Surviving Bladder Cancer | From Symptoms to Diagnosis - What I Learned Along the Way

Vickie D. was diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer at 66. She was initially experiencing intermittent pain but after being told that she did not have a urinary tract infection, she knew she had to keep pushing for answers.
In this conversation, Margo Wickersham, a bladder cancer survivor talks with Vickie as shares how she advocated for health, even when she felt unheard by her doctors, how she got through chemo and treatment and how she deals with “scanxiety.”
Vickie's full story & transcript → www.thepatient...
The interview has only been edited for clarity.
Join Our Community:
Website : www.thepatient...
Facebook: @ThePatientStory
Instagram: @ThePatientStory
Twitter: @patient_story
#BladderCancer #cancerstories #cancerpatient #cancersurvivor #patientstories #thepatientstory #blcsm #self-advocacy

[@thedisappointedoptimist6916]

Dealing with dismissive doctors has been the most painful part of this process. It is SO important to advocate for yourself. Be rude. Be pushy. Do not take no for an answer.

[@annabellejaynesaunders5930]

I'm going through the same I've had blood in my urine for a few years and now I'm bleeding and I've pushed it through to a doctor , They have been working on it as they lost a few urine a few times and lost blood tests I'm sat here thinking about it for years so I had to tell them to do something

[@mollylenyo1407]

My mother had Bladder Cancer. God Bless you. ❤

[@tangho]

i've come to the revelation that once you shave your head, you can really do anything lol. another amazing story. hodgkin's survivor here, in remission for a month now :)

[@Legittoquit1]

I’m a lawyer at a Heath company. All they do is delay till patients are too sick to show up at court then die. I’m quitting . It’s disgusting.

[@jayjacqueline615]

I just began a third year of maintenance treatment for NMIBC, but I relate to going through all the cystoscopies and chemo treatments alone. I wish you complete recovery and wellness.

[@sherrillcornett4212]

Really good advice...be your own advocate especially if you're an old lady...we know our own bodies better than they do... 🥰

[@Taylor-ix3om]

I think it’s crazy that as patients we need to tell the doctor to do these tests during a physical. You’re looking happy and healthy congrats!! I’m going in for bladder turbt surgery on Aug. the 20th.

[@Biggerbyte]

Doctors are killing me. I've had symptoms of bladder cancer for a long while. I finally got a cat scan, then a cystoscopy. Both were confirmation. Surgery is coming in a few days. I'm not sure if I should scream or cry.

[@Biggerbyte]

@@pamphlet3560 I'm so sorry.

[@Heavnsangel79]

@@pamphlet3560😢

[@Heavnsangel79]

😢

[@melware3752]

Thanks you. Your story is very encouraging. Wishing you well.

[@karenjordan7118]

You’re not an old lady - you are a mature brave woman ❤ in 20 years call yourself an old lady 😊

[@californiadoll6273]

Stop lieing for no reaon! She is almost 70, yes she is old!

[@karenjordan7118]

@@californiadoll6273 not nice

[@kloatlanta]

@@californiadoll6273lying

[@Onelightoftheworld]

@@californiadoll6273 if you want to get technical learn how to spell. Don’t be a complete jerk. How about those beans?

[@truthorconsequences7769]

I myself know what is considered old as I am also turning 67. The term I prefer is older woman/lady. Older than many but it makes me smile. There's something harsh calling someone an old lady. Older lady is sweeter sounding; kind of like saying old with flowers 🙂

[@jeffszmiett2600]

Good for you for standing up for yourself. I didn't and I am dying with advanced cancer

[@kimmygibson3461]

See Dr. John Mcdougall. He's on utube for cancer please

[@Pr0ph3cy-k5z]

Are you still with us?

[@jeffszmiett2600]

​@@Pr0ph3cy-k5zyes I am but just waiting to die. Never stood up for myself.

[@Pr0ph3cy-k5z]

@@jeffszmiett2600 What is your age?

[@jeffszmiett2600]

@@Pr0ph3cy-k5z I Am 64 been dealing with bladder issues for two and a half years.

[@deborahmeyers551]

This lady is amaizing with great advice too thank you for sharing 💜

[@dgr212]

Your story is very familiar. I’m going through the process myself and it’s very overwhelming. I’m glad you are doing well and succeeding in your journey to rid this burden from your life. I hope to have the upper hand as well as I move forward with my treatments. Thanks for the informative video and stay the course!

[@Tindaree]

Thank you!!! I have to get stronger!! I need to advocate more!! Thank you🥰💜

[@dennishassler605]

Sorry to see this was not discovered sooner. The kicker here is the muscle-invasive issue, because I had T1 and things performed well for me - unlikely I'll have a reoccurrence, but God help anyone that has the muscle-invasive more serious situation. These Urologists often have you wait a month to get in the door and that's just much too long!!!! Patients must push to get seen, but waiting a month is much too long and one cancelled after a few weeks so the next one would also take a month. I returned to my primary and he advised me to go to emergency for immediate treatment - THAT thankfully went very well and I had it operated on that same night.

[@suzy7773]

@dennishassler605 I had muscle invasive bladder cancer. In 2018.

[@dennishassler605]

@@suzy7773 That is the kicker - the muscle invasive type. Thankfully, I caught mine early as a T1 and it's over a year and it's not coming back yet, but I get inspected every three mos. and I've changed my diet, etc. Good luck to you!!!!

[@crystalhale9018]

@@suzy7773Are you alright and can yo u tell us about your treatment I had my surgery for noninvasive and have to go back and hope it hasn’t spread

[@suzy7773]

@@crystalhale9018 I’m ok-ish. I did 5 rounds of MVAC chemo that was pretty horrible. Gave me a blood clot in my lung, and threw my platelets way off. So I needed blood transfusions. Had my bladder, appendix, uterus and 22 lymph nodes removed. Neo bladder created. I have to self cath to empty my neo bladder and now have chronic kidney disease stage 3b/4. My GFR was 25.7 last time it was checked. Both my kidneys are ruined. & I have a chronic UTI I can’t get rid of. It’s so scary! But I am 5 years out and thankful for every single day! I feel decent most days. A lot of pain in my back and hips, muscle pains like crazy. I drink a lot of water, walk most days. I aim for at least 10,000 steps because it has tons of health benefits! I don’t know what the future holds & cancer forever has changed me. But I try and just be positive and not get stuck too badly in my head about things. Thank you for asking! ❤️ If you ever want to talk I’m here for you! I hope you’re doing well. I’m in a bladder cancer survivor group on Facebook too. It’s a great place for support

[@have_faith_]

You mentioned surgery- what type did you have, if you don’t mind? I have bladder cancer also

[@sandilobianco6734]

A urine sample doesn’t always show abnormalities especially a UTI you might need a swab test.

[@carolineszepessy5331]

You look great now!

[@orlandofurioso7329]

As a resident in urology, those doctors that dismissed you should be banned

[@MSDOGS1976]

I wish she had discussed what she ending up doing in the way of surgery. I’m have a low grade noninvasive type. I took 6 weeks worth of BCG immunotherapy and initially it cleared it all up. But after a year a couple of small spots appeared and he burned them off. Not sure what it’s called but I watched on the monitor and it looked like a cloud covered the spots so chemically burning them off I suppose. He says he does that all the time. I go back in 3 months for another scope. I hope to have BCG maintenance treats over a couple of years but the drug is in a short fall mode right now. Merck is building another plant but it won’t be ready for awhile. They do have a chemo product that can be shot directly into the bladder so may have to do that if the BCG drug remains unable. So if my cancer can be controlled and not enter the walls of the bladder I will be in an ongoing maintenance mode it appears. Beats going belly up tho.

[@ahava3838]

TPS producers should instruct their guests to adjust the camera so they are not looking down at us. It feels like their guests are speaking to us like we are laying down and we are looking up their nose.

[@cindybroders4531]

Did you end up having the bladder removed and a ureterostomy?

[@kellydean3497]

My dad died of bladder cancer; mastacized… I have constant uti’s Had the cat scan Bless you Have abnormal leukocytes, etc. We’ll see❤

[@debramcculloch4]

So you said no to neobladder. However you never discussed what you actually had & how your coping with whatever you have now.

[@truthorconsequences7769]

Exactly... what did you have done in surgery? Or what did you do other than chemo/radiation?

[@glendaamox7916]

I would like to know what type was her bladder cancer

[@ineedvyvanse3493]

I didn’t hear her say, but I work in urology. It’s most likely a muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma.

[@Heavnsangel79]

@@ineedvyvanse3493that’s what I read.

[@JoanSeibert]

What surgery did you end up doing

[@greensombrero3641]

two super beautiful women - powerful and courageous. my first symptom was gross hematuria - completely painless - changed my life when you urinate red wine

[@tanyadawnwalker3675]

🙏🏼❤️

[@eviwarawiri2903]

Same case with me here.61th got post menopause. For almost 2 months doctors always think I had UTI. And I was the one who akways think and say to the doctor that it might be a cancer, then doctor send me to obgyn and she also thinks that I had UTI until she did a vagina usg then she asked me to do curette and sen the blood to PA . Then the result I have an endometrium cancer grade 1.

[@glendaamox7916]

she never said what type she mentioned narconchale corcinoma

[@RRR-ox9ud]

I think its women that wear their cell phone on them especially when driving. I'm going through this why my wife and its taking forever just to get a scan.

[@overton1963]

They always blame smoking, yet millions of people don’t smoke and get cancer. Ugh

[@northyland1157]

I voted sticker on Face mask tell you everything!

[@MegglesEST1983]

Why do you deserve to be moved ahead of all these people who may need their procedures too..or younger who could live longer..wow..

[@khananme]

She's correct though. If you don't like what you're hearing, speak up, say something. Ask for a different test. I called every day to see if someone canceled so I could get in. I didn't like my doctor's non caring attitude, so I got a second opinion.

[@GrandmaBirdy]

She didn’t! She simply advocated for herself! It’s innate: no judgement to “who deserves this or that based on perceived reality”! The beauty of her story is she spoke up & now is a survivor! When we age, sometimes we become invisible to the vast majority. Elders have so much beauty! Congratulations 🎉……

[@theresa94010]

@@GrandmaBirdy - great comment Rob.

[@bookbeing]

@@GrandmaBirdy thank you! I so agree! All if us, no matter how old or young need to be heard when we report something is amiss in our bodies. Just because we can't produce people anymore doesn't mean we are irrelevant and should accept age discrimination from health care staff.