Bladder Wall Thickening

[PhilDL]

Has anyone had Bladder Wall Thickening?

Just wondering if anyone else has similar experience and might be able to suggest something.

Back in October my Urologist ordered a CT scan. He didn't say anything about it but now that I'm having issues with right abdominal and groin pain, my primary physician was wondering about cancer. I told him that the urologist gave me the PSA blood test in April without incident. Last year I had 2 UTI's within 6 weeks. The CT scan also showed a large cyst on the right kidney. Also now I have light heartburn and aches in the top part of my left arm and I'm very tired all the time.

Unfortunately most Doctors suck {excuse the simplicity or frankness}! I've gone through 6 primary physicians in 3 1/2 years. The current primary sat on this report for a week, I finally had to call. When he called he said they would get back with name of a Surgeon for an opinion, that was two days ago.

I give up calling. I think my best option is to wait. I've been dealing with this for over a month. When it becomes severe I'll go to the emergency room and pay the $150 copay. There I can get all the test needed and other specialist to join in. Once I pay my $1000 deductible I should hopefully get a professional answer.

Sick & tired,

Phil

[packrat]

Has anyone had Bladder Wall Thickening?

Just wondering if anyone else has similar experience and might be able to suggest something.

Back in October my Urologist ordered a CT scan. He didn't say anything about it but now that I'm having issues with right abdominal and groin pain, my primary physician was wondering about cancer. I told him that the urologist gave me the PSA blood test in April without incident. Last year I had 2 UTI's within 6 weeks. The CT scan also showed a large cyst on the right kidney. Also now I have light heartburn and aches in the top part of my left arm and I'm very tired all the time.

Unfortunately most Doctors suck {excuse the simplicity or frankness}! I've gone through 6 primary physicians in 3 1/2 years. The current primary sat on this report for a week, I finally had to call. When he called he said they would get back with name of a Surgeon for an opinion, that was two days ago.

I give up calling. I think my best option is to wait. I've been dealing with this for over a month. When it becomes severe I'll go to the emergency room and pay the $150 copay. There I can get all the test needed and other specialist to join in. Once I pay my $1000 deductible I should hopefully get a professional answer.

Sick & tired,

Phil

[packrat]

Sorry cant get the hang of this new format.

Try asking your local pharmacist (if long connected to the community) about who is good and who is not. They generally know.

[jbz2079]

I have something very similar but it's hardning of the lower part of my bladder where the outlet is so it effects the sphinkter muscles, causing incontinence.

It seems to be a very rare condition and no on can tell me what caused it.

[babykeiff]

Has anyone had Bladder Wall Thickening?

Just wondering if anyone else has similar experience and might be able to suggest something.

Back in October my Urologist ordered a CT scan. He didn't say anything about it but now that I'm having issues with right abdominal and groin pain, my primary physician was wondering about cancer. I told him that the urologist gave me the PSA blood test in April without incident. Last year I had 2 UTI's within 6 weeks. The CT scan also showed a large cyst on the right kidney. Also now I have light heartburn and aches in the top part of my left arm and I'm very tired all the time.

Unfortunately most Doctors suck {excuse the simplicity or frankness}! I've gone through 6 primary physicians in 3 1/2 years. The current primary sat on this report for a week, I finally had to call. When he called he said they would get back with name of a Surgeon for an opinion, that was two days ago.

I give up calling. I think my best option is to wait. I've been dealing with this for over a month. When it becomes severe I'll go to the emergency room and pay the $150 copay. There I can get all the test needed and other specialist to join in. Once I pay my $1000 deductible I should hopefully get a professional answer.

Sick & tired,

Phil

Phil,

the bladder IS a musclar bag = A MUSCLE. It's walls do not thicken. Get the diagnosis rechecked. I would be curious about the UTI's. As a male, UTI's are difficult, without extreme neglect, to get. Not saying that they are impossible to get, but a UTI in a male suggest something more severe, more like kidney problems / failure.

[babykeiff]

I have something very similar but it's hardning of the lower part of my bladder where the outlet is so it effects the sphinkter muscles, causing incontinence.

It seems to be a very rare condition and no on can tell me what caused it.

Bladder wall hardning is usually caused by calcuim being absorbed by the bladder walls. In some cases, this is reversible.

[PhilDL]

The CT report reads "medium sized bladder is mildly indented by mildly enlarged 5.0 x 4.1 cm in the calcified prostate gland ... bladder wall thickening versus artifact due to incomplete distention"

Bladder wall hardning is usually caused by calcuim being absorbed by the bladder walls. In some cases, this is reversible.

[babykeiff]

The CT report reads "medium sized bladder is mildly indented by mildly enlarged 5.0 x 4.1 cm in the calcified prostate gland ... bladder wall thickening versus artifact due to incomplete distention"

PhilDL,

That statement simply says that your prostrate is enlarged due to calcium deposits, and the prostate is pushing into the bladder wall when the bladder expands reducing the bladder capacity. Since the bladder is a muscle, it can not fully expand, so at specific locations, the muscle is bunching up.

Try this, and you will see what this medical jargon means - extend your arm fully, and then, with the opsite hand, place your thumb on your biceps muscle and the rest of your fingers around the back of the forearm, and see what happens / how it feels when you try to bend your arm.

Ask your uroligist/dietician to set a diet for you without calcium in it. Your body will reabsorb its missing calcium from its food and its reserves. Depending on the lenght of time this has effected you, it could be possible for you to regain complete urinary control.

[PhilDL]

Thanks babykeiff!

Well I made an appointment with the Urologist on the 21st. The Primary Dr. didn't explain but his concern was cancer. Since I have the pain in the lower right in the front and back he's also concerned about the 2.0 cm simple cortical cyst on the right kidney. As of the Oct. 2008 CT scan there are no stones.

Although the primary has many concerns he just seems to give me more questions than answers. He was going to get me the name of a surgeon for a review but he obliviously forgot all about it.

Thanks,

Phil

PhilDL,

That statement simply says that your prostrate is enlarged due to calcium deposits, and the prostate is pushing into the bladder wall when the bladder expands reducing the bladder capacity. Since the bladder is a muscle, it can not fully expand, so at specific locations, the muscle is bunching up.

Try this, and you will see what this medical jargon means - extend your arm fully, and then, with the opsite hand, place your thumb on your biceps muscle and the rest of your fingers around the back of the forearm, and see what happens / how it feels when you try to bend your arm.

Ask your uroligist/dietician to set a diet for you without calcium in it. Your body will reabsorb its missing calcium from its food and its reserves. Depending on the lenght of time this has effected you, it could be possible for you to regain complete urinary control.

[WolfKat]

Phil,

the bladder IS a musclar bag = A MUSCLE. It's walls do not thicken. Get the diagnosis rechecked. I would be curious about the UTI's. As a male, UTI's are difficult, without extreme neglect, to get. Not saying that they are impossible to get, but a UTI in a male suggest something more severe, more like kidney problems / failure.

I'm not so sure that's accurate babykeiff, a simple search for "thickened bladder wall" brings up that issue. A personal diagnosis reads:

//..../// Computed tomography of the pelvis with contrast. Diagnosis: 1. Markedly thickened urinary bladder 2. Irregular defect in the prostate compatible with previous TURP. Comment; Multiple images of the pelvis were obtained with intravenous and oral contrast...//... The examination demonstrates essentially normal ureters and no evidence of obstruction on either side. The urinary bladder is grossly abnormal demonstrates marked thickening of the wall compatible with severe outlet obstruction. The prostate is small and irregular compatible with previous TURP defect.

[babykeiff]

Wolfkat,

I am FULLY aware of the definition of 'bladder wall thickening' and in PhilDLs case, it is not his problem. Can I ask you, when is the last time you performed TURP procedure on a patient, and why? Before you answer that, tell me what are the complications involved in a TURP procedure?

[Santiago]

Wolfkat,

I am FULLY aware of the definition of 'bladder wall thickening' and in PhilDLs case, it is not his problem. Can I ask you, when is the last time you performed TURP procedure on a patient, and why? Before you answer that, tell me what are the complications involved in a TURP procedure?

Well - you did say that the bladder is a muscular bag that is not capable of thickening. That is incorrect - muscles do thicken via the process of hypertrophy - i.e. continued exertion via weightlifting for biceps and bladder outlet obstruction in the case of the bladder (usually prostate problems). You can also get bladder thickening from inflammation (recurrent cystitis, certain immune disorders, etc), and other infiltrative, or proliferative bladder problems such as cancer and scarring. As for Phil - you should not rely on halfbaked opinions from forums about what might be wrong with you. While it is important to find a competent physician to help you - it is also important to stick to the same one assuming competency - doctor shopping often delays diagnosis and treatment (like starting over every time).

[babykeiff]

Well - you did say that the bladder is a muscular bag that is not capable of thickening. That is incorrect - muscles do thicken via the process of hypertrophy - i.e. continued exertion via weightlifting for biceps and bladder outlet obstruction in the case of the bladder (usually prostate problems). You can also get bladder thickening from inflammation (recurrent cystitis, certain immune disorders, etc), and other infiltrative, or proliferative bladder problems such as cancer and scarring. As for Phil - you should not rely on halfbaked opinions from forums about what might be wrong with you. While it is important to find a competent physician to help you - it is also important to stick to the same one assuming competency - doctor shopping often delays diagnosis and treatment (like starting over every time).

Azdl,

you are correct in that muscles can thicken but in the case of the bladder, it signifies a larger problem. The bladder wall, on average, does not thicken from overuse / excercise. Bladder wall thickening is a end symptom to a larger problem - and is the result of infection and scar tissue forming. A simple blood test is required, rather than frightening a patient by making him/her aware of a end symptom. To do so is similar to a physician telling a person with H1N1 that they need to stitch up the patients nose to stop it watering, and not disclosing to the paitent that they have Swine Flu.

[WolfKat]

Wolfkat,

I am FULLY aware of the definition of 'bladder wall thickening' and in PhilDLs case, it is not his problem. Can I ask you, when is the last time you performed TURP procedure on a patient, and why? Before you answer that, tell me what are the complications involved in a TURP procedure?

babykeiff,

I don't really see the need in "attacking" me when I commented to your post. But allow me to reply to the basics of the posts and in kind to your last reply to see where the 'confusion' was:

You said: "It's walls do not thicken. Get the diagnosis rechecked"

My reply: "I'm not so sure that's accurate babykeiff,"

You Said: "I am FULLY aware of the definition of 'bladder wall thickening'"

Well, they do and you have a direct contradiction to yourself. In case of 'definition' being the excuse: A "normal" BWT (depending on study group averages) is 3.4mm nonobstructed and 5.3 obstructed. If the bladder wall does not "thicken" then how would you attest to there being a difference? Of course there are debates on this as to ranges but regardless there is still a 'higher' BWT in persons with IC issues compared to others.

To answer your next questions, the majority risk/side effects of TURP are temporary but the complications are retrograde ejaculations, TS, or the 'usual' risks associated with any surgery such as infection, clot, reaction to anesthetic etc. I am not sure why you are making an issue of the risks when they aren't common much less are they any worse than most any other procedure's risks. To answer your first question that for some reason you wanted answered last, I am not a physician nor have I implied I was therefore I have not given the procedure. I am medically incontinent and have had extensive tests and procedures done over the years trying to correct it. I have been through many urologists, acupuncture clinics, urinary and neuro specialists and a plethora of scans from MRI's,ultrasounds,CT's,X-Rays,2 endoscopy and had more blood/urine tests to kill a horse. I've had so many UTI's that I have refillable perscriptions and a wonderful bout with epididymitis. In all this time dealing with them and talking with them over personal research done and I've learned enough to even correct some of the "professional urologists" that I've been to. So their degree means about as much as your post trying to decry my subtle suggestion.

All in all, I do understand your reply to him but there are others who read these posts also and if there is an inaccurate statement made wouldn't you prefer it was clarified? "Bladder wall does not thicken" - yes, it does. That's my point an I'm stickin' to it

[babykeiff]

Wolfkat,

it is often said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I strongly suggest that you do some indepth research on your own problems - UTIs in males are a warning flag which indicates kidney and/or liver failure. Incontinence is only a side effect - but don't believe me - do your own research.

Everyone - incontinence is a nervous and/or muscular problem. It can also be a mental failing.

[WolfKat]

Wolfkat,

it is often said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I strongly suggest that you do some indepth research on your own problems - UTIs in males are a warning flag which indicates kidney and/or liver failure. Incontinence is only a side effect - but don't believe me - do your own research.

Everyone - incontinence is a nervous and/or muscular problem. It can also be a mental failing.

Hi again babykeiff,

Well, I'm definitely not going to argue the fact that it can be a mental failing. And I'm sure you understand IC issues as, from your prof: "I was born incontinent // I have worn since I was eight// I have some control when this is within primary/secondary focus. When I change focus, I loose this." but my personal problem has undergone extensive medical attention from neurologists, urologists and a host of other doctors from a bad car accident. I'm pretty sure they have a "bit" more knowledge and I have learned a LOT about IC issues from this. Your suggestion that I do more research is a bit moot at this point but I appreciate your concern.

Yes, UTIs are a warning flag is most other cases but it's not always a 'failure' as they can be caused by several other factors that aren't so drastic. That's why people should see their doctor if they have one. I still don't see what the last reply has to do with the singular point I was making though. You seemed to have disregarded it entirely and gone off on a tangent still in 'attack mode' but instead with a strawman arguement. (In case you're not familiar and so you don't take what I'm saying as 'an insult or attack' the definition is: A straw man is a fallacy in which an irrelevant topic is presented in order to divert attention from the original issue. The basic idea is to "win" an argument by leading attention away from the argument and to another topic.)

My statement was simply thus: I do understand your reply to him but there are others who read these posts also and if there is an inaccurate statement made wouldn't you prefer it was clarified? "Bladder wall does not thicken" - yes, it does.

On another note, I haven't tried Tena Flex but I have seen more and more pics of them lately. Do they hold up well for nocturnal enuresis? I still have periodic leaks while supine and on my side - Or, are the plastic pants the better overall aid?