Re: bcg and other q/a

17 years 11 months ago #423 by wendy
Re: bcg and other q/a was created by wendy
I've heard other women complain about 'throbbing' and spasms for a week or more after being catheterized, but everyone is different...meaning some have more trouble than others, and there's no clear reason why.

You don't have to worry about being toxic or infectious to your friend who had a liver transplant, you're not carrying germs on you or anything, but your urine will have some of the TB virus in the first void post-BCG. Hopefully you've been given instructions to follow about how to deal with that safely. Have you read the page about BCG on webcafe? It discusses most of the concerns: blcwebcafe.org/bcg.asp

There are more than one strain of the TB virus used for making BCG (I can think of two- Tice and Cannaught), it depends on the country you live in. They don't differ very much as far as activity and effectiveness. In any case you are not full of the virus and won't pose any risk to others by being near them as long as the BCG remains contained in the bladder and does not get into your bloodstream via cuts or tears in the bladder...that's why it's important not to give BCG if there's been trauma during catheterization. BCG in the bloodstream would make someone very sick and in need of strong antibiotics.

BCG is almost always given in the bladder, and very rarely is given as a vaccine, prick on the skin such as on the thigh or arm, that's done to see if there is a reaction. This form poses even less risk to others. I don't understand what the nurses are worried about.

You say you've had two infections in 6 weeks because of cathing...maybe the nurse isn't being sterile enough? Did you receive antibiotics?

About your job and going back to work, lifting and straining is ok as long as your bladder is healed, no scabs that might dislodge and cause bleeding. This is usually more of a concern after TURs and biopsies and to a lesser extent after BCG treatments.

Best of luck with the rest of your treatments.
Wendy

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