My Husband

My husband has bladder cancer, and because of all his health issues, he is having to have his bladder removed.  Can anyone tell me, if they make

a new  bladder out of his intestines or do the have a bag outside of the body. 

How long is the recovery and what am I to expect.  He is 65 years old.

Needing your help in MS. 

Hi, my name is Darcy...my husband found out that he had bladder cancer in September. It was pretty advanced and depending on how advanced the cancer is will determine most everything...He is 47 and had his bladder, prostrate and 30 lymph nodes removed. The prostrate is removed most of the time becasue it is conected to the bladder and they don't want the cancer to come back later.  The lymph nodes around this area again is so they can make sure they get all of the cancer.  Because my husband had one of the lymph nodes positive for cancer- determined that he will need chemo 4/6 weeks following sugery and hopefully this is not your case. If they find no cancer in the lymph nodes,  will rule out chemo and radiation. The recovery is long and he will ahve good days and bad.  The time in the hospital is long and tiresome for both of you.  Remain positive throughout and this will help you ( beter said than done as my husband is always more positive).  This is really about both of you and take time to go to a room and cry---cuse--pray---whatever help at times I felt truely hopeless.  It is a slow process and in just three weeks he had lost 21 pounds which is normal.  I surely don't have all the anwsers and we deal with new issues often....I hope this helps....

Sorry its Darcy again...I forgot to tell you...

You have three options:

They can have a bag that is on the ouside of teh body- which is the easest surgery and not as long as a recovery

A new bladder made from part of the bowel and is emptied from the bellybutton (inside of the body)

A new bladder made from part of the bowel and he will need to learn to empty it as he does now through the urethra

My husband chose the bladder made from the bowel that is emptied through the bellybutton because he had heard about some problems with the third option and leaking. He didn't want a bag on the outside becasue he is law enforcement and still wanted to do things that he didn't think would be as easy with an outside bag. It really is about what will work best for you...