Any questions I should ask new surgeon?

All kinds of things are common after a TURBT (with or without Mitomycin C).

If I remember correctly, they want you to be able to pee on your own before they let you go home without a catheter. It all depends on how much they have to do when they are in there. I've gone home with and without a catheter in the past.

Not sure you should need narcotics after going home though. Pyridium and other drugs can help with bladder pain without messing with your head. Another good question to ask the surgeon. Bring your list with you. You'll forget some otherwise. At least I always brought my list and my wife hung on to it for me (in case I forgot I had the list).

Mike

Thank you for some more good advice. I almost forgot that after my first TURBT and Mitomycin C, I had severe urinary retention and had to go screaming to the emergency room. Had a catheter put in at the ER for a few days. Uro did not send me home with a catheter. ER thought it may have been due to anesthesia plus narcotic analgesics but I'm not really sure. Is retention common after TURBT/Mitomycin C?

Oh yeah: Is he going to be giving you anything to prevent bladder spasms after surgery? Sometimes folks have issues with that. Not always, but some do.

Mike

I suppose one question would be who is doing the pathology analysis. Ask if they can be read by two labs plus him. See about having them send slides to MD Anderson so their pathologists can weigh in on the results.

Hope all goes well for the 2nd TURB!

The outcome of the reports is going to determine which way the questions go. You pretty much know what to expect from the TURB since it is your second one.

Maybe: Does he expect you go be going home the same day since he's potentially going deeper on this TURB? Does he expect you to be going home with a catheter? That's all I can think of right now.

Mike

If he discusses various surgical options (depending on your final path report), ask how many times and how often he has performed each type of surgery. You need to feel confident that he has the right experience to match your situation in whatever treatment you decide upon.

You were all so helpful when I asked about a second restaging TURBT,maybe you can help me stop my head from spinning and get a decent list of important questions to ask at my pre-op (for 2nd TURBT) appointment with the surgeon who will do the second TURBT. In a very roundabout way after private uro did first turbt (TaG3) and after email consults with MD Anderson and Dr. Schoenberg at Hopkins, I am seeing Dr. Nielsen at UNC-CH, highly recommended by and trained by Dr. Schoenberg. I wonder if there are any important questions I should be asking at the pre-op.
Thank you all for taking your time to participate in this amazing forum,
scared and spinning