BCG Treatment

I've had two TURBTS and  the induction course of BCG, and  my experience was that the evening after each of my BCG installs was different.
First three were pretty uneventful: Little bit of pink pee the night of the installation. Prostate got nicked by the catheter on No. 4 or 5, I think, and had more red blood at the end of pees for a couple days. It went away. On No. 6, my first-night urination burned like heck, but no blood to speak of.
I think we all react differently to the BCGs. I found my induction course a very strange ride.
I'm about 10 weeks out from my last BCG and feeling great, but every now and then ... I'd say about once a week or every 10 days ... I still a pinkish pee or two, and those clear up after good hydration.
I try not tor read too much into it -- although I'm sometimes a worrier - but I do know t's a little unsettling, especially when you haven't seen any pink or red for 7 or 10 days. It makes a guy frown, for sure. 
My friends here and my doctors say don't read too much into it. It could still be aggravation/irritation of the bladder from the BCG.
I'm going in for a rigid 'scope and biopsy on March 5.
Re TURBTs, I've had two.
First one, quite a bid of red urine with some junky stuff in it into my catheter bag for a couple days. But it cleared up afterward to a faint pink, then back to yellow.
Second one, was immediately yellow and stayed that way for about 7 days, but I lifted something too heavy on day 7 or 8 after the TURBT and popped a lesion, I think. That was some blood for a few days.
I'd try not to worry terribly much about a little blood at the end of a wee at this stage, but I would inform my urology nurse, for sure.

Thanks for that, not been a worrier myself but this has turned me into one, every time I go to the loo I’m very anxious until I see a good wee then it’s like lifting the FA cup, hopefully in the next couple of days I will be back to normal (ish)

Good luck and let me know how your cystoscopy go’s 

phil 

My friend, I totally empathize. I never fancied myself a worrier until bladder cancer. Now I find it both annoying and wryly amusing the impact the color of my pee can have on my  mood.
Just had a rust-orange-ish  one followed by a pinkish one last evening and my mood sunk, 'cause I'd had an absolutely great 10 days or so. Hydrated well, and poof .. back to nice mild yellow.
I think I'm finally starting to realize that you just carry on, keep the doc's office informed and show up for the next appointment or procedure. 
Don't be afraid to ask our friends here for advice. They've been an enormous help to me.

Hi Phil,

Had BCG number 16 yesterday and get urgency for a while. The first 24 hours after the installation are the worst.. then things start to recover just in time for the next one.

They do dip tests and there is blood, just not visible, but nobody seems bothered. Mentioned it to my consultant a couple of times and said it's fine.... 

Usually after the last instillation of the batch the urgency lasts a bit longer, I mean I can last longer between wees, but when you have to go you have to go..

After a while I'm going through the night again,.

It does help having 6 Months break in-between treatments.

I remember the beginning, having the two TURBTs and then the 6 BCG inductions I thought blimey what are they doing to me lol.. Everything was pretty close together.

Wishing you all the best.

Trevor 

Pretty much the same as me so it gives me a little bit of price, thanks for that and good luck 

phil

Piece that is lol 

Hi Phil, Each instillation of BCG has a cumulative effect on your poor bladder, so each one can give different/stronger side effects than the last. I've had 12 (induction and 2 maintenance rounds)annow I'm waiting for my next cystoscopy. I have resigned myself to just put up with side effects as long as the BCG is working as I want to keep my bladder where it is supposed to be. LOL

Love Ade xx 

I had twenty BCG and the last caused rather unpleasant reactions, some bleeding and pain but everybody is different. As a result I have now stopped the treatment after discussion with my Consultant. I found the side effects seemed to get worse each time and I think the pain can be caused by bits of debris finding their way out. So I would advise drinking plenty, some say lemon barley water helps. You will get through this, it's a sensitive part of the body and so sometimes things can feel a bit rough but with time seem to recover. Good luck.    

Thanks for that, as it happens I got lemon barley today, sorry you had to stop treatment, I had 3 of 3 and the third made me feel awful, not to bad after the third day after, hopefully after the six week break the cystoscopy is good