Good morning dear members,
My father has been diagnosed with stage III, advanced invasive bladder cancer a week ago (G3 T3), so we are still in a lot of shock and very new to all of this. I would really appreciate your help and advice regarding two main things: (1) How do you cope with the pain? (2) Any advice on how to proceed based on experience or info from your doctors?
We have received the biopsy & CT scan results last week, which indicated that cancer has spread to prostate. We have consulted several doctors since, and have received very mixed opinions regarding how to proceed, which is what worries and confuses us the most.
The first doctor told us that the bladder and prostate have to be imperatively removed (for this, there is a one month waiting list and my father is in an awful lot of pain). The doctor also said that there is absolutely no point of chemo or any other treatment.
The second doctor suggested to remove the bladder and treat the prostate (however, this doctor also said that the waiting list is over one month long).
The third doctor, suggested chemo to reduce the size of the tumor and then removing the bladder partially.
The last doctor said that he is not willing to perform the surgery to remove the bladder himself, however this should be done within the next week (one month is too long in this case).
(1) What is you opinion & experience with all of this? We are so very confused by all the mixed advice we have received from doctors that we have no idea how to proceed! Is is better to remove the bladder or to attempt treatment at this stage (considering that recurrence rates are high)? Is it normal that surgery has to be conducted extremely soon however waiting lists are min. 1 month long??
Secondly, my father is in an awful lot of pain. Especially in the evenings, around 8pm every day strong pain back pains start (Anyone have the same problem?). He hasn't been prescribed any pain medication and refuses to smoke weed (he has never in his life smoked a cigarette).
(2) Any suggestions on how to cope with the pain? Marijuana tea maybe? What works best for you?
I am so very sorry for the long message, we are just so new to all of this and devastated by the information that we don't even know where to start. I would be eternally grateful for you help and advice. thank you for everything in advance.
Barbara
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