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  • Newly Diagnosed, New To The Forum

    Pain after first set of 6 Bcg treatments

    Posted by mhstiely on June 4, 2018 at 12:40 pm

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    My husband was diagnosed in february with bladder cancer that is in the wall of his bladder. He went through 6 bcg treatments and is almost 6 weeks heeling from last treatment. He has more pain mow than before the treatments. Has anyone else had this. He goes back into get biopsy done this thursday june 7th. Just looking for hope. Thank you for any direction

    arpegio2018 replied 6 years, 2 months ago 3 Members · 2 Replies
  • 2 Replies

  • Arpegio2018

    Member
    June 13, 2018 at 6:55 pm

    Dear Sara Anne, your past comments have been very helpful to me. Today I had the third BCG induction. So far I have had no palpable side effects. When I ask the doctor whether the stuff is working he just laughs and says of course it’s working. Perhaps a little fatigued but I am exercising normally (doing the elliptical) without feeling any more tired. Perhaps the effects are cumulative and I will feel something odd after the next ones. Anyway, I wanted you to know.
    PS. After reading the Consensus Statement on Immunotherapy I asked the doctor about not using Lidocaine or excessive lubricants during induction because of their potential inhibitor effects. So I have not used Lidocaine and the insertion of catheter is mildly uncomfortable for a few seconds.

  • sara.anne

    Member
    June 4, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    So sorry to hear of your husband’s difficulties. For many patients BCG is bladder-saving, if not life-saving. What does his urologist say about these side effects? When something worrisome happens that is the first place to go for answers.

    If the side effects are too much it is possible for the urologist to reduce the dose. Even 1/10th the original dose has been shown to be effective. If he really cannot tolerate BCG there are other options that his urologist can discuss with him. If he has completed the first six instillations he does have some real benefit from it even if he opts to not have any more.

    There is a LOT of information on this Forum on other patients’ experiences with BCG. At the top of this page on the right-hand side is a “Search” function. Click on that and enter “BCG” and you will find a lot of posts on this topic.

    Best of luck to your husband

    Sara Anne

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

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