BCG Immunotherapy and its effects on other procedures...

There are MANY protocols. What appears to be common is that 6 are a minimum to start and then there deviations that follow. All of them have pluses and minuses (the deviations). I have seen once a month for a year after the first 6. Then there is the SWOG (Dr. Lamm) which is 3 for 3 weeks, go 3 months and repeat until 2 years are up, then 3 every 6 months to year 5 after the first 6. My URO who did study under Dr. Lamm had me do just the 6 plus more. His reasoning was every procedure involves some risk of problems....infection, scarring the urethra, etc. Plus my tumor was singular and while high grade was caught early. All he wanted for me was the 6+6. Most posters that have posted here seem to have problems with increasing irritation to where very few make the 5 year program. That is OK. Getting the first 6 plus whatever one can do after is all a plus and many remain tumor free.

Descriptors? Go to your profile by clicking on your name. In the upper left there is an "edit" link. Pull down and then an edit your profile will show up clicking on it and the middle slide is where you can put signatures. The box to the right is room for a picture.

Travel. The first 6 treatments were not a problem. The next 6 treatments caused issues with urgency and burning. The first day and the next day I simply had to stay close to a restroom....meaning I couldn't hold the urine for no more than 30-60 seconds....and it could have just been a dribble. The fatigue I could handle. This will be a trial and error as everyone will react differently. Personally, once you hit the maintenance part I wouldn't plan any expensive trips until you know how your body will react. The weeks off you are probably OK. It is all doable just no fun.

Fatigue! The problem is at 12.5 years ago I don't remember how long and when except I was tired a lot. I still worked and moved on with my life each day. It wasn't that bad!