why he gave me vicodin though I have only used tylenol extra strength, but all i feel like doing is lying around and moping.....which is what i am doing now.lol

I have never had a really serious physical disease, have read up on the usual medical sites, and I guess Bladder cancer at earlier stages has a pretty good record of living a life with it.....I am already disabled with depression/anxiety so of course it dosnt help matters, and i am doing the best i can.

Any and all comments would be welcomed with an open heart and mind.

Thanks for listening and reading,
alanlee

2/2011: diagnosed with non invasive Type1 stage1...and had turbt in march....first follow up 5/19/11, had laser again as it re-occurred.
10/12/2011 TURPT with more bladder laser....still non invasive..
11/17/14 diag. with CIS non invasive, beginning BCG 11/26/14
2/2015 BCG did not work, had another...

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13 years 1 month ago #36179 by mmc
Replied by mmc on topic Newly diagnosed Alanjay
Alan,

Not sure what you mean by a TURBT being similar to a cystectomy.

A TURBT is using electrified wire to remove a tumor and a cystectomy is complete removal of the bladder.

It's kind of like if someone had a tumor in their arm. Cutting the tumor out is like a TURBT. Amputation the arm is like a cystectomy. BIG difference.

Perhaps you meant it is similar to a cystoscopy? A cystoscope is used to go into the bladder and the tool goes through the tube of the cystoscope to cut out the tumor.

I hope all goes well with your chemo and your upcoming cystectomy!



Mike

Age 54
10/31/06 dx CIS (TisG3) non-invasive (at 47)
9/19/08 TURB/TUIP dx Invasive T2G3
10/8/08 RC neobladder(at 49)
2/15/13 T4G3N3M1 distant metastases(at 53)
9/2013 finished chemo -cancer free again
1/2014 ct scan results....distant mets
2/2014 ct result...spread to liver, kidneys, and lymph...

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13 years 1 month ago #36178 by alanjay
Newly diagnosed Alanjay was created by alanjay
The procedure is called a TURBT Trans Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumor. Long word for scraping. I had my 3rd one yesterday. Surgery started at 9:17am, I was on my way home at noon. It is similar to a Cystectomy, but it Surgeon will co on ans scrape the tumor out. It will take a little while to biopsy but my suggestion to you is to just wait until the results are in. It is common to worry, but there is nothing to do until you get the results.
I am not one of the survivors yet, I am in the process of starting Chemotherapy in about a week to fet the remaining turmors killed and then will have surgery to have my bladder removed. I did not get to this process until 2 1/2 from initial diagnosis.
Be concerned but try not to worry too much. Your biggest concern is that you have a good urologist.
There are many things that can be done before you get to where I currently am. If it is non-invasive (it did not invade the bladder muscle) there are many ways to resolve this. If the Urologist removes the tumor completely and it doesnt grow back then he wil monitor your bladder every 3 mo and make sure it stays away, or he may use immunotherapy, I chemical is put in the bladder (BCG is popular) and this works with you body to rid itself of the tumor. This is very successful as well. I have friends that had to go no further than this.

In any case, thy to tell your wife that this is just a procedure that is meant to help you and to relax until the results are in because your urologist may be able to remove the entire mass and it may be benign and then you will just go for quarterly monitoring.
Good luck with the procedure and hope to hear from you soon on this site.

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