Ron
A biopsy should have been done. sometimes this is not possible if the tumour is really small but doesn't sound like the case for you. BCG is basically strain of TB thats introduced (in a suspension) into the bladder via a catheter. you hold it there for 2 hours or so (this can be done at home; not the first bit but the holding!) and then pee it out. It's function is, put simply, to stimulate an immune reaction in the bladder lining and thus attack tumour cells with your body's own defence. It can be uncomfortable for 24 hours and gives you urinary frequency and a bit of bleeding (on the can a lot) and there is a list of more severe potential side effects but for many people this is all that happens. It's usually done as a 6 week "induction" followed by quarterly maintenance doses of 3 weeks. This protocol can vary a lot depending on your disease and the docs preferences...there's a lot of contradictory stuff about BCG and it's not fully understood how it works.
I've had many bedside post op conversations with my doc and I remember very few of them! You're groggy from the drugs they give you and pretty disorientated. Not the best situation! It's still good to have but no substitute for a proper chat some weeks after. I also found it useful to have someone else along, preferably with a notepad as your mind will be going in different directions and you won't remember everything. Plan your questions carefully before hand so you know exactly what you are going to ask before you go in. Many more will come up after the meeting so don't be afraid to ask for clarification as much as you need it. At the very least you want the stage, grade, type and number of tumours. Position can be useful too. Then I'd want to know what would be the expected treatment regimen. It's funny, some people just don't want to know anything at all and others want EVERYTHING!
I think the oncologist is a very good idea personally.
Glad we could help Ron
All the best
Tim
