-
Worried about possible bladder cancer
Hey I know there is a saying don’t borrow trouble but sometimes I just can’t help myself.
I’m a 31 year old female and I know I’m young but I’m already a cancer survivor from Actue Lymphoma Cancer at age 6 years old. I also lost my father to colon cancer when he was 35 years old so I’ve learned cancer doesn’t discriminate and to expect anything at any point in time.
I’ve noticed at some point after having my daughter in October 2017 changes to how I would urinate. I would always go to the bathroom several times in the night. I would also often have to go suddenly and out of no where and many times I would accidentally urinate some in my pants before I would get to the restroom. I chalked it all up to two babies haven’t done my bladder any favors. I also found myself randomly sick to my tummy on many occasions couldn’t really figure out why but felt like maybe hormones working themselves out since I was breastfeeding my daughter.
As time passed and I weened my daughter things did not get better..
…I have found since then I can hardly eat without getting sick. I found it super painful to have intercourse with my husband. Not to mention the abdominal pain I was having. My blabber always seem to feel full and hurt when it was full but also felt painful when it would empty like something was stabbing it. I also noticed an intense burning in my genitalia mostly around where I would urniate from.
I made an appointment for my obgyn and asked his to look and test for anything. I even had him test me for all STDs I couldn’t imagine my husband ever cheating on me but at this point I’ve been in pain and I need to know what’s wrong. Everything came back negative except for blood in my urine. He talked to me briefly about possible kidney stones and told me he would bring me back in two weeks to test my urine again.
About a week and a half later I’m burning so bad and I can’t manage to urinate. It’s hurts so bad and feels so uncomfortable I decided to go to the urgent care. At this point they test my urine and tell me that there is blood in my urine and bacteria but no white blood cells. They tell me it’s not UTI because if it were white blood cells would be present as well. They say I need to see a urologist and give me some antibiotics to treat the bacteria. They also sent my urine off to culture the bacteria which came back negative. They even did a CT to check for kidney stones and told me there were none.
I took the antibiotics in hopes it would help some but still have abdominal pain, constant burning, and urination issues. I never feel like I’ve emptied my bladder and I have to go to the bathroom almost every 20 minutes.
I’m currently waiting for my referral to urologist but my mind keeps tracing back to bladder cancer. All the what if’s have stacked up against me. Not to mention in June of last year I have an adnormal Pap smear that found pre cancerous cells but a negitive HPV test. So of course my brain is racking the thought that maybe I’ve had bladder cancer this whole time and it was starting to spread.
All of this is some what irrational I know but since I’ve already had cancer it doesn’t seem to be that crazy of a thought to me. I was hoping to find some women to share their experience with me in how they came to find they had bladder cancer? I was hoping to see if any of this was similar or different to other women. I know no 2 people are alike and everyone is different but my mind just needs to know so I can compare. Maybe in this I can find a little peace before I get to the doctors.
-
7 Replies
-
Yeah I had a CT a few weeks back the doctors both said different things so I was super confused. At my last OBGYN appointment they did a pelvic exam and said the strings were in place. This is honestly my first time on birth control because I don’t want to have another child till my youngest is in kindergarten. Daycare is just far too expensive but I’ve been giving it serious thought about having it removed.
-
I just got on birth control pill a week ago. I was diagnosed 2 years ago with pelvic congestive syndrome which is enlarged veins in uterus because of estrogen in birth control which caused alot of pelvic pain. So I stopped taking all birth controls and it went away. Did they do a scan to see if your IUD is out of place? I would honestly get it removed just to rule that out as a possibility.
-
Same here… I had a colonoscopy too a few months back I was clear there too.
I have an odd question but maybe it would be something similar between us. Are you on birth control? I have had an IUD for about 8 months and I have wondered if any of this could be related to this. I went to my OBGYN and asked them if it could be related and they assured me 100% that it wasn’t the IUD. I honestly don’t think these doctors are completely honest about birth control these days.
-
My appoinment with the urology is April 11th. I am supposed to be getting a call for the pelvic CT scan to happen before that date. It feels like it’s a long ways away but it really isnt. I am on my 4th month of constant pelvic pain. I had relief like you for 2 weeks and now it has returned. They have ruled out my GI tract as I had a colonoscopy last month (no fun but everything was clear) I feel like they are finally getting somewhere now. I will keep you updated on how my appointments go its sounds like we are in the same boat right now which gives me a little bit of hope. I am feeling the same as you. I do not care at this point what they find I just want answers!!
-
Hey thank you for the reply.. I’m currently doing a waiting game. The health care system in my area is sort of messed up. They told me it could take 2 months for a referral…
I felt better for a few days and my worries were gone for a minute then I started feeling bad again. Not to mention I’m leaking urine more frequently. I just try to tell myself whatever it could be I know I’ll be able to handle it. I just wish I had answers and relief from the pain.
Please keep me updated about your situation. I would love to hear how it turns out so I can know what I have to look forward to. I do hope the best for you.
-
Wow reading this and Its exactly like my situation. I am also a 31 year old female and have had two kids. They found blood in my urine the last few months with negative UTIs I’m currently waiting for my appinment for CT scan and urology. When is your appointment. it’s really hard to know having kids and daily stress can really fo a number on your body. Add is chronic pelvic pain with everything else going on and you cant help but fear the worst. I’m really interested in your story and how it turns out. Keep us updated. And please try not to overthink this! Your on the right track to getting answers.
-
You have done everything that you can to solve this, and the appointment with the urologist may come up with the answer. Your situation and symptoms do NOT lead one to say “oh that sounds like bladder cancer.” They are not typical, and in addition your age is not typical for this (although younger people do get it.) While urinary blood is one of the symptoms of bladder cancer there are many many other conditions that can cause this and often the cause is never found. Atypical cells in a pap smear are also common and have nothing to do with bladder cancer. IF you had advanced bladder cancer this is the last place it would show up.
My bladder cancer was diagnosed at age 69 because I was having frequent bouts of UTI’s and was finally referred to a urologist…no bacteria present! That was my only symptom. Never any blood. No other symptoms at all. Some people are diagnosed after finding blood in their urine but have no other symptoms.
I can tell you to “relax” but I know that you can’t. You KNOW that something is wrong and you need to keep pushing until whatever it is can be diagnosed. But it is unlikely that it is bladder cancer.
Please let us know what happens…..there are others out there who can benefit from your experience.
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator
Log in to reply.