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Pain levels
Hi there
My 81-year old father who also has an untreated slow-growth prostate cancer has recently had a cystoscopy or MRI scan following what appear to be classic bladder cancer symptoms, including gross acute hematuria; and he tells me there appears to be a growth that looks like, as he says, a ‘sea anenome’.
It’s been a little hard to get exact details from him or my mother; I live overseas but I gather he is consulting with an anaethathist shortly with a view to going into surgery; I’m guessing perhaps a TUR, at least initially.
He is taking codeine for what sounds like constant pain and I’m wondering if this is significant; ie if the growth was superficial or non-invasive, would he be in much pain? What actually causes the pain? My main concern is that after surgery, he can at least expect some pain relief.
Does anyone have any thoughts on the significance, if any, of his being in quite a lot of pain? He tells me he has very little sleep due to this and obviously the other symptoms.
I’d love to be able to provide a bit of reassurance about the possible cessation of pain, and perhaps learn a bit more about the course of the disease. I’ve read the very helpful American Cancer Org material.
Thank you in advance.
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2 Replies
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Thanks for getting back to me Sara Ann
He had the pain for quite a few weeks; initially it was thought UTI so he was on antibiotics, then after a terrible acute bleeding episode, the doctors said there might be a lesion. More antibiotics, allegedly to stop the bleeding, then I think a cystoscopy which revealed this growth. In NZ the Public Health Service is good but things can take a while, and during this whole time, he’s been in continual pain – which my dad ascribes to the bladder condition. He’s also up every hour during the night with the feeling of needing to urinate etc; quite classic I guess?
So I think the pain is coming from the presence of the growth; I just don’t know what it indicates.
Thanks again, Kate
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You said that he had cystoscopy OR an MRI? If he had cystoscopy, did he have this pain before or after it? Different patients react differently to procedures, of course. The pain COULD be a result of the tests (not an MRI, but cystoscopy.)
Of course, a definite diagnosis will have to wait until the TURB and the subsequent examination of the tissue removed by a pathologist. Many times, in case of superficial tumorw (mushrooms, “sea anenomes”) this can be curative.
Where is your father being treated?
It is hard when you are so far away.
Best wishes to you and your family for a very hopeful outcome.
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
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