BCG #2, Vitamin Therapy, and Some Hope - July 9, 2008

BCG #2 went pretty swimmingly - less trauma than last week on instillation day (see details on the BCG Instillation Page - 2/10 on the gross-out scale). Dr. Hopkins double checked my condition, urine, and talked to me a bit before deciding to proceed with #2. He also approved the use of vitamins during BCG, and so I started Oncovite today at lunchtime, a special vitamin blend developed by Dr. Lamm that shows promising results after 10 months of use. I also found some encouraging news on Dr. Lamm's website that suggests BCG symptoms could well be less intense than those experienced by ADR in England.

What to expect with BCG: You should not expect to have any serious reaction- these are quite rare and can be avoided by reducing the dose of BCG. With the first and second of the 6 initial weekly BCG instillations most people have no symptoms other than the irritation associated with passing the catheter. Beginning with the second or third instillation you may have some mild burning and increased frequency of urination, and occasionally some bleeding occurs. These symptoms often increase with later treatments, but if they are bothersome the dose of BCG can be reduced. Burning and frequency generally last for 1 to 3 days and may be associated with malaise or mild "flu-like" symptoms typical of many vaccinations. Sometimes nausea may occur, along with low grade fever or a mild chilling sensation.

Nothing there about lots of blood, tissue, and "bits." Keep in mind, however, that Dr. Hopkins is not fully convinced about reducing the BCG dosages, so let's hope my symptoms continue to be mild!

The progress of BCG Day #2 was remarkably similar to the previous week. Resisting the urge seems to be a function of posture. Sitting & leaning forward - bad. Walking - very bad. Reclining on the back - much better.
Bathroom Diary details moved to the instillation page.
We'll see in the next day or two if there are other side effects...