Biopsy results; BCG

Kim,

I had to run a doctor down to ask this question, but here's the answer to our question about why do they schedule BCG treatments on the same day of the week in consecutive weeks...

...the answer is because "that is the way the research was conducted".  He said they "try" to keep up an exact schedule.

My evaluation based on his reply and body language is that they don't really know if it makes any difference or not.

Ro

As Ro said, not all women have a hard time with BCG but it does usually give some side effects post-tx. Usually urgency and burning. She'll need to be near the bathroom, probably, but might just be able to do that trip and have a good time too.

I've heard that a glass of water + a teaspoon of baking soda can really help with burning and is not dangerous at all. Maybe she should have pain meds on hand just in case?

That's some weird story about the mass being a possible fibroid of a non-uterus!
Take care,
Wendy

Yes, although she is having it done locally, Sloan gave her a pamphlet on what to expect and it gave her all the instructions that I had already told about from reading them here! Who needs Sloan when I have you guys!

Hope your last treatment goes better than the first two -- hang in there only one more to go! I'm thinking of you and praying all goes well.

Kim

Kim,

Not everyone has a hard time with BCG's. In fact, my doc was so accustomed to limited side effects that I had to convince him that my reactive arthritis was BCG related. Some people seem to breeze right through it.

Did your Mom get plenty of guidance about using bleach in the toilet, etc?

Your friend,
Rosemary

We got the results of my mom's needle biopsy today. Of course nothing ever seems to be conclusive! The biopsy of the bone lesions didn't produce enough of a sample to determine anything either way. We aren't too concerned about this since two radiologists have said the lesions are nothing to worry about and the Ortho at Sloan agreed but said she would do the needle biopsy to be on the safe side since my mom was having the uterine mass biopsied anyway.

The uterine mass biopsy produced a small amount of tissue that appears to be a fibroid but they cannot say with certainty that it is. The gyno is taking my mom's case to the Tumor Board at Sloan next Thursday where other gynos and radiologists meet to discuss unusual cases. The thing is fibroids are very rare in women who no longer have their uterus and my moms was removed 27 years ago. The gyno suspected that a portion of the uterus may have been left behind, so I tried to get my moms medical records from her 1979 hysterectomy, but the hospital doesn't keep anything past 1986. So it is a real medical mystery at this point. My mom is frustrated by the endless not knowing, but I tried to stress that we could have gotten worse news, they could have said yes, it is cancer. The gyno told me to call him next Friday after he talks with the Tumor Board -- I'm hoping he'll be more reassuring then.

In the meantime, my mom started her BCG. The first session went well, no pain at all. I was glad for her, but after just reading Rosemary's thread about her most recent BCG treatments, I am worried that future treatments may not go so smoothly. I've heard the first three are usually easy. Has anyone breezed through all 6 with little or no side effects? Well, at least my mom's attitude is improving, I think doing the BCG is helping her to feel like she is being proactive with this disease. We have a trip to Florida planned the end of this month and we are suppose to leave the day after her fourth BCG instillation, I just hope she'll be up for it -- she is insisting that we all go.

Kim