Positive Cytology...

Mike,

I wish you luck on that retake. I'm betting that if there were an issue you would be seeing more than the cytology report.

I know that I am not getting a chest xray on my followups but my CT scan covers my chest so I am guessing the xray isn't needed, unless there is something else here I don't know.

Also I don't remember getting a urinalysis either. Is cytology something different? It certainly seems like it is something I should be getting.

Am now starting to feel a little uncomfortable about the quality of the followup I am getting at the U of Chicago Hospitals.

I'm due for a followup next week and sure want to be properly prepared.

Lee

Pat,

Thanks! I had the same issue with people telling me I had UTIs and I had to explain to them that I did not. When giving samples to nurses who don't know a lot about neobladders, I have certainl had a few "Holy Crap!" looks when they see all the stuff floating around in the cup.

My uro had told me about the difference between colonization and infection and I've had to explain that any time I've had to give a urine sample (e.g. my two intestinal blockages that I wound up hospitalized for) and the one I did for this cytology.

I am now operating under the assumption that it is a false positive and will wait until I get the new test with my uro next week.

Not telling my wife or anybody else yet. Don't want anybody to worry at this point. My wife has enough on her plate with her mom's stroke and getting her transfered to a facility here. We are almost done the remodel and finishing work on our house to get her parents moved out here to our house. Her mom will go to a facility nearby for a while for physical therapy but we've converted a room for her and installed a huge handicap shower.

Thanks again to everybody! I was really, really sad yesterday after getting that lab result. No it's time for a do-over.

Mike

Thanks Charlotte!

Mona: I am SO HAPPY to see your post! My uro told me that it appeared the lab didn't know about the neo so he wanted to do the cytology again when I go to his office on Tuesday. I had this cytology report done at a place local to where I am in Fort Collins because I didn't want to drive the 1.5 hours down to UCH (University of Colorado Hospital) where my uro is.

Knowing that they can have a false positive if the lab doesn't know about the neo is a big relief! Of course, it could be positive next week but now there is hope that its not so I'm going with that answer until I hear otherwise.

Mike

Yeah Mike..it kind of depends on what kind of equipment they are using for this and your uro is right they need to know you have a neobladder as we all know our pouches made from intestines are full of bacterial colonizations.
But as i told the intern who insisted i had a bladder infection.....
The presence of small bowel intestine appears to promote asymptomatic bacterial colonization but urosepsis rarely occurs unless the patient has recurrent urinary tract infections which i do not have. Prophylactic antibiotics are recommended only for patients with recurring urinary tract infections but treating a positive urinary culture in the absence of specific voiding symptoms is not advocated in this patient population....but that was my problem.
So hold out for that second test and make sure they write NEOBLADDER on the directive to the lab.
Its always something!
Pat

Hi Mike, it's such a blow getting this kind of result. I hope it turns out to be a false alarm. Last summer my husband had a similar result but the repeat test (and FISH) were normal. The pathologist hadn't been informed of the neobladder and interpreted the cells wrongly. It was very stressful waiting for the the repeat results, as I'm sure it is for you. I hope you get good news soon,
Mona

I hope this turns out to be nothing. All I can say is we are here for you. (HUGS)

Charlotte