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Voiding BCG?
Yesterday was my second round of BCG. I was scared to void since it hurt so bad last week. Therefore, I didnt increase my liquid intake as directed. I didnt void until around 8 last night (almost 12 hours after my treatment). Hurt? Um, that’s an understatement!!! I’m still hurting… been up all night… I’m kind of afraid to call the doc since it was stupid of me. Has anybody been in this boat? ???
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7 Replies
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not going to numb the tools to teach you a lesson? I appreciate his honesty and its great you have a good relationship but if that were my doc saying that…! Anyway its good that it’s worked out and you feel better.
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okay – well, I called the dr. they flushed my bladder… not a big deal but they gave me a hard time… told me that they were not going to numb me before inserting the “tools” just to teach me a lesson for future treatments. I basically told him about an atty that I know and then he reminded me that I in fact was the one in the stirrups… needless to say, everything went fine. Part of my stupidity is that my doctor and I have a wonderful dr/pt relationship and I knew in my heart he would give me a hard time but all in all he would take care of me. Thank ya’ll for your advice… I was gonna call, I just didnt know what to expect… was kind of hoping that someone would have been able to tell me what they were gonna do…
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[quote author=Patricia link=topic=1001.msg6171#msg6171 date=1182880914]
Zachary why the upper GI bleed? Have never heard of that one with cysectomy…oral drugs???…Just curious their explanation.
[/quote]I developed an ulcer–probably from worry–that perforated an artery in my GI tract. Because I was on blood thinners and baby aspirin, the arterial blood just merrily pumped and pumped and pumped through the little ulcer pinhole all night long.
So it was *related* to the RC, but not caused by it. The combination of all the circumstances was what ganged up on me. Plus, I had transfusion-free surgery. No blood. So I was already a bit low, and was weaker than usual because of that. USC knew I was low, but the plan was that my blood would restore itself naturally over time. It would have, but the ulcer put a wrench in things.
“Standing on my Head”––my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John SteinI think i’m going to invest in an ambulance………..Pat
Zachary why the upper GI bleed? Have never heard of that one with cysectomy…oral drugs???…Just curious their explanation.
And flyingsolo….call the doctor!!
[quote author=Tim B link=topic=1001.msg6169#msg6169 date=1182880246]
I would never have to make that fiscal decision re calling an ambulance. not quite yet anyway.
[/quote]The ambulance ride ended up costing over four thousand dollars.
It was actually two rides; one to our little local hospital, where I was stabilized, and another to a larger hospital where I was actually treated. The second ride had to be in a special ambulance with a nurse and transfusion equipment.
Our insurance coverage pays up to $750 per ambulance trip. That’s $1500 out of a $4000 bill. We had to pay the rest.
Your story also made me think how lucky we are to have the NHS here.
Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure of that, my over-taxed friend….
http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=995812007
“Standing on my Head”––my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John Stein
Thats a scary story Zachary and good advice. I was quite prepared to make a nuisance of myself before during and after my surgery. Statistically, the louder you shout (metaphorically speaking, the better your chances). 12 hours is a hell of a hold for BCG. I did 4 hours once during my BCG treatments and nearly blew a gasket.Your story also made me think how lucky we are to have the NHS here. I would never have to make that fiscal decision re calling an ambulance. not quite yet anyway.
[quote author=flyingsolo link=topic=1001.msg6166#msg6166 date=1182872652]
… I’m kind of afraid to call the doc since it was stupid of me. Has anybody been in this boat? ???
[/quote]I’ve been in a lot of boats, but not that particular one.
But, despite your name, you aren’t “flying solo”. Your doctor is your co-pilot, and you should call him immediately and discuss this. You are not going to be the first patient who has done this, and he won’t scold you.
Fear is a real paralyzer, and in some cases it’s a killer.
I’ll tell you a story that I haven’t posted yet, but I’m going to elaborate on in a separate thread.
A few weeks after I got out of the hospital following my RC, I felt very weak, and had to go to the bathroom. I could hardly make it to to bathroom I felt so lightheaded.
Then, sitting on the toilet, I passed out cold. I hit the floor face first, but I was unconscious before the impact. The toilet was full of blood. My face was a bloody mess.
I revived after a few seconds, and–hearing the thud–my wife ran into the room. Oddly, lying horizontally on the cool tile floor, I felt better. I convinced her that it was probably just a hemorrhoid and that all I needed was to get to bed and lie down. She–bless her–called USC, but the resident on call just said to watch things. In retrospect, bad advice.
In the morning I had to go to the bathroom again, could barely make it to the toilet, voided more blood, and collapsed on the floor again, this time vomiting blood.
Again, oddly, once I made it to the floor I felt better. I told her NOT to call 911, that I wanted to be driven to the hospital and not have to pay for the ambulance ride.
By this time I was feeling very weak. Not only could I not physically walk to the car, I couldn’t even crawl to the living room. I crawled ten feet and couldn’t go any further.
When the ambulance arrived I was shivering uncontrollably. It was July and almost 80 degrees in the room. Long story short, when I got to the hospital my blood pressure was so low they started a transfusion almost immediately. By the time they stopped the bleeding (it was in my GI tract) I needed a total of ten units of blood and was in intensive care for almost five days. I was really “going toward the light”. It felt so good on the cool tile floor, surrounded by blood and vomit, I told my wife just to leave me alone, that I felt fine.
But why did I ignore the whole “passing out/bloody toilet” episode?
Because I was afraid that I’d have to go back to the hospital. I DID NOT WANT TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. I was afraid I’d have more surgery, and I desperately hoped things would just get better by themselves.
That was the closest I’ve come to dying. Because I was afraid.
I hope this hits home for those of you who are afraid to discuss things with your doctor.
Zach
“Standing on my Head”––my chemo journal
T3a Grade 4 N+M0
RC at USC/Norris June 23, 2006 by Dr. John SteinSign In to reply.
