Diagnosed aged 35

Hi Kate,

Sorry I didn't see your post sooner. Also sorry you're worrying about something like this and have to have a CT instead of enjoying your post treatment peace and forays back into the real world. Funny you say "adult world", you're right though, being a 'patient' makes us feel dependent and childlike many times.

I have never heard someone who had a lymphocele post op, but I've read it's a common early complication after cystectomy:

"Early complications were identified in
10 patients in group A and five in group B
(Table 3); in group A the most common was
symptomatic lymphocele, in four, of whom
open surgery was used in one and
percutaneous aspiration in the second, and in
two patients the lymphocele resolved
spontaneously. " www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2005.05507.x
That article was about people over 75 yrs. old.

I hope whatever this is "resolves spontaneously" for you!
Keep us posted.
Wendy

hello! Somewhat fast forwarding from my last post I have at last finished chemo yippee! Have been really fortunate with very few side-effects apart from hair loss, I feel almost guilty. Boy am I glad Prada has resurrected the turban look, not that I can afford the real thing! I got back to work on Wed which was scary. Suddenly being back in the adult world feels totally overwhelming.

The slight setback I now have...at least I am looking on the bright side saying "slight" is that an ultrasound this morning showed what my uro thinks is lymphocele i.e a sac of fluid next to the new bladder...Help. I did have to have an op after my RC to remove lymph fluid which had become infected and I can't bear to think I would have to go through that again.

Has anyone experienced this? Would really appreciate any words of comfort. I have a CT scan booked in for Tues to find out what it is exactly.

Lots of love to you all, Kate

gee as an old senile member of the baby boomers...think Christie Brinkley....i'm astounded by how many younger women are being affected with bladder cancer...very discouraging. So much for chemical dyes and smoking......start looking into the chicken feed!.......Testicular cancer is a young mans disease and noone knows why and it seems to me that bladder cancer is quickly becomming a young womans disease also....They are doing some studies now of course with men...where they have found androgen to be a factor......so its in the hormones girls....now if they'll just study us. Pat

Congratulations, Jenny!! Do some cartwheels...

Even though I've not yet had a reoccurence, I still look in the toilet every time I pee...now isn't that kinda sad? I NEVER did before, unless I happened to glance... which is how I found the two instances of gross hematuria (and I mean GROSS.. like peeing Merlot..).

So even though I don't think like I HAVE cancer, how many people who have never had BC pay such close attention to the toilet bowl? :o S'pose we'll all get over that someday, too?

Keep up your poke 'n peeks, pee in any receptacle the docs tell you to, and most of all, live every day to the fullest - you deserve it!

Lauren

I still do too (feel like a freak), but I think the medical people are getting more used to seeing younger people with this. My GP has changed his referral procedure for people who are 'too young' with persistent haematuria, and I am grateful that something good has come out of my unfortunate experience of waiting 18+ months for a diagnosis.
Also, I thought I would share with you some excellent news I received just before Easter - my last poke'n'peek was all clear (yippee!), but even more than that, I finally left (after dancing in the waiting room in my pink dressing gown - I'm not doing my 'freak' status any favours am I?) with a feeling that I had 'had' cancer, rather than that I was still a patient, and even though my treatment is ongoing and I know things could change again in a matter of months or years, I had waited so long for that feeling, never thinking it would come, I was actually a bit stunned and realised I had forgotten how to be anything other than a cancer patient - it's really nice to be having a hard time coming to terms with something positive for a change! ;D

Hi there
I was diagnosed two days after my 44th birthday (March 10th 2006). I clearly remember the Doctor when I went for my pre hospital admission he looked shocked and said Ive never seen anyone your age with this we are used to seeing people alot older than you. I didnt quite know which way to take that. A year on and I still feel like a freak of nature when I go back

Regards

Sally