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Bcg treatment

Sharonna
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Hi I'm new to the website. I've just turned 48 and had bladder cancer diagnosed last October. I am on week 3 of BCG treatment and hope I can get some advice on how to cope with the pain . Each week has been more painful than the last . I'm finding it hard holding off going to the toilet and when I do go it's literally every 5 minutes and it's agony . All the burning pain is unbearable and I can't sit or lie down for the first two to three hours after treatment. Is there anything I can do to help with the pain . I'd be very grateful for any advice. Thanks 

  • Offline in reply to telemando

    I saw my gp after work. She prescribed codeine and said take ibuprofen and laxative all at the same time. I hate the effect of codeine making me feel spaced out and does little to help with the pain . Got my bcg again tomorrow and dreading it . 

  • Offline in reply to Sharonna

    This sounds very encouraging.  You should take the minimum amount of codeine to give you the pain relief you need and minimise the side effects. You can even break a tablet in half if necessary, although you might need to buy a tablet cutter from any chemist. 

    Let's hope that with a bit of tablet juggling, your next BCG treatment will be more comfortable. 

    Good luck. 

     

  • Offline in reply to Sharonna

    Just seen this post. I was also diagnosed with bladder cancer in Jan 2017. .I have been having BCG treatment since then. I was told do NOT take ibuprofen it is anti inflammatory and BCG works by causing inflammation. You are not even allowed to have a flu vaccination for the same reason. The system I have come up with is very little fluid intake before the treatment then after about 1 1/2  to  1 3/4 hrs into the treatment start drinking lots of water and I mean 2 to 3 glasses. This will then dilute the BCG in your bladder so when you let it out after 2hrs it won't irritate the urether pipe as much. This is what I have been doing for close on 3 years and it works for me. Also keep drinking lots of water to flush it out 

     

  • Offline in reply to daniels51

    Thank you for messaging. Im am off treatment now since August 2019 . Go for camera in feb 2020. 

    Hope you are well . X

  • Offline

    Sorry to hear that .I've just finished 21 treatments .and I took cocodamol 30 and ibuprofen before each treatment and after aswell until it eased off .plus I drank plenty of warm water .and found going out training on my bike as much as possible .found keeping fit was the key for me .hope all goes well

  • Offline in reply to Sharonna

    Yes my doctor just gave me paracetamol.  Ridiculous! I soon got some co codamol 30 and took them with ibuprofen before and after! Insist 

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