UTI or bladder cancer?

[whatisthis]

Thank you whatisthis. I admire the fact that you are managing to make progress with this. I really wish I hadn't had the positive test for blood in my urine because it's holding me back from accepting that this could be a psychological thing. I'm convinced I'm either dying or going to be stuck like this forever. I'm totally losing the plot over it.

It took me a few weeks, I cried and imagined the worse. It's been back today with needing the toilet but i'm continuing as normal.

There is so many things for traces of blood in urine, most likely after effects of UTI. Make sure you get it all checked when you can then get sorted.

I've not been told mine is anxiety yet but I'm going down that line while I wait for referral. But like I said in the last 2 weeks I've had periods where its gone.

[katniss]

Unfortunately my feeling of urge to urinate came back.. I’ve had a lot of stress from other personal issues, so I am attributing this symptom to that. At least I hope!

Just wanted to ask. What does it feel like exactly? For me it’s an urge to urinate, but it comes more from down below, like my urethra. This is going to sound TMI, but I can tell when my bladder is full because my bladder will feel tender when I press it. But with this urge my bladder doesn’t feel tender unless if I’m *actually* full. Does this sound similar? I also feel the urge more when walking or being active, it’s not very noticeable when sitting down. Although sometimes during extreme stress I do feel it when I’m sitting

[cattia]

Katniss, you've described it exactly! I actually have to press my bladder to see whether I actually need to go or whether it's the bladder pressure. I also notice it when I'm moving about, in fact running, jumping or even sometimes walking gives me the feeling of pressure every time I move. I did manage today to relax my muscles enough to stop feeling the urge as strongly so I'm sure it's all down to pelvic floor tension but it honestly feels like a huge pressure,almost a soreness.

[katniss]

Although unfortunate that makes me feel loads better! We can get through this!

[swajj]

Katniss, you've described it exactly! I actually have to press my bladder to see whether I actually need to go or whether it's the bladder pressure. I also notice it when I'm moving about, in fact running, jumping or even sometimes walking gives me the feeling of pressure every time I move. I did manage today to relax my muscles enough to stop feeling the urge as strongly so I'm sure it's all down to pelvic floor tension but it honestly feels like a huge pressure,almost a soreness.

That’s what I used to do too. I was so worried that I had bladder or kidney cancer that a simple UTI would set me off. I could never tell if I needed to urinate or if I was just imagining I did. So I spent half the day pressing my bladder to try and tell. I moved past that and on to something else but last year I started having the microscopic blood in my urine. I only had the sensation of needing to urinate for about a week then. All of that led to the urologist appointment and tests I told you about the other day. I remember thinking “I knew years ago I had bladder cancer when I had the first UTI and no one would listen to me. As you know my CT scan and cystoscopy showed nothing. lol Bloody anxiety.

[katniss]

I too have microscopic blood in my urine. Apparently it’s common and usually no real reason is found. I’m still getting the pressure sensation. It’s almost like a burning after I pee, not directly after but sometime after. But I’ve been tested for a UTI, and nothing has been picked up

[Emc]

So I saw a urogynaecologist today about my issues & she says it’s entirely in keeping with an overactive bladder probably triggered by anxiety. The more you try to empty your bladder the more irritated it becomes which worsens the symptoms. It makes sense really. Not that it solves the problem!! You’re definitely not alone though & it seems unlikely that all of us posting here have bladder cancer - it’s far more likely it’s all anxiety related.

[pulisa]

I have an irritable bladder and the more stressed I am the worse the frequency is. I've been tested for IC in the past and all clear-no bladder ulceration etc and my bladder capacity is normal. For the past week I have been doing bladder training exercises by deliberately holding out for as long as I can between loo visits. It has definitely worked but has been very hard and painful with the bladder spasms. I've tried to distract myself as much as I can. It's really worth trying, cattia.

[cattia]

Thanks everyone. Katniss, the burning / pressure sensation after you pee is EXACTLY what I have. It doesn't hurt during but it feels weird after.
Emc, it's good to hear that the urologist didn't think there was anything serious going on but it's still a hard cycle to break isn't it?
Pulisa, I've read about bladder retraining in a few places and funnily enough that's how I cured myself of frequent urination years ago when I had a spell of it. This time I'm struggling because I can't let go of the idea that something serious is causing this, but over the past couple of days I've had spells where I was distracted enough for the symptoms to go away.

[Sophs50522]

Hey cattia, I messaged you about one of your old posts about this a few months ago to which you overcome this problem before. Just keep remembering that it went before for you and it will go again! I am still in the same boat .. my symptoms are still here, I also get the urge just after peeing. I feel like there's some pee still sitting in my uretha which makes me feel slightly sore but I can hold my urine in for hours and then as soon as i pee again in all come a back. I can also drink citrus drinks with no problem. It's only alcohol which makes me need to go more which I'm guessing is because it's a diuretic. I've had renal scan and it's a clear.
I'm currently waiting my appointment with top urologist in London who says interstitial cystitis is very very rare and is just a cover up for biofilm infections which he can detect by examining your urine himself. I have no doubt stress and anxiety are triggers as all this started from that for me!
Hope you get things sorted soon x