HowardP

Just checking to see how you are doing. Have you had chemo or surgery yet? Wish you the best and hope all goes well.

Hello and welcome, we are glad you found us. Please feel free to join in the conversations. Here is a link to our cancer dx page for your type of cancer. Take a look at it to get you started on some information. You will notice at the bottom of that page 4 of our active users who have had that journey already, you may wish to contact them for their experience and wisdom. Also, I encourage you to go to the questions page now by clicking on the questions tab at the top of the page and post what is the most pressing issue you have right now. This will introduce you to the community and get you started on the help you need right now.

https://www.whatnext.com/conditions/cancer/bladder-cancer

There are also subtypes listed on this page to narrow down the type of cancer to match your dx.

Also, if you can take a few minutes and fill in some details of your journey so far, it will help others as they try to answer questions for you, it also helps others as they search through the data base to find someone like themselves. Confirming your email will allow you to receive updates and notices from the site when someone answers your questions or writes on your wall.

Thanks for being with us and let me know if I can help you find any information on the site. After you have an opportunity to look the site over and see what great things there are here, we encourage you to invite your friends, family or anyone you know that may be helped by the connections on WhatNext to join the site also. Just click this link to invite them to join. http://www.whatnext.com/recruit-a-friend

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GregP 3X Survivor
Team WhatNext Community Mgr.

Sorry you have to deal with this. I was diagnosed last year at this time. I had a 6 cm tumor that was already muscle invasive when diagnosed. I went to four major hospitals and the urologists all recommended three months of chemo, then radical cystectomy. I had the chemo, then opted not to have the surgery. After the chemo I had another resection and no cancer was found, only superficial atypical cells. So it was recommended I have six treatments of BCG, which I finished in Oct. I had another resection and no cancer was found again. So I will continue with the maintenance BCG protocol. But I would recommend you find a urologist that is very experienced with the surgery. I had my chemo at an excellent local cancer center, but travel to a major hospital for my surgeries. I would definitely recommend the chemo. It is no cakewalk, but doable! The rationale is that it will kill any cancer "seeds" not seen on your scans, prior to the surgery. I have to tell you that the "gold standard" is radical cystectomy. You may be a candidate for the neobladder, rather than the ileal conduit, which entails a stoma and wearing a bag on your abdomen. The neobladder is more like a normal bladder that you will have to "train". Some surgeons also do another type of surgery called an Indiana Pouch. You would have an opening in your abdomen and would catheterize yourself several times during the day and possibly at night also. There are options, you just need to decide which one would fit your lifestyle. If you have any more questions about the surgeries, etc I have researched them all extensively. Best of luck to you.

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter