Blog Entries

Nine Months Post- Turbt A-Ok

mrktr15@yahoo.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Hi all,

I'm happy to say that my screening nine months after my Turbt surgery has come up looking good. Thanks to everyone for their support and advice as time as progressed. I feel blessed to feel as good as I do, and I take nothing for granted. If anyone needs a kind word or someone to talk to about BC, please feel free to email me. I'm so fortunate that it's the least that I can do.

-Jake

Studer Diversion Concern

k9bearhill@gmail.com — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Scheduled for Studer Diversion on March 17. Really having a difficult time wondering how long to daytime continence. Can anyone share there experience? Thanks, Rick Hawkes Victoria BC

Decision Made... Surgery not BCG

k9bearhill@gmail.com — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Decided on RC... will be scheduled in next 10 days... really happy with this decision... 97% chance of full control once learned how... Excellent prognosis for 5 year cancer free... 3 - 4 weeks in hospital... 4 months to full recovery... Rick

Converting from Urostomy(use of external bag) to Any other Diversion that dont require external bag.

Bbjohnn78@gmail.com — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Hello.

Let me start saying i had my bladder removed 30 years ago. Im now 32. I have an urostomy. I live a normal life, i dont really think there's nothing i can do in life. I surf, play basketball and have a very active social life. Go out to clubs, dance, drink(moderately) and have lots of friends and 2 ex GF that knew about my condition.

The thing is that there are new types of urinary diversions that dont require the use of an external bag. Even though im [...]

Cytology Results

tarboton.john@columbus.co.za — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I got the results back of my cytology and the urine has some abnormal cells, although the oncologist says that these are single cells, the count is low and thus it doesn't necessarily mean a tumour. I must have another cytology next week to see if the count is increasing, which would tend to indicate a tumour. I am only scheduled for my next cystoscope at the end of March but I think I will wait to see for the results of the cytology and if there is an increase in count, I must surely go [...]

BCG or surgery... Confused and on short time to decide...

k9bearhill@gmail.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

The long and the short of it is I have had recurring non invasive for 9 years... suddenly very invasive. Apparently my last biopsy was clear except an unknown area in my lower ureter. Offered 6 weeks of BCG with a scoping in 10 weeks with a chance at reducing recurrence to 25% from 50% but no gurantee that it will work or that it will protect anything but the bladder. Could be that the cancer continues to survive and thrive through this and in the end I am further behind an [...]

Scared Newbee awaiting surgery...

k9bearhill@gmail.com — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Not sure how this works... Waiting for removal of bladder and prostate... would really like to connect with others in similar circumstance and those that have been down this road before me. Thanks. Rick Victoria BC Canada

6th Treatment done !!

vfinck4987@q.com — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Had my 6 BCG treatment yesterday. Went well. Some blood, some pain when urinating. Pain is less this morning but urgency is still there. Drinking lots of water to flush the system.

Pat if you are there: My doctor is leaving area in 3 weeks and new Urologist won't he here until June so he is sending me to OHSU for followup treatments. All my information has been forwarded and they will be calling me to make appointments.

It is 100 miles from where I live, but have family [...]

one year and clear

bennett@bc.edu — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Just had a bilateral retrograde pyelogram at one year mark due to location of original cancer site. Had the usual cysto every 3 months and those were clear. This was 100 % clear according to physician and am so thankful. This may be a bit more than most would have for a low level stage, but truly it is a great result giving a tremendous amount of relief. Follow up in office cystos every 3 months is still the plan and since this seems to be working well, will continue to foll [...]

5th Treatment,

vfinck4987@q.com — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Had 5th BCG. In my 6 hour, bleech in toilet, time frame. Again there is blood on tissue each time I urinate.

Has anyone had this problem?? Is this something that happens?? I had this last time and the doctor said probably slight cath trauma. With BCG being what it is, isn't cath trauma during the treatment dangerous??

I am becoming very concerned. I will call the doctor in the morning and let him know about the blee [...]

Looking for information and help

justpassinthru61@yahoo.com — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I was diagnosed with bladder cancer July 22, 2008 & had a TURBT on July 25,2008. It was superficial and the pathology report showed it to be high grade. Approximately 4 weeks later after my bladder had time to heal I had my first round of BCG treatments. No problems with adverse reactions to the BCG other than feeling a little tired and of course the frequent trips to the restroom. My Urologist did a cystoscopy about 4 to 6 weeks after the BCG treatments and said things l [...]

5th Treament canceled

vfinck4987@q.com — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Well my 5th treatment had to be cancelled due to an infection detected when they did the urine test. Am on an anti-biotic but still not feeling good. I had not been feeling good since my 4th treatment but assumed it was just side effects.

I was very disappointed as I am looking forward to getting this done. Oh well, I will take my medicine and hope it takes care of the infection and then get on with it.

Newly diagnosed - BCG in a few weeks

qbalaska@gmail.com — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

I was diagnosed with bladder cancer last month, had a tumor removed and have high grade flat cell cancer. I had to do another biopsy last week because they didn't get enough healthy tissue to determine if the cancer had spread to the muscle.

I got good news today that it has not invaded the muscle nor is it in my prostate. I will be starting BCG in 3-4 weeks after my bladder has healed.

I was wondering if there is anything I should be doing ahead of time or things I should kn [...]

Tumor larger than expected..

fxskh@suddenlink.net — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

My husband underwent TURB surgery 1/27 for a tumor diagnosed thru CT. Surgeon told us tumor was much larger than anticipated, but thought he got it all except for some "spokes" or "satellite" areas. Said we would have to wait for pathology to know next step. He had been very upbeat prior to surgery, not so much after surgery. Has anyone had a tumor removed with "spokes" - Dr. described as strands growing along bladder wall from bigg [...]

Polenta8's Family

bite2@embarqmail.com — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Hello,

I had a tumor removed from my bladder in April 2009. After an overnite stay in the hospital and a catheter for about two weeks, I returned to work. The tumor was rather larger but had not invaded the bladder wall. Following the catheter removal, I began weekly Chemo treatments (Mutamycin?) directly into my bladder-holding for at least two hours. This went on for six weeks and then I graduated to monthly treatments for six months. In the mean time I have had cystoscopies eve [...]

4th BCG

vfinck4987@q.com — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Hello,

Have my 5th BCG tomarrow. Treatments have gotten a little more difficult in some ways. I have been feeling ill, 3rd treatment about day and a half, flu like symptoms but minor pain when urinating. 4th treatment flu symptoms lasted until Saturday and had tinge of blood the first 3 times urinating after treatment also have started feeling very tired.

Talked to doc, said blood probably from minor cath trama and flu symptoms are side effect and may be increasing due [...]

bad news for me- also, can't get into american bladder cancer page

ladytruckinfree@yahoo.com — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

well, here i am again. have muscle invasive high grade 3/3-which surgery i guess would have been the only way to save me. have copd-severe emphysema , and NOW i find out i have severe aorta stenosis !! i am at a SUPER high risk of not making it thru the surgery. on jan 7, the anesthesioligist wouldn't put me under because of severe airway obstruction, and wanted a stress echo test to see if they could. every time i go to a dr.,( the stress echo was done by a cardioligist ) i have something e [...]

Indiana Pouch vs. Neobladder for Women

newish@comcast.net — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Two daysago, I was diagnosed with extensively invasive high grade urothelial carcinoma with deep muscle invasion. I am a 49 year old female. I will be going to the University of Chicago Hospital on Tuesday for a second opinion. From everything I have read and the local urologist's recommendation, I will need to have my bladder removed. When first researching, the neobladder seemed like the best choice. The more I have researched, the more I seem to read abo [...]

Thanks Whitlo -

bennett@bc.edu — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

Thanks whitlo -

I have full intentions of following the plan which is after this retrograde surgery, if all is well, drop back to in office cystoscopes once every 4 months for a year and then once every 6 months, etc. if things remain clear. Good luck to you.

can anyone tell me?

ladytruckinfree@yahoo.com — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:00:00 +0100

i have high grade 3/3 muscle invasive bladder cancer with other cancer in situ in my bladder , and a lymph coming up in my left groin area. i really would like some very honest answers if anyone knows if i go ahead and have rc surgery- i have read about people having the surgery and still die within the year- what are my chances of living longer with the surgery? am i just going to go thru all that , just to buy myself a little bit of agonizing time? i believe that when they cut you open , the o [...]