Oranges are a good natural source of vitamin C.
Urinary bladder removal, or cystectomy, is a major operation to remove all cancerous cells associated with bladder cancer. Complete or partial removal of the bladder is standard treatment for muscle-invaded bladder cancer, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal. You may need vitamin C supplementation to help protect your body from post- surgical bleeding and infections--especially infections of the urinary tract. The type and dose of supplementation will depend on your individual circumstances and your doctor's recommendation.
Urinary Bladder Removal
Your stoma team will likely prepare you for what happens during and after your bladder removal. During the operation, once the bladder has been removed, the ureters (the tubes which lead from the kidney to the bladder) are implanted into a cut off section of the bowel. This section is then brought out to the surface of the skin to form the urostomy. A bag is worn over it to collect the urine which will have to be changed regularly according to advice from your stoma team.
Benefits of Vitamin C
According to MedicineNet, vitamin C is "one of the safest and most effective nutrients." Its benefits are thought to include protection from cancer, stroke and eye disease, as well as improvement of skin health and the immune system.
Vitamin C After Surgery
The Bastyr Center for Natural Health explains that vitamin C is important to maintain healthy blood vessels, so reduced levels of vitamin C can lead to excess post-surgical bleeding. After surgery, there may be an increased need for vitamin C to help with healing, the metabolism of anesthetics and to help your body fight infections.
Vitamin C and Urinary Tract Infection
Vitamin C prevents the growth of certain bacteria by making the urine more acidic. It is important to protect your body against urinary tract infections as you will be more vulnerable to them because of your urostomy. In "A Beginner's Guide to Urostomies," Stoma Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Stephanie Day recommends drinking plenty of cranberry juice, which is a good source of vitamin C, as well as taking vitamin C supplements as relatively large doses are required to acidify the urine to the extent required to minimize the risk of infection. High doses of vitamin C may also interact with some other medications you are taking, so it is important to discuss with your doctor before making any decisions to self-medicate.
Case Study
A peer-reviewed article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal in 2006 examined the use of high-dose vitamin C therapy given intravenously for the symptoms of terminal cancer. One of the patients had multiple tumors associated with muscle- invaded bladder cancer which had been excised. The patient refused chemotherapy or radiotherapy and chose to be treated with a course of intravenous vitamin C therapy instead. Nine years later, the man was reported to be in good health with no signs of cancer. While the report does not claim that vitamin C in any way cures cancer, it does suggest that there may be some anti-tumor effects with high-dose intravenous vitamin C. The report only referenced three patients and people do sometimes enter periods of spontaneous unexplainable remission. The report concludes that in light of all evidence, "further clinical study as to safety and efficacy of intravenous vitamin C is warranted."
Tags: bladder cancer, intravenous vitamin, , , Association Journal, bladder removal