Scared I Have Bladder Cancer

Diagnosis Of Bladder Cancer

If you have symptoms, you usually start by seeing your GP. They can do a quick test to find out if there is any blood in a sample of your urine. If there is blood, your GP will make sure there is no obvious reason for this, like an infection.If your GP is not sure what is causing your symptoms, they will usually refer you to a urologist. This is a doctor who specialises in urinary, bladder and kidney problems. Or you may see a nurse called a urology nurse specialist.Most people see the nurse or doctor at a haematuria clinic. At the clinic, you can usually have most of the tests you need on the same day.If tests or symptoms suggest you could have bladder cancer, you should be seen by a specialist within 2 weeks.You may have some of the following tests:

• Blood tests

  You may have blood tests to check how well your kidneys and liver are working and to show the number of blood cells in the blood.

• Urine tests

  A sample of your urine may be tested for cancer cells. It may also be tested for substances that are found in bladder cancer. This is called molecular testing.

• Cystoscopy

  A cystoscopy the main test used to diagnose bladder cancer. A cystoscope is a thin tube with a camera and light on the end. A doctor or specialist nurse uses it to look at the inside of your bladder.

• Ultrasound scan

Feeling Like Bladder Cancer Is My Fault

The anxiety is the worst for me, my mind constantly is racing, and every little pain makes me so nervous! I know I’m not alone and that helps. I have my check in with the scope the 27th of this month to see if I have more tumors or not. And I guess we’ll go from there. Probably another round of BCG treatments.

I know I’m early in my journey and I’m sure my feelings are normal and I’m not alone. I didn’t even look up any info on my diagnosis until after my 2nd surgery.

I found BladderCancer.net and I am so grateful that this exists. I have a very small support system. My guy of 17 years and my son who’s 12. A few coworkers, and BladderCancer.net!

For some reason I don’t understand I feel like I’m responsible for this…..like I have just rocked my family’s world and it’s my fault. Anybody else feel this way? Whew ok, that wasn’t so bad. Thank you for listening and being my support BladderCancer.net!!!

What is your bladder cancer story?

How To Lower Your Bladder Cancer Risk

For most men and women, the best way to lower bladder cancer risk is to quit smoking. Smokers are overall twice as likely to develop bladder cancer compared with nonsmokers.

Other risk factors for bladder cancer include:

• Family history of bladder cancer
• Chronic bladder problems and urinary tract infections
• Chronic use of urinary catheters
• Age older than 70

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Be Positive And Take Control

Your future with bladder cancer is an unknown future but then again, life is always like that! What is different for you is that you have experienced or are now going through a dramatic period of your life. From our own personal experiences, the best advice we can give is to face up to the challenge and remain as positive as you can. The way to do that is to embrace your cancer. Take control. Make sure you continue to do in life what you have always wanted to do. You will find that just about everything is still possible, even if the practicalities may be a bit more demanding.

Achieving this attitude is not an easy thing to do, so take small steps at first. There are lots of people talking on our private Facebook forum about how they are coping with and enjoying life, sometimes against all odds.

But … lets be honest about the negatives. Being positive may sound impossible right now because everything can feel so overwhelming. From the time of first diagnosis, dealing with the initial shock, the treatment and its aftermath encompass a whole range of physical, psychological, emotional, social and financial issues. It can be extremely tough.

To survive all this, you need to focus on improving your quality of life, whether that means dealing with physical issues like pain or emotional issues like anxiety or depression.

Domenic Diagnosed In 2021 At 58 Canada

It was traumatic at first but when I realized the tumour had to be removed I remained calm and looked forward to surgery and treatment. My wife and daughter helped me cope with bladder cancer.

I never felt any pain or discomfort, then one day I urinated blood and clots. I was in shock, I thought it was something I ate. The bleeding continued throughout the day. The next morning I went to the emergency and they detected a mass in my bladder. Two days later I had a cystoscopy.

What advice would you give to others who may be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer?

As soon as you notice blood in your urine, head to the emergency, the sooner it is diagnosed, the easier it will be to treat.

This stock image is provided for illustration purposes.

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My Bladder Cancer Story

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I don’t know why I have been so hesitant to share my story with people, but I think this is a safe place to let it out…I am a typical woman, mom, and hard worker. I have always been relatively healthy. Active, eat healthy most the time. But like most busy moms I had signs and symptoms that I ignored because busy with life.

The symptoms I was having at first seemed like normal 38 yr old woman stuff. Leaking, urgency, sneeze ya pee a little, jump rope ya pee a little. I have had 4 children and I thought that stuff was normal. Then came the always fighting UTI’s that wouldn’t go away. Antibiotics wasn’t fixing it. So tired all the time.

Then the pain with urination and back pain. Also I started to feel pressure down low. And some blood in my urine, color change, very concentrated urine. The pressure felt kinda like a contraction. And bladder spasms. I got scared and finally went to the ER.

Symptoms Of Bladder Cancer In Women

i have been to the doctors 4 times in as many weeks with blood in my urine. The doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics which didn’t work so prescribed another which also didn’t work. Results from the urine samples stated no infection in any of the samples so took the antibiotics unnecessarily. So the doc sent me to radiology to see whether I had kidney stones. The result were I didn’t have kidney stones either. Week 4 all samples of urine have blood in them no infection and no kidney stones. Now bladder cancer has been mentioned and I’m back at hospital next week for further tests. Has anyone out there had similar or knows someone with similar results. Any feed back would be much appreciated. Thank you.

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Videos Of Scared I Have Bladder Cancer

10/06/2019 ·Thanks kjay77. 2 years ago. Have your physician order a Cx bladder. This test will look for DNA abnormalities consistent with bladder cancer. If the test is clear, you have a 98% chance of being free from bladder cancer. Share. Sharing discussion reply. Scared and Frustrated/Not Diagnosed.

Joe Diagnosed In 2020 At 50

Receiving the diagnosis was a very scary experience for me. I had no signs or symptoms of bladder cancer, to begin with. In December 2020, I went to the hospital because of a kidney stone and got diagnosed with bladder cancer, as they found a tumour. The tumour was muscle-invasive at this time, so the doctor started me on Bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment. After my first round of BCG, they had to remove two more tumours, and I then had a second round of BCG during the summer of 2021. In November 2021, I had a cystoscopy that was clear, and I had some maintenance BCG in February 2022. Just in April of the same year, I had a second clear cystoscopy. I have been in really good health since the diagnosis, nothing has changed there, and I will just keep battling.

I had no signs or symptoms of bladder cancer, so needless to say it caught everyone off-guard. It was also very surprising to get the diagnosis because of no symptoms. The only reason why they found my tumour when they did was because of the CT scan for my kidney stone.

As a family, we all stayed very positive, and I am so grateful for all the support they have given me.

What advice would you give to others who may be newly diagnosed with bladder cancer?

Stay positive, have a good diet, and exercise. That has helped me during my bladder cancer journey.

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What Puts Me At Risk For Bladder Cancer

A risk factor is something that increases your chance of developing a disease. Some factors that increase the risk of bladder cancer include:

Smoking

While the exact causes of bladder cancer are unknown, smoking is known to be a leading risk factor. Smokers are approximately four times more likely to get bladder cancer than non-smokers. Chemicals in tobacco are carried from the lungs to the bloodstream, then filtered by the kidneys into the urine. This puts harmful chemicals in the bladder, damaging cells. This damage could lead to cancer.

Chemical exposure

Certain jobs that expose you to cancer-causing chemicals may increase your risk for bladder cancer. If you work with dyes, rubber, textiles, paints, or leather, make sure you follow all safety protocols to reduce contact with chemicals.

If you work in any of the following industries, you are more likely to develop bladder cancer:

• Rubber, chemical, textile, or leather industries

A history of this condition raises your risk.

Family history

If you have a family history of bladder cancer, you might be at an increased risk for it. This could be due to genetics or environmental factors like being exposed to cigarette smoke.

Gender

Bladder cancer affects more men than women. Men are about three times more likely to get bladder cancer at some point in their life.

Bladder cancer tends to occur in older people. Approximately 9 out of 10 people with bladder cancer are 55 or older .

Race and ethnicity

Youre Going To The Bathroom More Often And/or You Get Sudden Strong Urges To Go

Theres one exception: Carcinoma in situ , a type of aggressive pre-cancer. It can irritate the bladder so much it produces these symptomsfrequency and urgencyon its own. Again, you probably dont have CISonly 10% of bladder cancer patients dobut trust us, its better to know that sooner rather than later.

And if turns out aging bladder muscles are the only reason for these symptoms, a urologist can recommend exercises or medications for controlling your overactive bladder.

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Prognosis And Survival Rates For Bladder Cancer

When someone is diagnosed with bladder cancer, their doctor will give them a prognosis. A prognosis is the doctors opinion of how likely the cancer will spread and the chances of getting better. A prognosis depends on the type and stage of cancer, as well as the persons age and general health.

Bladder cancer can usually be effectively treated if it is found before it spreads outside the bladder.

If you have bladder cancer, your doctor will talk to you about your individual situation when working out your prognosis. Every persons experience is different, and there is support available to you.

Questions To Ask After Getting A Diagnosis

• What type of bladder cancer do I have?

• Is it non-invasive or invasive? What does this mean?

• If the cancer is invasive, does it involve the muscle?

• Can you explain my pathology report to me?

• What is the stage of my cancer? What does this mean?

• What is the grade? What does this mean?

• Should I seek a second opinion?

• Should I seek genetic counseling and/or testing?

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Your Lower Back Aches Usually On One Side

This sign is less common, but sharp pain in the back or a sharp pain that turns into a dull ache can also be traced to bladder cancer, especially if the tumor has gotten big enough to block the kidneys or spread to one of the ureters . This symptom can be a sign that the tumor is more aggressive and invasive or that your cancer has spread.

Questions To Ask About Having Therapy Using Medications

• What type of medication do you recommend?

• What is the goal of this treatment?

• How will it be delivered? Through an IV, a catheter, or a pill?

• How long will it take to give this treatment?

• Will I receive this treatment at a hospital or clinic? Or will I take it at home?

• How can I prepare for this treatment?

• What side effects can I expect during treatment?

• Who should I contact about any side effects I experience? And how soon?

• What are the possible long-term or late effects of this type of chemotherapy?

• What can be done to prevent or manage these side effects?

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How Do I Take Care Of Myself

About half of all people with bladder cancer have early-stage cancer thats relatively easy to treat. But bladder cancer often comes back . People whove had bladder cancer will need regular checkups after treatment. Being vigilant about follow-up care is one thing you can do to take care of yourself. Here are some other suggestions from the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network include:

• Follow a heart-healthy diet: Plan menus that include skinless poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, nuts and legumes, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Focus on high-fiber foods: Bladder cancer treatment may cause digestive issues and a fiber-rich diet may help.
• Get some exercise: Gentle exercise may help manage stress.
• Connect with others: Bladder cancer often comes back. Its not easy to have a rare disease thats likely to return. Connecting with people who understand what youre going through may help.

Urinary diversion

Some people with bladder cancer need surgery that removes their bladder and their bodies natural reservoir for pee. There are three types of urinary diversion surgeries. All three types involve surgically converting part of your intestine to become a passage tube for pee or a reservoir for storing pee.

Urinary diversion may be a challenging lifestyle change. If youll need urinary diversion surgery, ask your healthcare provider to explain each surgery types advantages and disadvantages. That way, youll know what to expect and how to take care of yourself.

What To Do Before And After Treatment

Talk with your doctors about whether you need to do anything to prepare for treatment and help your recovery. Some things they may suggest are to:

• Stop smoking if you smoke, aim to quit before starting treatment. If you keep smoking, you may not respond as well to treatment and you may have more treatment-related side effects. Continuing to smoke also increases your risk of cancer returning.
• Begin or continue an exercise program exercise will help build up your strength for treatment and recovery. It can also help you deal with side effects of treatment.
• Improve diet aim to eat a balanced diet with a variety of fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and protein. Eating well can improve your strength and you may respond better to treatment.
• See a physiotherapist they can teach you exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles, which help control how your bladder and bowel work. These exercises are useful if you have a neobladder, a partial cystectomy, or radiation therapy.

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Tests That May Be Done

Physical exam: The doctor will check you for signs of bladder cancer and other health problems. This might include a rectal exam, during which a gloved finger is put into your rectum. If you are a woman, a pelvic exam might also be done. During these exams, the doctor can sometimes feel a bladder tumor.

Urine tests: For these tests, you’ll be asked to pee in a cup. Your urine is then tested for cancer cells, blood, or certain proteins .

Cystoscopy: For this exam, a doctor called a urologist looks at the inside of your bladder using a tool called a cystoscope. This is a thin tube with a tiny light and camera on its end. It’s put through the opening of your urethra and moved up into your bladder.

Blue light cystoscopy: Sometimes, special drugs are put into the bladder during the exam. Cancer cells soak up these drugs and then glow when the doctor shines a blue light through the scope. This can help the doctor see cancer cells that might have been missed with the normal light.

Bladder biopsy: This is needed to know for sure if you have bladder cancer. For this test, a cystoscope is used it to take a tiny piece of the bladder . More than one sample may be taken because sometimes cancer starts in more than one part of the bladder. Salt water washings of the inside of your bladder may also be collected to look for cancer cells. Any samples are sent to a lab and tested to see if there are cancer cells in them.