Husband Scheduled for 1st TURBT & I have Questions

Exsequor,

Thank you so much for sharing some of the details of your experience. So useful! I’ll ask the surgeon what kind of stents my husband got (if any), how much blood we are liable to see in the urine,; and ask him if he can prescribe a bladder relaxant as well as the pain medication. Plus, I’ll check how the nurses secured my husband’s catheter and ask them to tape it to his leg if they have not already done so. And then, lots of fluids and eating well.

I’m happy that you can see real progress now and I thank you sincerely for helping me make making my husband’s recovery easier.

Trish

I had my TURB this past Tuesday and have been recovering since.


Had two stents placed as well, one for a kidney stone on left side and one for where the tumor was growing near on right side.

I have the foley cath in until this Monday morning.

Blood has ranged from kool aid red to orange ; light brown to all the way as clear as yellow for me. Thought it was c;earning up this morning, it is now bright orange. So it goes back and forth.

I learned that catheter taping is SUPER IMPORTANT to over all well being and comfort. In post op they didn't tape cath at all, and it was awful and I was complaining a lot. I had never had felt to pee so bad in my life, and they kept informing that it was from a number of factors and there was nothing they could do. I found out a couple days later they were partially wrong.

Finally in the room they put me in after post op, the nurse there taped the cath to my leg, which caused more general comfort (no more intense sharp pains when someone would go to lift the tube to drain, and the pee urgency went from terrible to only partially terrible).

Then got home, found the two badder relaxant meds prescribed helped. along with the opiate pain killer. But that the intense urgency would fluctuate.

FINALLY, discovered that if I taped the cath tube and my (penis) more upward and to the left, as opposed to downward and to the left, that it gave me exceptionally more comfort. I've been doing this since. And I've gone from completely house bound to now I'm feeling up for running chores and errands and even driving.

Still taking it easy until Monday when I get cath pulled. I have both stents for another 3 weeks, and they are very painful but they are another story, and in some ways more manageable then the cath.

Drinking lots of fluids, laying at the right angle with my back propped upwards, and eating reguarly has helped me a lot, too.

Biggest problem I am still having is I am still unable to have a BM with this catheter in.


Best of luck to your husband.

Alan,

Thank you much for the heads up about the possibility of 1+ clots, even two weeks post-op. AND about the possibility of a second path report. Those kind of surprises would have just served to push my anxiety up a notch until I could get more info.

Trish

Jack,

Thank you for taking the time to answer. I do recognize that the surgeon may have his own instructions post-op but I have to confess, post-op is not the best time for me to get new instructions because I’m so focused on trying to grasp the implications of the surgeon’s medical findings.

The info on the West Coast website is really helpful. Thanks again.

Trish

Trish,

The doctor will likely have his own set of recommendations, but to plan in advance I attach a link to a website with generic information. This website is very close to MY doctors recommendations - follow your doc's directions, every doctor seem to have his own list.

Pressure on the bladder is to be avoided, as you noted. Be prepared to deal with constipation if it happens - lots of liquids, and bland meals helps. Any over the counter med needs to be cleared by the doctor IF there are other medical issues that need to be considered.

Being too active, forcing a bowel movement or any "straining of the lower gut muscles can cause pain and perhaps some minor bleeding. You should receive instructions about when to call the doctor if there are any concerns after the TURBT.

Most TURBTs go smoothly with no problems. My one exception was heavy bleeding 3 days later that did require a trip to the emergency room. Make sure you know who to call 24/7 IF there are any questions.

A warm pad over the bladder often feel good and eases pain.

Everything should go fine. Good of you to plan in advance.

Best,
Jack


westcoasturology.com/mens-health/treatments-procedures/trans-urethral-resection-of-bladder-tumor-turbt/