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Time at hospital for treatment
I live 45 minute drive from where i will receive BCG treatment. Should I ask to wait an hour at hospital and then drive home…
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13 Replies
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Thank you Sarah. Good to know :)
Ginette
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It obviously depends on the individual. I live an hours drive from my Urologist and have had #21 BCG treatments and have never had a problem. I have 2 cups of coffee morning before going in and give a urine sample upon arrival. So far haven’t had a problem holding it.
Good luck!!
08/16 Blood in Urine;09/16 CT Scan, RPG, Cysto;10/16 TURBT;12/08 BL TURBT;01/17 6X BCG;05/17 NED, 3X BCG, 9/17 NED, 3X BCG,1/18 NED, 3X BCG,7/18 NED, 3X BCG
My urologist just sort of laughed when I told him I had read that I should keep turning after the instillation. Said that the bladder didn’t need that and it was sort of an “old wives’ tale.”
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator
Hello Jim
At KGH Hospital in Canada, as part of the protocol they keep you for the 2 hours during the course of the first treatment for monitoring and support . The following ones you go home depending on distance. In my case I am 1 hr away.I am not hearing from members of the 15 min body rotating during the first hour . My routine is to recline the passenger seat as far as I can and start the 15 min rotation as my husband drive the car. Of course the seat belt is a little bit of a challenge but I manage. When I get home I only have an hour left and keep my mind busy to avoid thinking of having to void. I have gone through 12 instillations so far and it seems to work for me.
Ginette
[quote=”sara.anne” post=59385] In fact I spent a lot of that time curled up on the bathroom floor since I would have to pee again within minutes. No way could I have gotten into a car and driven anywhere.[/quote]
Pretty much mirrors what I go through.
Traveling anywhere by car after the first void would be impossible for me, unless I was in the back seat, in prone position, with 3 gallon size plastic jugs: 2 of them filled with cold spring water, and 1 empty. Also, ear plugs for the driver to muffle my whimpering.
Don’t really understand the “stay for two hours “ and then drive home proposition. I would hold it for as close to 2 hours as I could and then all hell broke loose for the next four to six. In fact I spent a lot of that time on curled up on the bathroom floor since I would have to pee again within minutes. No way could I have gotten into a car and driven anywhere. Just my experience for what it is worth.
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator
First you need to see what their policy is. In Shacky’s case, it appears that hanging around isn’t an option. At my clinic, they have a hospital bed with privacy curtain that sits off in a corner. I’ve always assumed that bed was the 2 hour resting place for those who live a distance away. As I wrote earlier, I hit the road as soon as they fill up my tank as I’m about 30 minutes or less from the clinic. If I lived 45 minutes away, I’d still opt to go home. In fact, twice I stopped at the pharmacy and marijuana dispensary on my way home. No problem.
But remember, I’ve done this 9 times and never got the urge to pee until at least 1.5 hours or so after instillation. Your mileage may vary.
It’s was all so overwhelming at first. After a short while, I figured out what worked best for me. I’m sure you will figure it out too. Everyone does.
Keep in touch. As questions get resolved, new questions arise.
Thanks everyone for the info. Appreciate all the advice. Such an unsure time for all this to be happening.
Jim
This thread illustrates how experiences differ from person to person.
I live less than 30 minutes away from the uro clinic. I’ve had a total of 9 instillations: 6 induction treatments ending late 2019 and I just completed 3 additional weekly “maintenance” treatments on 4/30/20.
The instillation process takes about 15 – 20 minutes including the time it takes to have a urine sample examined, getting prepared, numbing agent applied, etc. Once the nurse administers the BCG I am free to go. I drive myself home and then hold it for an additional 1.5 hours. While some may feel the need to urinate within the first hour, I don’t get the urge until well after that. I try to keep my mind occupied: watching TV or sleeping if possible. However once I begin obsessing about the thought of NOT urinating, the urge to urinate begins: go figure. That typically happens at about the 1.75 hour mark. At that point, I can only hold it for a few minutes longer. In retrospect: over the course of 9 treatments I’ve retained the BCG in my bladder for 2 hours on only 5 occasions (give or take) but I’ve always held it for at least 1.75 hours.
If I had to stay at the clinic for 2 hours then drive home, the experience would be much worse for me. The 6 hours after first void has been the most challenging part of BCG treatment in my experience.
Good luck to you.
I asked to stay at MSK center for the 2 hours but they wanted me out ASAP. Said if I used a bathroom they’d have to close it for the day and decontaminate after I leave.
I live 5 hours from where I was getting BCG. First 2 my wife drive me home. Then we stayed another night at hotel so I could rest up before driving home next day.
T1 Grade 3 with CIS
I think it might be affected by how the BCG is administered. I was kept in hospital for the full 2 hours and was able to leave after the first ‘pee’ at the end of the 2 hour stint. That meant I was able to drive home straight away with no problems. If the instillation is made and you are told to go home immediately and not ‘pee’ for 2 hours I would be hightailing it back immediately.
I would be asking to wait for the full 2 hours and then ‘pee’ and go home.
Jacko
CIS diagnosed May 18
2 TURBS
6 BCGs 2018
3 Maintenance BCGs 2019
Return of CIS Sept 2019
Bladder, prostate and urethra removal Oct 2019
I second Sara Anne. After each instillation, especially latter ones you want to be home because it will take several hours to a day to get back to normal once you get going from urgency, burning etc.
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.
You are just going to have to see what works for you. I would try to get home ASAP. By the end of one hour you are going to really start to feel like you need to go. Sometimes I made it the entire recommended two hours and sometimes not quite. I would not have been wanting to drive that second hour.
Sara Anne
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
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