Bladder Issues

rrob

I haven't seen a post about this. I had my last resection December 12. It was done laprascopically and they removed the portion of my colon where my lesion was and a small part of my rectum. I noticed the first week I was home from the hospital that my lower abdomen would ache sometimes when I had to urinate. (Sorry to get into this, but I really need some information.) It wasn't pain, more just like an ache. I called my surgeon, but he said to just let him know if it continued. So it went away after a few days. A couple of weeks later, I was having similar sensations, but when I called my surgeon's office, they said it was not surgery related but I might be getting a bladder infection. So, off and on ever since I will get an achiness in my lower abdomen when I need to pee. I guess this concerns me because I was diagnosed after I developed a bladder infection. My cc had spread to my ovaries, which were very enlarged and causing pressure on my bladder.

Well, I know that this is just the usual paranoia but I just wondered if anyone else had ever had this after a resection. My surgeon did say that the area he worked on was very near the ureter, so maybe it's scar tissue or irritation. I've been through with chemo since June 08 and NED, with scans again March 20. So maybe I really am just getting an early case of "scan anxiety." Also, personal question here, I'm not sure if it's this problem or the neuropathy or just getting older, but I have very little bladder control. A little embarrassing, but a fact of life. Does anyone else have these problems or is it just me? Thanks!

Rebecca

johnnybegood

me too
i was going to post this but was a little embarassed. i too am having bladder pain it really started after my surgery when my tumor in my rectum was removed. surgen told me he had beat up my bladder a little during surgery i guess to move everything out of the way. after my iliostomy reversal is when it really began to hurt i just thought it was because my lower intestines were working again and everything inside has been moved around and has to heal.i saw my surgen on feb 23 and mentioned it to him but he just blew it off and changed the subject. i dont know what it is but i hope it gets better with time just like everything else. hope yours gets better too if it does let me know God bless.....johnnybegood

msccolon

that achy feeling
Do you know you don't have a UTI? That sounds SO like my symptoms when I had a UTI and chose to ignore it until it got to the point of a raging fever, vomiting and lower back pain and almost had me in the hospital. I even had incontinence. Once I got antibiotics and the UTI cleared, I no longer have incontinence issues. I would definitely mention it to my onc or my family practice doctor, they can test your urine for germies.
mary

daydreamer110761

msccolon said:

that achy feeling
Do you know you don't have a UTI? That sounds SO like my symptoms when I had a UTI and chose to ignore it until it got to the point of a raging fever, vomiting and lower back pain and almost had me in the hospital. I even had incontinence. Once I got antibiotics and the UTI cleared, I no longer have incontinence issues. I would definitely mention it to my onc or my family practice doctor, they can test your urine for germies.
mary

agreed!
I would be drinking cranberry juice and calling my family practice doc. and Mary - I learned that very same lesson about 6 years ago, I woke up one morning in so much pain, couldn't walk, never felt like that (until this last damn thing which was much worse) and the UTI had been festering into my kidney....major antibiotics.

msccolon

daydreamer110761 said:

agreed!
I would be drinking cranberry juice and calling my family practice doc. and Mary - I learned that very same lesson about 6 years ago, I woke up one morning in so much pain, couldn't walk, never felt like that (until this last damn thing which was much worse) and the UTI had been festering into my kidney....major antibiotics.

so familiar!
When my back started hurting and I started throwing up I knew i was in trouble! Needless to say, I don't let ANYTHING fester any longer! When a cold goes into the lungs, I'm at the docs office getting some of that prescription cough medicine!
mary

rrob

msccolon said:

so familiar!
When my back started hurting and I started throwing up I knew i was in trouble! Needless to say, I don't let ANYTHING fester any longer! When a cold goes into the lungs, I'm at the docs office getting some of that prescription cough medicine!
mary

Thanks!
Hey guys, thanks so much for the input! I volunteer for the ACS at my oncologist's practice on Fridays, so tomorrow I'll talk to my oncology nurse. I've had the incontinence issue to the point that it's embarrassing. I wasn't sure if it was lack of sensation due to neuropathy (not sure you get it in that area), but I never know I need to go until it's an emergency and then I never make it without a problem! So I'll be sure and ask. Thanks again for listening. It's coming up on scan time again, so every little thing makes me worry. You help more than you know:)

Rebecca

PamPam2

rrob said:

Thanks!
Hey guys, thanks so much for the input! I volunteer for the ACS at my oncologist's practice on Fridays, so tomorrow I'll talk to my oncology nurse. I've had the incontinence issue to the point that it's embarrassing. I wasn't sure if it was lack of sensation due to neuropathy (not sure you get it in that area), but I never know I need to go until it's an emergency and then I never make it without a problem! So I'll be sure and ask. Thanks again for listening. It's coming up on scan time again, so every little thing makes me worry. You help more than you know:)

Rebecca

Urination problems
Hi Rebecca. I know when they did my surgeries they do put stints in your urinary tubes because it is so small and easily damaged during surgery. This could introduce infection, and also probably does a little damage that needs to heal. I would not let the doctors blow you off, make them check you out.
Pam

taraHK

can identify
Certainly you should get a URI ruled out. But, some bladder issues are, unfortunately, not uncommon following "our" kind of surgery. ( I don't know if you had radition -- my surgeon blamed the radiation, and my oncologist blamed the surgery ha ha). I have reduced sensation. That is, I do have the sensation that I need to pee -- but it is reduced. So, if I begin to feel that, I should go RIGHT AWAY. I do a lot of "preventative peeing". My surgeon recommended "double voiding" (after you pee and feel empty, wait a while, then see if you can pee a little more). I do have some "leaking" with exercise....I use tissues or a light pad. I did also go to a specialist to investigate. The procedure was a little yucky (insert catheter yeouch then jump up and down and stuff). But, it might be worthwhile for you to pursue this....

Good luck! Wishing you all the best with this

Tara

ps by the way, I have no pain or achiness or feeling of pressure....

rrob

taraHK said:

can identify
Certainly you should get a URI ruled out. But, some bladder issues are, unfortunately, not uncommon following "our" kind of surgery. ( I don't know if you had radition -- my surgeon blamed the radiation, and my oncologist blamed the surgery ha ha). I have reduced sensation. That is, I do have the sensation that I need to pee -- but it is reduced. So, if I begin to feel that, I should go RIGHT AWAY. I do a lot of "preventative peeing". My surgeon recommended "double voiding" (after you pee and feel empty, wait a while, then see if you can pee a little more). I do have some "leaking" with exercise....I use tissues or a light pad. I did also go to a specialist to investigate. The procedure was a little yucky (insert catheter yeouch then jump up and down and stuff). But, it might be worthwhile for you to pursue this....

Good luck! Wishing you all the best with this

Tara

ps by the way, I have no pain or achiness or feeling of pressure....

Thanks!
Johnnybegood, Daydreamer, Mary, Pam, and Tara,

Thanks for the advice. I volunteered yesterday, but didn't get to see my oncology nurse. I am going to call my PCP on Monday and get an appointment. I think I probably am trying to get a UTI, which is my own fault. Because I don't have any sensation until I really, really have to go, I tend not to go very often. And then I usually have leakage. I also noticed yesterday that I was really busy and forgot to drink anything for several hours, so all of my bad habits are adding up to this problem, I think. So I'm making myself drink more water, making myself take scheduled bathroom breaks, and I'll see the doctor to get tested. Tara, what you are describing is exactly what is happening. I don't get the sensation that I need to go until the bitter end and then it's a race to see if I make it.

Change of subject to anyone who's interested. I've been volunteering on Fridays for ACS in their patient resource room at my oncologist's office. My oncologist is in a large practice that has it's own chemotherapy room and the resource room is joining it. So I also take warm blankets, pillows, drinks, crackers, etc. to patients while I'm there and generally just give moral support. Yesterday, I spoke with a patient with our form of cancer and this person was so relieved to talk with someone who'd been there. The patient mentioned that it's hard to talk about this kind of cancer. So, if you ever feel like it and have the time, it's a great thing to do. Not only do I feel like I'm giving back some of what I've been given, it makes me feel good and, for some reason, I always feel more hopeful at the end of the day. I won't get to do it much longer because I'm trying to go back to work, but I highly recommend it.

I hope you all have a great day! You guys are great--thanks for being here.

Rebecca

msccolon

rrob said:

Thanks!
Johnnybegood, Daydreamer, Mary, Pam, and Tara,

Thanks for the advice. I volunteered yesterday, but didn't get to see my oncology nurse. I am going to call my PCP on Monday and get an appointment. I think I probably am trying to get a UTI, which is my own fault. Because I don't have any sensation until I really, really have to go, I tend not to go very often. And then I usually have leakage. I also noticed yesterday that I was really busy and forgot to drink anything for several hours, so all of my bad habits are adding up to this problem, I think. So I'm making myself drink more water, making myself take scheduled bathroom breaks, and I'll see the doctor to get tested. Tara, what you are describing is exactly what is happening. I don't get the sensation that I need to go until the bitter end and then it's a race to see if I make it.

Change of subject to anyone who's interested. I've been volunteering on Fridays for ACS in their patient resource room at my oncologist's office. My oncologist is in a large practice that has it's own chemotherapy room and the resource room is joining it. So I also take warm blankets, pillows, drinks, crackers, etc. to patients while I'm there and generally just give moral support. Yesterday, I spoke with a patient with our form of cancer and this person was so relieved to talk with someone who'd been there. The patient mentioned that it's hard to talk about this kind of cancer. So, if you ever feel like it and have the time, it's a great thing to do. Not only do I feel like I'm giving back some of what I've been given, it makes me feel good and, for some reason, I always feel more hopeful at the end of the day. I won't get to do it much longer because I'm trying to go back to work, but I highly recommend it.

I hope you all have a great day! You guys are great--thanks for being here.

Rebecca

you are so right!
Rebecca, your comments about that patient being relieved to speak with another person with colon cancer and that it's so hard to talk about this cancer is SO accurate! I tend to yak on about it for the same reason when I am around people with cancer. There is so much ickiness that people just don't want to talk about, but when they hear somebody else speak of it they feel more like they aren't alone! When I was in treatment, I would speak loudly enough so others in the waiting area could listen in about the icky stuff and I would undoubtedly have somebody come up to me and tell me they experienced the same thing but were afraid to say anything! At support group, whenever I see a new colon cancer survivor, I sidle up to them and talk about the burning, the running to the bathroom, etc. You can just see them relaxing knowing that they aren't alone and that there are some things they can do to alleviate some of it! You feel so isolated until you find out there are others experiencing the exact same things. That's why this board is such a blessing! You know what they say, misery loves company! To hear success stories is tremendously helpful to all of us, no matter our place on this journey!
mary