I have to have my bladder removed plus nymph gland and all other parts attached to bladder. I’m not looking forward to this at all but believe I have to have it done to get rid of this awful cancer.
Would love to hear from those who have had this done and how they coped with it all. Thank you.
Nana Heather
If a bladder cancer invades the muscle wall a urologist may suggest removal of the bladder before the cancer spreads further. This is called a radical cystectomy.
A complete radical cystectomy requires removal of the bladder and nearby lymph nodes. In men it almost always involves removal of the prostate as well.
For women the surgeon usually also removes the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and cervix and part of the vagina that is in contact with the bladder. This minimizes risk of the cancer spreading.
Removal of the bladder is a major surgery. It usually requires several days of hospital stay followed by several weeks of recovery at home before returning to normal activities.
As with any surgery, patients may have complications as a result of the operation.
Download our Bladder Cancer Australia booklet for more information
Hi Heather
Please try the Facebook group “Bladder Cancer Support – Australia / New Zealand”. Plenty of patients there to chat with who have lost their bladders.
Hope this helps.