Home Forums All Categories Newly Diagnosed, New To The Forum had my first turbt

  • Posted by on January 31, 2015 at 5:39 pm

    The procedure was very quick. I woke up after 30 min from when I went to sleep, my urine was clear, no blood. Today is the third day after the turb, urine has been clear all the time. Is it good or bad? Maybe they did not go deep enough? I have the catheter till Monday. When I move I have the urgency to pee sometimes, a very strong urgency, that feels painful. I guess, its normal. The pathology will be known on Feb 18.

    sara.anne replied 9 years, 9 months ago 5 Members · 9 Replies
  • 9 Replies
  • sara.anne

    Member
    February 6, 2015 at 2:30 am

    There is no definitive way to state that a tumor is high grade or low grade by looking at it. The cells must be examined by a pathologist. Urologists have lots of experience and can make “educated guesses” but are often proven wrong.

    A physician’s “preference” is molded by what is considered good medical practice.

    Will be thinking good thoughts for your results.

    Sara Anne


    Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
    BCG; BCG maintenance
    Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
    Forum Moderator
  • Guest
    February 6, 2015 at 2:21 am

    Hi Sara Anne, thank you for your reply. I saw the cauliflower on the screen, so can it be anything else besides cancer? Is it possible to have a benign cauliflower? The uro said it looks like papillary carcinoma. Another question. Do different grades look the same? Can you say “low grade” by looking at it? I don’t know my grade now, but I thought that it depends on uros preference if he wants to use BCG or not for the low grade. I tried to find some literature about it, still not clear about the matter. I put up some information from the NCI site, they give statistics for different protocols, still not clear about the low grade. Anyway, I will discuss with my uro next time and if he says no than no it will be. Actually, in Canada its not easy to get an appointment with a urologist. If you have cancer, then its quick, but for other problems its 6 months to a year wait on average. I will ask for a second opinion on the pathology report. Maybe he agrees.

  • sara.anne

    Member
    February 5, 2015 at 9:24 pm

    BCG has been shown not to be very effective with low grade bladder cancer and is only used when it keeps returning multiple times….under those conditions the only other option is radical cystectomy so it is worth a try.

    BCG side effects are also cumulative. You certainly would not want to sensitise yourself now when you really might need an option later if the disease progresses. In addition, while most BCG side effects are not serious and are relatively easily treated, some rather rare ones can be very serious and are not dose-dependent.

    Any physician who prescribed BCG for grade 1 pta (papillary Ta stage) would be at best subject to censure by his hospital tumor board and at worst looking toward a malpractice suit. In addition, insurance surely would not cover this.

    Meanwhile, we will hope that you do not have bladder cancer

    Sara Anne


    Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
    BCG; BCG maintenance
    Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
    Forum Moderator
  • Guest
    February 5, 2015 at 3:52 pm

    Hi Cynthia, you did not miss anything. I am waiting for a pathology report on Feb 18. But I am preparing for the discussion with my uro, thinking of different scenarios. Let’s say I have a grade 1 pta (papillary Ta stage), the best biopsy result. What is better to wait 4 months (he mentioned 4 months, I think this is Canadian way of health care savings) doing nothing or to ask for a light BCG treatment to decrease side effects, but still decrease the risk of recurrence.

  • cynthia

    Administrator
    February 5, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    Fighterm, I saw on another post that you were planning to ask for a reduced BCG treatment on another post. I am confused I thought you were still waiting for your pathology to come back to confirm bladder cancer and if so what stage and grade. Did I miss something if you are already planning you treatment path? Sorry if I am not keeping up.


    Cynthia Kinsella
    T2 g3 CIS 8/04
    Clinical Trial
    Chemotherapy & Radiation 10/04-12/04
    Chemotherapy 3/05-5/05
    BCG 9/05-1-06
    RC w/umbilical Indiana pouch 5/06
    Left Nephrectomy 1/09
    President American Bladder Cancer Society
  • catherineh

    Member
    February 1, 2015 at 4:09 am

    I don’t think you “need” to stay in bed until the cath is removed. Just let your body guide you. If you’re tired, rest, and don’t do anything that is physically taxing. The cath is a foreign object and your bladder doesn’t like it. Plus the anesthesia can leave you feeling tired as well.

    After my TuRBT, I went home with a catheter but went back the next morning and it was removed. I saw no blood at all afterward and that afternoon I was out doing errands. Everyone is different as to how they feel afterward.

    After my partial cystectomy, I had a catheter for almost 4 weeks. That was a bit more challenging and inconvenient. I had pretty strong spasms for the first few days until my bladder relaxed and my brain quit telling it to contract on cue.

    I’m glad your procedure went well otherwise. Hoping for a good report when you go back to the uro.


    Best wishes… Catherine

    TURBT 1/21/10 at age 55
    Dx: T2aN0M0 Primary Bladder Adenocarcinoma
    Partial Cystectomy 2/25/10
    Vanderbilt Medical Center
    Nashville, TN

  • Guest
    February 1, 2015 at 2:37 am

    I was trying to cook a soup in the afternoon. It did not go well. Started having spasms in my bladder and some blood appeared. So my husband finished cooking and I spent the rest of the day in bed. When I am in bed iI feel no pain, no spasms and my urine is very normal. Should I be in bed until the cath is out?

  • Alan

    Member
    January 31, 2015 at 9:31 pm

    You have had a similar experience to mine. Two quick notes. I was warned that I would probably pass old blood in the form a clot from the area(s) biopsied after 10-14 days. I did, if I wasn’t warned I would have freaked out. Also, a second TURB is often done to make sure good margins are found. You are on your way to beating this!


    DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.
  • sara.anne

    Member
    January 31, 2015 at 6:07 pm

    Congrats on your first TURB!! No, there is nothing wrong with the way you are feeling or having no bleeding. I had no problems after either of my TURBs….no
    catheter either. Just woke up, went home, and nervously waited for the results!

    Will be thinking really good thoughts for your path report

    Sara Anne


    Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
    BCG; BCG maintenance
    Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
    Forum Moderator

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