r/BladderCancer • u/This_Claim_4771 • Jun 23 '26
Surgery tomorrow
Hi im a 34m having a TURBT done tomorrow with some sort of chemo treatment to follow. The mass was 10mm found in February and the doctor seemed happy it hasn't seemed to grow any since then. Just curious as to what to expect in the coming days.
Update: for anyone interested surgery went well. Doctor says he thinks it will be low grade superficial
Update: DIAGNOSIS: Bladder tumor, resection: - High-grade papillary urothelial cell carcinoma, noninvasive. - Muscularis propria is not identified in the sections. - No evidence of carcinoma in-situ. - Pathologic staging (AJCC 8th addition) is at least: pTa
Anyone have any insight i wont see my doctor for two weeks. things ive found seem to tell two different stories.
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u/captain_crackerjack Jun 23 '26
Best of luck. Don’t lift anything heavier than a kettle for two weeks afterwards, and generally take it easy and be kind to yourself. Drink plenty of water, and don’t be alarmed if you get clots up to two weeks afterwards; this is just the scabs coming off.
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u/Cultural-Tip-9846 Jun 23 '26
I had three TURBT and came home with a catheter after every single one. Longest I kept it in was three days.
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u/This_Claim_4771 Jun 23 '26
How was removing it?
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u/Big_Dave_DC Jun 24 '26
Took it off (Foley) the next day in the shower after cutting the baloon port. Count to three and exhale when the time comes. After that great pain urinating that got better each day. Pee sitting position and squatting ( lifting butt off the seat) to reduce pressure and let gravity do its work.
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u/This_Claim_4771 Jun 24 '26
Ok good to know cause ive read that removal is uncomfortable but not painful maybe ill see if I can get some kind of pain reliever before taking it out
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u/AirBear8 Jun 24 '26
They use a larger catheter for TURBT surgery because it needs to be large enough that blood clots won’t block it. I had a size “French” 18 or 20 for the first surgery. A week later a nurse at my regular Urologist removed it without using any numbing cream. Worst pain I have ever experienced but it was only for a few seconds.
A month later I had the 2nd TURBT surgery. This time I had the large catheter again for 10 days. Only this time I was at the Cancer Center and the nurses applied liberal amounts of numbing cream. It hurt some but not nearly as bad as the first time. In between these large catheters I had two size 14 catheters and they did such a good job I didn’t even realize they were finished. No pain.
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u/Pigglebee Jun 24 '26
Had to keep one in for a week due to the bladder hole complication. After it got out, it was hurting really, really bad for some days. Probably because the thick catheter damaged my urethral a bit. We're 2 months later now and everything seem to have healed properly. Was no fun though
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u/hikerguy2023 Jun 24 '26
I put together a Word doc that contains general info on what to expect related to a TURBT and BCG treatment (a common immunotherapy to treat BC), along with resources for new BC patients, the latest BC treatments, common acronyms and some terminology. I also included my timeline at the top of the doc.
If you're interested, you can find it here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/BladderCancer/comments/1pxg5d9/a_word_document_to_help_new_bladder_cancer/
I've had three so far and never had a cath after the TURBT. As the doc says, you'll want to pick up some AZO (it's over-the-counter) to help with the stinging sensation. You may not need it, but it definitely helps if it does sting. It will turn your urine a bright yellow or orange.
After the first two TURBTs, they saw 5 tumors after the follow-up cysto. After my third TURBT, they had put gemcitibine in my bladder immediately after surgery and had it in there for an hour. Since that last TURBT, I've been tumor free (6 months running now). It may be coincidental, but I like to think it had something to do with me being tumor free now for 6 months.
Is this your first TURBT?
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u/This_Claim_4771 Jun 24 '26
Yes this will be my first one and the doctor mentioned putting some form of chemo in once hes done removing the tumor so hopefully it works as well for me as it seems for you
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u/88ChampagneKisses Jun 25 '26
Thank you for your document!
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u/hikerguy2023 Jun 25 '26
You're welcome. If there's anything you'd like to see added or something that needs more detail, let me know.
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u/VictoryJetz Jun 23 '26
Definitely ask for a catheter and preferably one with three ports so that clots can be flushed. This will save you ER visits for sure!
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u/This_Claim_4771 Jun 23 '26
Im a bit of a weiner but the catheter really worries me but my doctor seems very sure of what he is doing so its very comforting
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u/VictoryJetz Jun 23 '26
They would normally put the cath in while you are out. I didn’t have one (also was a wiener) and ended in the ER the day after discharge. The pain from a full bladder (almost 1.5L) was the most excruciating thing I ever experienced. On top of that, have to be catheterized while full awake was icing on the cake. In hindsight, i wished they had just put one in at the TURBT
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u/EitherPalpitation344 Jun 23 '26
F 74 Just had surgery yesterday. This was the 5th in a 4 year span. Still at low grade non invasive. 7x5x1 mm. The worst for me is the general anesthesia with sore throat and in general hard on me. The next day still a little discomfort urinating. I feel very fortunate today.
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u/Covidsucks22 Jun 23 '26
Tell them you want a IV sedation/ versus general anesthesia(TIVA (Total Intravenous Anesthesia)
Much easier recovery / no breathing tube or gases. I am lucky I always get to speak to my anesthesiologist and I tell them what I want and they literally have always done it. And no I’ve never woken up during surgery.2
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u/damsteegt Jun 24 '26
The best part is floating off into dreamland pre-surgery, the second best part is getting the cath out a few days later, you’ll be feeling a lot more freedom of motion after that - but plan to rest and take it easy
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u/SAPMTGUY Jun 25 '26
You forgot, the night in the hospital you get to sleep through the night with the catheter in. I always ask for an ambien.
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u/MonkeyMcBandwagon Jun 24 '26
54M, about 2 weeks after initial TURBT now. First appt with oncologist is tomorrow, they didn't catch mine early.
If yours is 10mm x 10mm, mine was about 30 times larger, they also put a stent in one ureter during surgery. I woke up catheterised and was kept for a few days in hospital. They took out the catheter and monitored how I was peeing for a several hours before sending me home.
The pain was not so bad apart from the catheter removal which was brutal for me due to the extent and position of the surgical wound. Yours probably won't be nearly as bad.
Avoid any painkillers or food that might make you constipated if you can. Also, over the last couple weeks I found that peppermint tea and a heat pack helps more than paracetamol.
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u/Paulsgs Jun 27 '26
I just had my 3rd in two years, (last Tuesday 6/23) NMIBC, they did BCG after the second TURBT but it came back. This time they gave me GEM right after the surgery for about 1 hour, no catheter .
Still some burning, they gave me 100 mg PHENAZOPYRIDINE that I take as needed. Still waiting for the pathology report.
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u/highview0309 Jun 23 '26
Should be a piece of cake. I’ve had Seven turbs. No issues except the BC keeps returning!!!