A GRANDMA who thought she was having recurrent UTIs was shocked to find out the truth.
GPs kept prescribing antibiotics to Patricia Broxton, 62, also under the impression she had the ailment, which older people are more vulnerable to.
Patricia Broxton and her GPs thought she was having reccurent UTIs, but daughter Linzi urged for a second opinionJam Press
Patricia, 62, in hospitalJam Press
“I knew there was something more wrong, but I kept listening to the doctors as I didn’t want to believe it was anything worse,” Patricia, from Lancashire, said.
“I tried as hard as I could to ignore the symptoms, but they quickly became too much to bear.
“Each week, I had a new infection and I kept having to use the toilet all the time, despite not having much to drink.”
Patricia’s daughter, Linzi, urged her to seek out a second opinion and she received a diagnosis of an overreactive bladder.
But then Patricia found blood in her urine and was rushed to hospital.
It was discovered that there was an 8.5 centimetre cancerous tumour in Patricia’s bladder, and her life hung in the balance.
Around 10,000 people are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the UK every year, making it the 11th most common cancer – and the 9th most common cause of cancer death.
I had to remove my bladder entirely, the surrounding lymph nodes and part of my vagina.
Patricia
Patricia said: “I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, but when they diagnosed me with cancer, it all became clear.”
Patricia was referred to the urology department, where she underwent a cystoscopy, in which a camera is inserted into the urethra and passed into the bladder.
Then she had surgery to remove the tumour, which involved removing part of her vagina.
She said: “I couldn’t stop crying, as I was absolutely heartbroken.
“They told me I had to have surgery immediately to remove the mass, but it was attached my bladder wall.
“I had to remove my bladder entirely, the surrounding lymph nodes and part of my vagina.
“I wasn’t fussed about this, not in my old age anyway, but it was heartbreaking having such an important, and private, part of my life removed.”
Don’t ignore these signs of bladder cancer
The most common sign of bladder cancer is blood in urine.
Less common symptoms of bladder cancer include:
A need to urinate on a more frequent basis
Sudden urges to urinate
A burning sensation when passing urine
If bladder cancer reaches an advanced stage and has spread, symptoms can include:
Pelvic pain
Bone pain
Unintentional weight loss
Swelling of the legs
After countless sessions of chemotherapy, Patricia was finally declared cancer-free in October 2023.
She needs a stoma bag to collect her urine after her bladder was removed.
Now, she’s sharing her story to warn others on the signs to look out for and to not stop pushing for an answer.
She added: “I’ve taken on this journey with an upbeat attitude and resilience.
“Don’t ignore the early signs, no matter how minor, as they can be something serious.
“Always seek a second, and if needed, a third opinion, as without that, I may not be here today to share my story.”
The main symptom of bladder cancer is painless blood in the urine. Other symptoms including a burning sensation when urinating and needing to go more often – both signs of a UTI.
The condition is more common in older adults, with most new cases diagnosed in people aged 60 and above.
One in three bladder cancers are caused by smoking.
Patricia with her daughter, son, son-in-law and granddaughterJam Press
Patricia said: “Always seek a second, and if needed, a third opinion, as without that, I may not be here today to share my story.”Jam Press
Jam PressPatricia’s stoma bag[/caption]