BCG side effects

11 years 3 months ago #43791 by cljjlk
Replied by cljjlk on topic BCG side effects
Looking on the internet, I found that in extreme cases (43 out of million) there is a long term cases of osteomyelitis caused by BCG Therapy. I see my Uro in January for a cysto. I'll discuss it with him. Thanks for all the advice. :cheer:

Merry Christmas to all

Chuck

dx - Aug 2005
Five reoccurences (last 12/09 Ta high grade)
BCG Started 10/09 (2 6wk treatment)
BCG Maintenance started 4/10

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11 years 3 months ago #43790 by Joey
Replied by Joey on topic BCG side effects
Chuck I only had some minor aches in my knees after a couple of the maintenace rounds however it never lasted more than a couple of days. I am 56 and have had 30 treatments.

Joey

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11 years 3 months ago #43767 by Alan
Replied by Alan on topic BCG side effects
I am inclined to say the stiffness is part of our "senior" life as I am now 60. Besides our BC we share, in the past 6 years I have had 2 hernia surgeries and another for torn ligaments in my left wrist (I am guessing I wore it out from lots of golf). This isn' to minimize the possibility of BCG induced arthritis. I have finally accepted I am aging!

DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.

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11 years 3 months ago #43765 by sara.anne
Replied by sara.anne on topic BCG side effects
Chuck, good to see you back and hear that you are doing well!!

As you have read, arthritic symptoms can happen with BCG. If I were you, I would mention it to your uro. GPs would not be as familiar with BCG and its potential side effects.

Golf...that is the silly game where you try to hit a little white ball around? :laugh: Everyone in my family does this but me!

Sara Anne

Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator

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11 years 3 months ago #43764 by cljjlk
BCG side effects was created by cljjlk
It has been most likely two years since I contributed my support to this site. SORRY. :( When I was diagnosed with high-grade non-invasive tumor, I was sure that I would lose my bladder. I went to the Cleveland Clinic for a second opinion. The recommendation was to start another round of BCG from the beginning. I had already done a year. Almost from the beginning, I had side effects of fever, bloody urine and of course pain. We went to one-third dosage and I was able to tolerate the treatment.

I have now been over two years without any reoccurring tumors. If my next cysto in January is clean, then the BCG treatment in February will be my last. My question is, is it common to have joint discomfort from the BCG. It seems I read it once those arthritis type symptoms are common. My joint discomfort seems to be getting worse with each treatment.
I'm 66, now retired and play lots of golf. Once I'm warmed up, I have no problems. But getting the body lose enough to play takes much more effort than before. In addition, if I'm sitting reading, watching TV, on the computer, etc, when I go to get up, I have discomfort and stiffness. Once I move around some, the discomfort is as severe. Getting up in the night or first thing in the morning is the worse.

Is this normal reaction to the BCG or am I just walking down the road of life? Is it something I should bring to the attention to my urologist or maybe my primary physician? As always, any feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,
Chuck

dx - Aug 2005
Five reoccurences (last 12/09 Ta high grade)
BCG Started 10/09 (2 6wk treatment)
BCG Maintenance started 4/10

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