Not sure if I have it

I think some of it depends on your insurance plan...but you could go ahead and call around and they should be able to tell you if you can schedule or at least give you an idea of how long before you can get in...make sure you tell them your symptoms. then if you find a quicker appt. see if your MD will make referral there if it is required either by the ins. or the specialist office.

Hi--

Nice to meet you, Tate and Maria--thanks so much for the fast responses. You've helped already.

I think you're right--if they can't give me an appointment fairly soon, I will try to get one myself. I thought my doctor had to do the referral, though? Or can I just call myself and when I find one, have my doctor send records?

Thanks.

Hello Jill, sorry to meet you under theses circumstances, but believe me you have found the right place for advice and information. People on this forum are great.
I am not able to answer your questions but can base some of your anxieties on personal experience………………It is well documented that painless hematuria can be a sign of bladder cancer.
I waited 4 weeks to see a urologist following my first doctor’s visit but I would have liked to have had an earlier appointment more for peace of mind.
I think it depends on where you live. Are there any other resources available? You may get an appointment earlier if you can find a Cancer center in your area and it would be advisable to see a Specialist ………………….. Pat is very resourceful and I just know she will locate a center for you to contact.

Take care,
Maria x

Hi Jill,

My only symptom was blood in the urine off and on. All of the test I had were fairly normal including the urine pathology. I had some blood last year and did not get it checked...then in Feb. it started every other week. I went to GYN in March and he got me into the Uro the next week. I ended up with the lowest form of BC - Ta- I had surgery and treatment after the surgery...and now having further treatments. Only because of the size of the cancer.

From what I know I do not think bladder cancer is very fast to grow but I am not a pro at this compared to others here. For your piece of mind you may want to keep checking to see if you can get in somewhere faster. I am not saying that I think you have bc...but I and everybody here certainly knows the waiting is the hardest part. I bet some of the experts will have suggestions on other places for you to check out or suggestions. As you may have read from others we really have to take control of our health even if the docs don't always treat us as quickly as we want.

I am glad you joined this forum during this waiting time...these people have offered nothing but support and love. Please know that we will all be here to help you through this stressful time.

-Tate

Hi--

My name is Jill and I may be jumping the gun here. I don't have a bladder cancer diagnosis yet. But I've been reading this forum for a couple hours now and there is so much information here and everyone is so nice that I'm hoping someone can help me with my questions.

Here's my story. I'm 50 years old. I've been experiencing hematuria for about three weeks now and went to the doctor for the first time yesterday (no history of bladder or kidney infections to speak of--have had a few bladder infections in my life, but that's it and no hematuria with them).

The results of my urine sample were no infection but definitely blood present (sorry, don't know any of the technical terms). My doctor ruled out either a kidney or bladder infection, because of no infection. She said we were looking at either kidney stones or bladder cancer and said if I wasn't experiencing pain, we needed to get me to a urologist right away and that although they're scheduling six months out now for non-emergency patients, she would try to see that I had an appointment within a month. I'm assuming that means she thinks I've got bladder cancer.

Here are my questions:

1. Are there really only two options for hematuria w/ no infection, i.e. kidney stones or cancer? I've searched the internet and really don't see any other possibilities, other than overexercising and if that were the case, it wouldn't last three weeks. The reason I'm asking this is that it doesn't look like I'm going to get into a urologist for a few weeks, at least, much less have a diagnosis, so I want to start wrapping my mind around cancer if it's a relatively sure thing.

2. How fast does bladder cancer spread? Am I okay waiting for up to a month for my initial appointment with a urologist?

3. What are the symptoms of early bladder cancer? I'm having no pain--maybe a little pressure in the abdomdinal area, really my main symptom is the hematuria.

I'm in Salem, Oregon and she's referred me to Willamette Urology. My husband called today because we hadn't received a call from the and was told the scheduling person is off today and they're scheduling non-emergency patients for November at this point. I'm assuming I'm not considered non-emergency...

Thanks for any help and information you can give me. I know I'm premature here, but ever since I visited the doctor, I've been thinking of nothing else.

Jill