Read article Follow up for advanced bladder cancer
This page has information about follow up after treatment for advanced bladder cancer
Follow up for advanced bladder cancer
After your treatment has finished, your doctor will want you to have regular check ups.
Tests you may have
At check ups, your doctor will examine you. They will ask how you are feeling and whether you have any symptoms, or whether anything is worrying you. You may have a urine test. At some visits you might have a scan, X-ray or cystoscopy as well.
If you are worried or notice any new symptoms between check ups, tell your doctor straight away. You do not have to wait for your next appointment.
Worrying about your appointments
You may find your check ups quite worrying, especially at first. It may be helpful to tell someone close to you how you are feeling. Having someone come along with you to your check up may help. If you find that worry is seriously affecting your life, you may need more help. It is quite common nowadays for people to have counselling after cancer treatment. To find out more about counselling, look in the coping with cancer section.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the Treating bladder cancer section.
After your treatment has finished, your doctor will want you to have regular check ups. These may include
- Being examined by your doctor
- Cystoscopy if you still have your bladder
- X-rays
- CT scans
- Urine tests
- Blood tests
You won't have all these tests at every visit to your specialist. But your doctor will almost certainly examine you. They will ask how you are feeling and whether you have had any new symptoms or whether anything is worrying you.
If you are worried, or notice any new symptoms between appointments you must let your doctor know straight away. You do not have to wait for your next appointment.
You may find your check ups quite worrying, especially at first. If you are feeling well and getting on with life, a hospital appointment can bring all the worry about your cancer back to you.
You may find it helpful to tell someone close to you how you are feeling. If you are able to share your worries, they may not seem quite so bad. Many people find it helpful to have someone with them when they go to their check ups. This gives you a bit of support. You can also talk with your companion beforehand about any questions you want to ask. And they can help you remember the answers afterwards.
If you find that worry is seriously affecting your life, you may need more help. It is quite common these days for people to have counselling after cancer treatment. This is a way of exploring more deeply what is worrying you and helping you come to terms with it. There is information about what counselling is, including information on how to find counselling services in your area.
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