Comment from: 75 or over Female (Patient)Published: July 23
I had heavy blood in my urine for a week before finally going to a doctor in the fall of 2006 when I reached a point of total blockage. A cysto showed a tumor, which was removed a month later and diagnosed as a superficial cancer. The doctor thought it had all been removed, but a biopsy several weeks later showed cancer cells remaining. I started six weeks of BCG, which I was told is very effective and it worked for me. Only two of the treatments gave me minor side effects that didn't last beyond the day of treatment. Another biopsy in the hospital a few weeks after the last treatment didn't show any remaining cancer cells.
I had a cystoscopy every three months for a year after the last BCG treatment, and then every four months for another year. I'm now on a six month cysto and annual CT scan schedule for another two and a half years, and I have been cancer free so far. I know it can recur, but BCG worked very well for me, as it does for countless others.
I'm 75 and had ovarian cancer many years ago. I'm keeping my fingers crossed the bladder cancer doesn't recur. I have other medical issues and deal with things one at a time. I don't dwell on it and can't spend my life worrying about it.
Several medical professionals told me that BCG is highly effective and can be used repeatedly, so I trust it will work for me again if there's a recurrence. Obviously, I hope that won't be necessary, but it beats most of the alternatives.
Comment from: royrogers, 55-64 Male (Patient)Published: December 02
March 2002 I found I had bladder cancer. After procedure it retuned 9 months later. It returned again in 9 months. Started chemo and it came back in 3 years. Procedure and chemo again it came back in 2 years. 90 days later it is back again. 7 procedures, 34 tumors removed 9 rounds of poison and I am still kickin' and still have my bladder intact in December 2010.
Comment from: libraryasst52, 65-74 Male (Caregiver)Published: June 24
My husband was diagnosed with bladder cancer two days ago. He had a tumor removed, and it was malignant. The doctor will go back into his bladder in two weeks to make sure he got all of the tumor and to do scrapings of the bladder wall to make sure it hasn't spread into the bladder lining. In the meantime, my husband wants to sleep all the time.
Comment from: Scrap, 25-34 Male (Patient)Published: June 14
I am a 30 year old male now. At 28 I found out I had bladder cancer after an ER trip with blood in urine and blood clots with massive lower back pain. For now a year and a half I have had a constant battle. 4 surgeries and 13 tumors later I am in no better shape than when I found out I had it. My last surgery was 3 months ago and 2 days ago I found out I have 6 more tumors that have grown since. The smallest is 1/8th of an inch. I have had a wide array of bladder spasms ranging from massive pain to barely feeling it and have also had a constant lower back pain since my first surgery. My bladder is now twice the size it was and is weak and flabby so I retain urine in excess of 500cc's at any given time. I have had urodynamics testing which told them that my bladder is very weak and at that time I was retaining over 700cc's of urine. Emotionally and mentally this has taken one heck of a toll on me.
Comment from: Bruce, 55-64 Male (Patient)Published: March 10
I was 53 years old when I urinated a lot of blood one morning. I went immediately to the clinic and the doctor set me up with a urologist the next day. He stuck in his scope and almost immediately pulled it out. He said we were going to do two things, 1) quite smoking, 2) operate the next morning. It was a stage 3 tumor in the bladder and imperative that it came out. After the operation I took BCG treatments and I was of the percentage it did not work on. The cancer had spread throughout the the inner walls of the bladder. My doctor recommended a radical cystectomy and I finally concurred after determining that chemo and radiation might not be too effective. Now the question was whether I wanted an internal pouch fashioned out of a section of my colon, or and external pouch with a piece of my intestine sticking through my side. I chose the latter. Seemed easier than cauterizing my new bladder to eliminate the urine every two hours or so, including night time. I have been cancer free for six years now. Have experimented with different pouches and have found a good method of taking care of these and can make them last 7-14 days, depending on how active I am. However, I would urge all males to seek immediate help with aftercare and working to reestablish one's sexual function. All is not lost, but there is work and care involved. The only thing that I choose not to do today that I did before the cancer is sliding into second base on my belly.
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I had heavy blood in my urine for a week before finally going to a doctor in the fall of 2006 when I reached a point of total blockage. A cysto showed a tumor, which was removed a month later and diagnosed as a superficial cancer. The doctor thought it had all been removed, but a biopsy several weeks later showed cancer cells remaining. I started six weeks of BCG, which I was told is very effective and it worked for me. Only two of the treatments gave me minor side effects that didn't last beyond the day of treatment. Another biopsy in the hospital a few weeks after the last treatment didn't show any remaining cancer cells. I had a cystoscopy every three months for a year after the last BCG treatment, and then every four months for another year. I'm now on a six month cysto and annual CT scan schedule for another two and a half years, and I have been cancer free so far. I know it can recur, but BCG worked very well for me, as it does for countless others. I'm 75 and had ovarian cancer many years ago. I'm keeping my fingers crossed the bladder cancer doesn't recur. I have other medical issues and deal with things one at a time. I don't dwell on it and can't spend my life worrying about it. Several medical professionals told me that BCG is highly effective and can be used repeatedly, so I trust it will work for me again if there's a recurrence. Obviously, I hope that won't be necessary, but it beats most of the alternatives.
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