What is Life like after Bladder Removal?

I had my bladder removed 8 years ago. My cancer was ready to break through the bladder lining which would have been game over. I was fortunate to have one of the best surgeons at Sunnybrook hospital in Toronto On. Who did a marvellous on me even removing my prostate as well that was infected too.
At first i was frightened but knew I had a second chance at life.I go once a year for a complete scan and there is no reoccurrence of the deadly disease. Wearing a urine bag is no big deal. Its better than the alternative.
My advice. Go for it. Hope this helps Foss

Glad to hear it went well! It took about six months for my training. If you do the exercises I'm sure you'll make progress. Patience is key. I hope things continue to go well for you.

Thank you for the prayers. My husband had 6 rounds of IV pre surgery chemotherapy ddMVAC, and the last treatment he ended up in the hospital weak , and in need of blood transfusions and fluids . He’s getting better and building up for surgery. We are deciding which is the best place to set up his bedroom.

I had urothelial cancer first in 2023 in my left kidney. I had no symptoms and it was an incidental finding on an MRI of my spine. At the time I had no tumors in my bladder. Those started 4 mths after that surgery. I had many TURBTs to remove bladder tumors. I had BCG and Chemo as well. At my regular 3 month checkup I had no tumors inside but CT showed the one outside my bladder. My doctor wasted no time getting me in to surgery the next week. The tumor outside my bladder, 3 yrs later, was where the left ureter was removed with my left kidney 2023.

I can hardly remember the first two weeks but there were no stairs involved. I was in the hospital nearly two weeks and I was walking slowly. I think it would have been difficult if there had been stairs even after the first two weeks. I was just very weak. I am a very active 77 yr old female and just slowing down has been hard. Slowing down is part of healing. My kids say I’m not a patient patient. I’m sure that is true. I pray your husband does well and has an uneventful recovery.

Outside bladder means ureter or where?

I happy your surgery is over and you are recovering. My husband is scheduled for RC NB in September. How was it for you that 1st and second week? Were you able to do any stairs?

In my post I didn’t mention that I have NMIBC, high grade.

I had RC 8 wks ago. So far training my neo-bladder is going ok. I don’t think it will ever work as well as the original but I had not planned on it. I had a tumor just outside my bladder and within a week I was in surgery having my bladder removed. I was diagnosed in 2023 and I have gone through 6 wks of BCG but had tumors after, then 6 wks of chemo in my bladder had no tumors inside but one outside the bladder. Had no lymph node involvement and had a clean CT at 4 wks. Only had it because I got hydro nephrosis in my right kidney. I’m showing no evidence of disease now and feel blessed. I live in SETX and after researching doctors decided on urology oncology at St Luke’s Baylor in Houston.

Stage 2: into the muscle (MIBC). RC = radical cystectomy.

I suggest visiting BCAN and reading up on the disease.