Dear Teresa,
Thank you for offering your knowledge and connections on my bladder cancer that has been recently diagnosed by a clinic in Los Angeles. The bladder cancer was discovered when my primary care doctor ordered a renal ultrasound to see if my fairly high blood pressure could be improved by placing a stent in the renal arteries. The ultrasound detected a 3.7cm bladder mass. I really had no idea that I had a cancerous growth. There has been no indicators except frequent urination………no noticeable bleeding or discomfort.
In my first visit to Urology (post diagnosis) , I had the cystoscopy and a bladder wash. I have not gotten any feedback on that procedure. I fully expected that a urologist would explain what they have found so far and what plan they have to treat it. I am disappointed that I was not offered a consultation on anything that they discovered. The urologist assigned to my case only informed me that they will schedule a TURBT in the near future. I see now that it has been booked for this coming July and I am not at all certain that I want to proceed with it until I have a better understanding of what I may have to go through down the road. I would like to know if an MRI or other imaging procedures can tell me the stage or grade of my cancer before I agree to a TURBT. I want to know what all my options are before proceeding.
Considering my advanced age, there is a limit to what I would want to go through.
Thanks for helping me,
Lance