BCG Treatments

tv rocky

Apologies I should have said 'ONE of the indicators for seeking advice/assistance is body temperature' There are of course others.....

Jacko

Sounds good tgrocky.

My first three BCGs went pretty much as your first in terms of after effects. From 4 to 6 I noticed a slight increase in tiredness which became cumulative; lasted a day or two. The cumulative effect continued into the maintenance BCGs 7, 8 and 9. Nothing taxing; I could have done a quiet days work the following day if necessary. The indicator for seeking assistance with after effects is body temperature so I monitored and recorded mine every couple of hours. Here in Oz we are instructed to seek medical advice/assistance if your temp reaches 38 deg C (100.4 (^oF)). Mine reached 37.9 (100.2 (^oF)) after 4 hours post release and then was back to normal within 24 hours.

I also had some bleeding after the catheter went in; noticed as the bladder drained into the bag before fluid insertion. Normally if that occurs the procedure is halted as the risk of the bacteria entering the system through a wound is higher than otherwise. The first time it happened at No 2 we halted. Then at the No 2 re run I bled again. The nurses rang the Uro for advice which was 'the risk of not proceeding is greater than the risk of proceeding' (referring to the risk of the cancer growing) so on we went with no after effects other than described above. I bled for No 2, 3, 4, and 5 with no particular problem with after effects.

Tiredness as an after effect is a sign that the body is concentrating its efforts to fight the invading 'diseased' fluid and associated cancer so in a perverse sense it is a good thing.

Keep your chin up, stay positive and rejoice that you are doing some thing positive to retain your health.

Jacko

Hi Jacko,

Thanks for the reply and I just got my first BCG treatment this past Friday (March 22nd) and I was happy that when he inserted the cather it only hurt a little bit and then within about 15 or 20 seconds he said all done and I said really I did not even feel it come out. So when I got home I did the turning every 15 minutes and then after the two hours I went to the bathroom and pour in bleach ion the toilet as they had said. Believe it or not I had NO side effect at all and I was happy about that, but that does not mean I will not in the future so that is why I am having my treatments on Friday in case of any side effects I have the weekend to deal with it. After my 6 weeks of treatments then I go see my urologist four weeks later to be scoped to see if the BCG is working and I'll tell you one thing I will be very nervous that day as I really want hope and pray that this will work for me, however if it does not I am somewhat prepared for that because I was told in my case the BCG treatment has a less the 40% chance of working and also I was told my tumor has a 70% chance of coming back.

So I am trying my best to just live day by day.

tgrocky

Hi Regro,

Thanks for the reply.

I had my first BCG treatment this past Friday (March 22nd) and I had very little pain when he inserted the cather, in fact the little pain I did feel about 15 seconds later he said all done and I said really as I did not feel him take it out and I did not feel like there was fluid in my bladder. I went home did the turns like I read in so many places and then when the two hours was up I went to the bathroom and pour in two cups of bleach. I am happy to report that I had NO side effect at all and I am happy about that.

tgrocky

Hi Regro,

Thanks for the reply.

I know sounds like fun, only problem I may have is my urologist office is about 45 minutes from my house so I have to see how he will want to approach it for me, maybe a closer office near my work/house.

I wonder if there are any where you can just stay until the treatment is complete.

tgrocky

Hi Sara Ann,

Thanks for the quick reply, as I am going to see my surgeon today and tell him I decided to try the BCG treatments and hope it works instead of jumping into getting my bladder out and putting in the neo, to me it makes sense to try the most invasive first and work your way to the major. I believe in trying everything you can to try and keep what is yours.

tgrocky