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finalman2
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Hi to all Cancer Chat users!

I am posting this as I think it's time for me to talk with some people who have gone through the same journey I am departing on.

I am a 26 year old Male who does not smoke or drink alcohol.

I went to the DR around 3 weeks back due to pain in my upper stomach, kidneys etc. I actually went to the DR the morning after I found blood in my urine with a small clot. They sent me on for a Ultrasound which showed nothing in kidney's, gallbladder etc but found a suspicious spot in my Bladder. Roll on to last Friday where I have had a Flexible Cystoscopy (these aren't very nice!) and they found what looks like a seaweed type tumour.

The doctor didn't think I needed my fiancee in with me for the result but I asked for her anyway, he made it sound like it was nothing to worry about but a TURBT will be required to remove the tumour. The nurse then said he hadn't got it across very well and that it was in fact looking like a non-invasive superficial cancerous tumour around 1-2cm. This doesn't sound that bad when looking online although i do have to say that at the age of 26, any form of potentially recurring cancer is terrifying as I still have a life to lead with a family to create!

She said there's a 95% chance it's superficial, a low chance it's not cancerous and an extremely low chance it is invasive.

Since then, my anxiety has been through the roof, my bowel habits have been stop and then go hard, pains have been experienced around my body (hands, feet, legs and back) and my previous issues with right elbow and left knee creaking and hurting have gotten worse. I've been putting this down to anxiety (only been 3 days) but seeing my GP tomorrow to go through the results from the cystoscopy and to outline the issues I've been having, naturally all pains in my head are being thrown to cancer but the chances of it being invasive with the size and appearance of the tumour are very low.

I should say it's just the one tumour as well. Definitely a mental struggle at the moment while I wait for the TURBT but I need to get this out!

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    Hi there

    My son is 25 and still my baby so I think of you as being incredibly young to be coping with this worry. I to have an appointment tomorrow. Saw my dentist 13 days ago about some issues that I’ve had for over a year (doctor didn’t seem concerned with them back then) however they have worsened so when I saw the dentist she frightened me by saying “Don’t like the look of that I’m going to fast track you to the oral surgeon at the hospital” Hospital called 2 days later and gave me my appointment for tomorrow. Fast track as far as the nhs are concerned but a lifetime in our heads isn’t it?! Like you I haven’t slept since and have noticed every other pain in that area, on loo constantly and trying to remain calm whilst running my business. Thing is we can’t undo anything that’s about to happen to us but I volunteer in a hospice and from what I’ve seen a lot of how we survive is based on our attitude and determination. We’ve both already seen what stress can do to us physically which proves that our minds are in a certain amount of control with our outcomes. I’ve downloaded Headspace and that’s been helping me to get to sleep, maybe try it tonight? As for tomorrow I will be praying for you and hope that both of our outcomes are positive kaj x

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    Hello,

    Sorry to hear you are going through a nasty experance at such a young age.

    I have bladder cancer confirmed by cystoscopy.& CT scan the Uroligist never explaned what a TURBT entailed.

    I had three appointments cancled by the hospital....on receiving the fourth I made up my mind to refuse the treatment.

    I had been presenting urine samples to my GP for nearly three years just given antibiotics & told it was normal infection.

    I am diobetic & on a regular blood test for this I took a urine sample with me boy oh boy did things start moving then.

    But bear in mind I am years older than you.I have now lived just over a year since refusing treatment & if tumor is removed it can return  regular.

    Best of luck for your future

  • Offline in reply to kaj

    Hi Kaj, 

    Thank you for the response, you are right, we can't change it and it is simply a journey we must travel. I hope all comes back well for you on the test side of things!

    I will give Head space a go, I'm finding as days go on I'm sleeping better but still feeling pain all over which in turn makes the anxiety worse and then produces more. Over time I'll get my head straight and if I am honest, just need this TURBT done and over with.

    Hope all is going well. 

  • Offline in reply to reet75

    Hi Reet,

    Sorry to hear about your experiences at the hospital and the fight youve got in your hands. 

    I am focusing more in 'facts' in terms of what I know about the tumour rather than 'what ifs' as that is where the fear comes from. 

    There's a high chance it'll be a Ta tumour, hopefully low grade. My issue is that when I look forward, 20 years is the time it'd take to see one child of mine be born and grow into an adult, all prognosis and stats are based on 5 or 10 year survival which does nothing but create more fear. 

    Once I get my head around the fact that we don't even know if its cancerous yet, what grade it is, risk, type etc, I think I'll be a bit better. I work as a system analyst so I naturally analyse everything in my head, not a good trait for this.

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