Fatigue is very common during treatment for bladder cancer as the body deals with the treatment’s effects on cancer cells and healthy cells. The effects of treatment, such as nausea and vomiting, can also mean you don’t eat properly, and this can also contribute to fatigue.
What are the warning signs of bladder cancer?
Signs of bladder cancer generally include:
- Blood in urine (also called hematuria ). It is the most common symptom of bladder cancer. ...
- Increased urine frequency
- Pain or burning while passing urine
- Back pain
- Pelvic pain
- Feeling of incomplete bowel emptying even after urination
- Thin urine stream
- Difficulty in passing urine
What is the latest treatment for bladder cancer?
When chemo is used without radiation, the most common combinations include:
- Gemcitabine and cisplatin
- Dose-dense methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin (Adriamycin), and cisplatin (DDMVAC)
- Cisplatin, methotrexate, and vinblastine (CMV)
- Gemcitabine and paclitaxel
What is the recovery time for bladder cancer surgery?
You'll need to stay in the hospital for about a week after the surgery. You can usually go back to your normal activities after several weeks. In some cases, the surgeon may operate through many smaller incisions using special long, thin instruments, one of which has a tiny video camera on the end to see inside your body.
Is there pain with bladder cancer?
“The responses observed with EG-70 are an important step towards NMIBC patients avoiding radical cystectomy,” said Dr. Gary Steinberg, Professor and Director at the Perlmutter Cancer Center and Department of Urology Goldstein Urology Bladder Cancer ...
How long does fatigue last after cancer treatment?
Cancer fatigue usually lasts from 3-4 weeks after treatment stops, but can continue for up to 2-3 months.
How can I regain energy after cancer treatment?
Drinking lots of fluids and eating well can help keep your energy reserves up. If nausea and vomiting make it hard to eat, talk to your doctor about these side effects. Get moving. Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, riding a bike and swimming, throughout the week may help you preserve your energy level.
Is fatigue after cancer treatment normal?
Fatigue may last for some weeks or months after a treatment cycle ends. Energy levels usually improve over time. While fatigue is a common side effect of chemotherapy, it can also be a symptom of depression. For more information on depression, visit Beyond Blue and talk to your health care team.
What helps fatigue after cancer treatment?
Exercise, yoga, massage therapy, counseling, and dietary or nutritional counseling are all used to help treat fatigue and weakness. If you're having problems sleeping or sleeping too much, your doctor or nurse may suggest sleep therapy.
What is post cancer fatigue?
Cancer-related fatigue can last months or years after cancer diagnosis and treatment. People experiencing CRF describe it as feeling tired, weak, slow, and having no energy. With no means to relieve their symptoms, people with CRF report feeling depressed and helpless.
What stage of cancer causes fatigue?
Fatigue may develop as a symptom of blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, because these cancers start in the bone marrow, which produces red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body.
How long does it take to get your energy back after chemo?
Your energy levels should return to normal within 6 months to a year after the end of chemotherapy. It can take even longer if you have intensive treatment, such as bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
How long does it take to recover from fatigue?
Fatigue is very common after viral infections, such as COVID and normally it settles after 2 or 3 weeks. However, in some people it can linger for weeks or months.
What is the best vitamin for cancer patients?
Vitamin D is one of the most studied supplements for cancer prevention and treatment right now. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E , and beta-carotene contain antioxidants once thought to help prevent cancer.
Why do I keep feeling tired all the time?
Many possible factors cause chronic fatigue, such as underlying medical conditions, nutrient deficiencies, sleep disturbances, caffeine intake, and chronic stress. If you're experiencing unexplained fatigue, it's important to talk with your doctor to find the cause.
How much sleep does a cancer patient need?
During cancer treatment, the need for sleep may increase some, as the body repairs itself. Most people need from 7-9 hours of sleep.
What does it mean when cancer patient sleeps a lot?
Exhaustion, Weakness, and Desire to Sleep: The cancer patient may become much weaker and more easily exhausted during these last weeks. They may want to sleep often because of this, as well as spend most of their day in bed. Loss of Appetite: They may lose much of their appetite or have difficulty eating and drinking.
When to Contact Your Doctor
Some fatigue during cancer treatment is to be expected. But if you find that cancer fatigue is persistent, lasting weeks, and interferes with your...
Coping Strategies: Medical Treatments and Self-Care
Because cancer-related fatigue may be caused by many factors, your doctor may suggest more than one method to reduce and cope with your symptoms. T...
Speak Up About Your Fatigue
Don't assume the fatigue you're experiencing is just part of the cancer experience. If it's frustrating you or affecting your ability to go about y...
Ask Your Doctor For A Survivorship Care Plan
Talk with your doctor about developing a survivorship care plan for you. This plan might include: 1. A suggested schedule for follow-up exams and t...
Typical Follow-Up Schedules After Bladder Cancer
If you have completed treatment, your doctors will still want to watch you closely. People who have had bladder cancer have a high risk of developi...
Keeping Health Insurance and Copies of Your Medical Records
Even after treatment, it’s very important to keep health insurance. Tests and doctor visits cost a lot, and even though no one wants to think of th...
Can I Lower My Risk of The Cancer Progressing Or Coming back?
If you have (or have had) bladder cancer, you probably want to know if there are things you can do that might lower your risk of the cancer growing...
Could I Get A Second Cancer After Bladder Cancer Treatment?
People who’ve had bladder cancer can still get other cancers. In fact, bladder cancer survivors are at higher risk for getting some other types of...
Moving on After Bladder Cancer
If you had a radical cystectomy and now have a urostomy, you might worry even about everyday activities at first. You might have to alter some of y...
How long does cancer fatigue last?
Your cancer fatigue may occur episodically and last just a short while, or it may last for several months after you complete treatment.
What does fatigue mean in cancer?
By Mayo Clinic Staff. Fatigue, usually described as feeling tired, weak or exhausted, affects most people during cancer treatment. Cancer fatigue can result from the side effects of treatment or the cancer itself.
How to help with fatigue?
Improving your ability to sleep can help relieve fatigue. Sometimes medication can be effective in helping you sleep. Adequate pain management can go a long way in decreasing fatigue, but certain pain medications can make fatigue worse, so work with your doctor to achieve the appropriate balance.
How to reduce fatigue from depression?
Medications that stimulate your bone marrow to produce more red blood cells might be another option. If you're depressed, your doctor might suggest medications that can help reduce the depression, increase appetite and improve your sense of well-being. Improving your ability to sleep can help relieve fatigue.
How to get rid of fatigue from a syringe?
Exercise regularly as you start treatment. You'll get in the routine of exercising, and it may even help you prevent fatigue during treatment.
What causes fatigue in the body?
Cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, bone marrow transplantation and immunotherapy may all cause fatigue.
Why is it so hard to eat when you have cancer?
Poor nutrition. In order to work efficiently, your body needs the energy that a healthy diet provides. When you have cancer, your body may need more nutrients than usual. But it can be hard to take in enough nutrients if treatment side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, make it difficult to eat. Medications.
Four surgeries in one
Between January and May, I was pretty much house-bound. I didn’t realize it at the time, but surgery for bladder cancer and neobladder isn’t as easy as removing a splinter. If you’ve never read about cystectomy with neobladder, the surgery is really 4 surgeries in one.
The first few days at home after surgery
It took about 5 or 6 days before I could go home and while I was able to walk around and take care of myself to a degree, things were pretty tender. Even though I had the surgery robotically, I still had roughly a 6” incision from just below the navel down. That incision cuts through the main set of abdominal muscles most of us use every day.
Double whammy
If you think about it, after surgery for bladder cancer - you are sort of “done”.
Focusing on healing after weeks or months of anxiety
So, for many of us who followed a similar treatment journey, we now don’t have anything to be anxious about anymore (except your ongoing CT scans - but that’s a different story ). All that time leading up to the surgery kept you sort of “amped up” and anxious. You were planning, scheduling, getting prognoses, and updates.
Get moving!
But do it. Get moving. You wouldn’t want to have gone through the rigors of chemo, the pains of surgery, and the mental ups and downs just to end up a couch potato.
Bladder Cancer Comic: Positive Thinking
This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The BladderCancer.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.
What to do if you have bladder cancer?
If you have (or have had) bladder cancer, you probably want to know if there are things you can do that might lower your risk of the cancer growing or coming back, such as exercising, eating a certain type of diet, or taking nutritional supplements. Unfortunately, it’s not yet clear if there are things you can do that will help.
What tests are done to see if bladder cancer is growing back?
Your follow-up plan might include urine tests, physical exams, imaging tests (like x-rays, MRI, or CT scans), and blood tests. These doctor visits and tests will be done less often as time goes by and no new cancers are found.
How often should you have a cystoscopy?
If your bladder hasn’t been removed, regular cystoscopy exams will also be done every 3 months for at least the first 2 years. If you have a urinary diversion, you will be checked for signs of infection and changes in the health of your kidneys. Urine tests, blood tests, and x-rays might be used to do this.
What happens if you have a radical cystectomy and a urostomy?
If you had a radical cystectomy and now have a urostomy, you might worry even about everyday activities at first. You might have to alter some of your daily (and nightly) routines because of changes in how you urinate. Other issues such as having sex might also cause concerns (see below).
Can bladder cancer affect your sex life?
Bladder cancer treatment can often affect your sex life. (See Bladder Cancer Surgery for more on this.) Learning to be comfortable with your body during and after bladder cancer treatment is a personal journey, one that's different for everyone. Information and support can help you cope with these changes over time.
Does bladder cancer go away?
For other people, bladder cancer might never go away completely or might come back in another part of the body. Some people may get regular treatment with chemotherapy , immunotherapy, or other treatments to try to keep the cancer in check. Learning to live with cancer that doesn't go away can be difficult and very stressful.
Can bladder cancer be removed?
Living as a Bladder Cancer Survivor. For some people with bladder cancer , treatment can remove or destroy the cancer. The end of treatment can be both stressful and exciting. You may be relieved to finish treatment, but find it hard not to worry about cancer coming back. This is very common if you’ve had cancer.
How long does cancer fatigue last?
Cancer-related fatigue usually gets better after treatment finishes. But it may continue for months or even years. Everyone is different and there is no way to know how long fatigue may last for each person.
What is fatigue in cancer?
What is fatigue? Fatigue is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion. It can be caused by the cancer itself, or the side effects of treatments. As many as 9 out of 10 people with cancer (90%) get cancer-related fatigue (CRF). It is possible to manage fatigue.
How does cancer affect the immune system?
Or fatigue could be caused by chemicals that build up when cancer cells are destroyed. We have more information on individual treatments and their effects. Anaemia.
What is the new online resource for people with fatigue called?
Macmillan and the University of Southampton have developed a new online resource for people with fatigue called RESTORE. RESTORE provides information about things you can do to help you cope with fatigue and feel more confident to manage it. Register to use the tool.
How to get rid of cancer in the body?
Your GP or cancer doctor may be able to refer you to a specialist cancer physiotherapist to help you. Eat well and keep to a healthy weight. Eating well can help you keep or regain your strength and give you more energy.
How to deal with fatigue?
There are ways to manage your everyday activities when coping with fatigue: 1 Spread housekeeping tasks over the week and ask for help if you can#N#Try to sit down when doing some tasks and use long-handled cleaning equipment to avoid stretching and bending. If possible, you may want to employ a cleaner. Depending on your situation, social services may be able to help. 2 Do grocery shopping online or ask someone to help you#N#If you are unable to organise delivery, you should try to use a shopping trolley rather than carrying a basket. You could also try shopping at less busy times and asking shop staff for help. 3 Try simple or ready-made meals when you are most tired#N#Prepare extra meals or double portions when you are feeling less tired and freeze them for when you need them. Try not to lift heavy pans when serving and avoid taking heavy items to the table. 4 If you can, have a bath or sit in the shower#N#Resting while you wash will help you keep up your energy levels. 5 Take care looking after children#N#If you have children, explain you are feeling tired and plan activities where you can sit down if possible. Try to avoid carrying small children. Use a pram or pushchair instead.
Can cancer cause fatigue?
Fatigue can happen if the body does not get enough food, or there are changes to how the body uses the food. Cancer can sometimes cause these changes. Many people with cancer do not have pain. But pain can cause fatigue. The best way to deal with fatigue caused by pain is to manage the pain.
What is the best medication for muscle spasms after surgery?
After surgery, medications like benzodiazepines (for example, lorazepam) may be used for sedation and/or muscle spasms. The benzodiazepines are also used to treat insomnia and can cause sleepiness. In many individuals, antibiotics are started during or right after the surgical procedure.
Why is it important to give your body the sleep it needs?
It's important to give your body the sleep it needs, because the lack of sound slumber can harm your health and create a host of other problems. Here are signs of sleep deprivation that you should not ignore:
Why do you fast before surgery?
Fasting and loss of electrolytes and minerals. Before surgery, patients are often advised to fast to avoid problems (for example, vomiting, airway compromise, aspiration of gastrointestinal contents) during anesthesia and surgery. Fasting is often extended into the short postoperative period.
Can you sleep before surgery?
For example, many patients have anxiety about undergoing any type of surgery and find it difficult to sleep, especially right before the date of surgery. Consequently, many patients have a sleep deficit even before they undergo surgery.
How to remove bladder cancer?
This can be done during a cystoscopy. A a cystoscope with a looped wire on the end is used to remove the tumor. When the cancer is more invasive, the cancer is removed along with part of the bladder or the entire bladder.
What is it called when cancer grows in the bladder?
If the cancer grows into the outer layers of the bladder, it's called invasive. Invasive cancers are more likely to spread and can be harder to treat.
What is the best test to find out if you have bladder cancer?
Ultrasound: This test uses sound waves to make pictures of the organs inside your body, like your bladder and kidneys. It can help show the size of a bladder cancer and if it has spread. Bone scan: A bone scan can help show if bladder cancer has spread to the bones. This test is not done unless you have bone pain.
What tests are done to check for bladder cancer?
This might include a rectal exam, during which a gloved finger is put into your rectum. If you are a woman, a pelvic exam might also be done.
Where does bladder cancer start?
Bladder cancer usually starts in the lining or inner layer of the bladder wall. As the cancer grows through the layers of the bladder wall, it becomes harder to treat. The "transitional epithelium" on the picture is the lining layer where most bladder cancers start. Over time they can spread deeper into the other layers.
What does stage mean in cancer?
The stage describes the growth or spread of the cancer in the place it started. It also tells if the cancer has spread to other organs of your body that are close by or farther away. Your cancer can be stage 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4. The lower the number, the less the cancer has spread.
Can removing the bladder cause sexual side effects?
Any type of surgery can have some risks and side effects. For instance, removing the bladder not only changes how your body passes urine, but it can also cause sexual side effects. If you have these or any other problems, let your doctors know. There are ways to help deal with many side effects.
