Clear Annual Check

Thanks Everybody. Hearing everybody's good news helps to keep a positive attitude and reminds us everything is not doom and gloom.

Here's an article I came across comparing radiation doses of standard CT scans with other tests and with background radiation.

www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/?pg=sfty_xray

Depending on which studies you read you will hear different opinions as to the risk of these radiation doses. Some say it's no big deal and others will say we're all going to die of radiation induced cancers. I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle. It's something to think about and be aware of, but if a CT test is truly needed it should be performed. Like a lot of things in life it should induce a risk VS benefit analysis and thought process. Don't forget there's risk in skipping needed tests as well as in getting too many.

Mike's loss is on my mind as well. You think about him and you wonder if you're making the right call with your own care. All of our cases differ, so our treatments shouldn't all be the same either. Somebody with an invasive tumor might be worried about mets while I'm more concerned with missing a reoccurrence of another non-invasive tumor or missing a new tumor on the kidneys or in the ureters that would allow the cancer to become invasive or metastasize. We just have to make the best call we can at the time and move forward one day at a time. Being an active participant in your care certainly improves your chances for a successful outcome.

Good News! I just got an all clear this month as well so we are moving to yearly Cystos. I've has 3 years of BCG treatments as well following Dr. Lamm's protocol so we decided to stop those as well. Be high grade I wasn't sure about stopping the BCG's. My official path report was primarily low grade with high grade focal points. I also have been smoke free for 4 years this month. Taking all this into account we decided to stop the BCG's.

I too worry about the cumulative radiation dose from getting too may CT scans. I had one at diagnosis and one or two more at yearly intervals after that. We decided to do an ultrasound next year at the 5 year mark instead of a CT. That will give a picture of the ureters and kidneys that you don't get with a cysto. This isn't as sensitive as a CT scan, but if anything doesn't look right we can do a CT scan after that. A CT scan is a test you don't want to skip if it's truly needed, but you don't want to get too many of them with questionable indications either.

Wonderful news! From my experience, getting used to annual check-ups isn't at all difficult. Due to the type of bladder cancer I had, I only had one initial CT scan prior to my first diagnostic cysto, and have never been recommended to get any since that time.

We are glad you have joined us in the annual check up club.

Ann