My blc tale began in March 2006. Following an accident I attended A and E where they diagnosed 3 broken ribs , gave me a shot of something(anti-inflam., I suppose) and sent me home. About an hour after arriving home I used the bathroom, only to find that I was peeing blood, so I rang the hospital and they told me to come straight back. On arrival they checked my pelvis for fractures, and sent me for an ecograph.They told me that I had a blood clot in the bladder, and probable kidney trauma. I was admiitted for observation, cathetered and hydrated, including several bladder rinses, but at no time did they carry out a follow up eco.Routine blood analysis showed that I was severely anaemic, so after 5 days they packed me off with loads of iron meds, and no further treatment.
So blissfully oblivious to what was masquerading as a blood clot in the bladder, life went on. In October 2006 I went on a trip to Vienna. On the way back before boarding the plane I took an aspirin - (I had heard that it was good for prevention of deep vein thrombosis) and hey presto the blood flowed once again. Straight to the doctor who gave me antibiotics but said that if it wasn·t clear in 24 hrs to go directly to A and E. So back at A and E again they sent me for another eco, and plainly obvious was a single 3.5cm tumour - immediately sent to see the hospital urologists who told me they would have to operate and would contact me in due course to let me know when they would do this.
At this point I felt like the bottom had dropped out of my world - I started to look for information on internet, and was convinced that my time was limited. Hubby was in the UK at the time and immediately transformed into a chicken with its head cut off when I told him what they had seen. What rattled me most was knowing that the tumour had for sure been there for at least 8 months, and I thought that it might have been too late. I decided not to wait for the social security hospital to call me, but consulted a private hospital who booked me in for the TURB the following week.(I had asked about the price to do this as I do not have private medical insurance, and after receiving the estimate I had left the hospital, but I got about 15 yards along the street before it sruck me, I was talking about the possible difference between the price of a small car, or the value of my life- no question, I turned round and booked the op.)
The TURB went fine, had an instillation of Mytomycin immediately after the op, and follow up instillations at weekly intervals for six weeks. Pathology showed T1G3.
I had a small suspicious area removed on my first cystoscopy in office but since then I have had no recurrences and am currently on 6 monthly check ups, and consider myself cancer free.
Side effects from the TURB - for a couple of days, a sharp pain on urinating like an electric shock, frequency, and bladder spasms(maybe this was from the mytomycin).
Long term effects - for about 12 months, frequency, which gradually improved.
Mytomycin treatment - for a few hours after treatment, it felt like I was peeing razor blades and sulphuric acid - found the best thing to do was take a diezepan, and go to bed . Buscapina also helped with the spasms. Usually 24 hours and things were back to normal ( I used to schedule treatment for Fridays, so I had weekend to get over it)
Had a gyno problem which my gyno said was caused by the mytomycin, which meant I had to have a course of injections to cause immediate menopause, but I am still not convinced that this was a side effect.
I am now 4and a half years on from my initial diagnosis, cancer free, have a great life and I think a better appreciation of life, have just taken up motorcycling as a challenge.
I have to go for my regular checks, but I consider this a very small price to pay.And thanks to all those who have helped me on this web site, I do not live in fear of the unknown should the beast ever return.
Diane
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