Anyone have pain after BCG Treatments, especially with urination?

Hello Colleen,
I have Been Stressed Beyond Words,
Even Thou my Surguries Went Very Well...The Next Stage of the 6 Week BCG TREATMENTS , Once a Week,
did not happen...I CANCELED the Preventative Treatments....I am NOT HAVING ANOTHER CATHETER INSERTED INTO MY PENIS, Especially when I am Awake, It was the Worst Experience I ever Went Thru...
For Now I am Bladder Cancer Free,
The Key Word to these Treatments where " Preventive"....Which isnt Critical, Must Have Treatments....
I Receivced No Calls From My Surgeon Questioning, WHY, I am Refusing these Treatments....I Take a Seizure Pill, I had One Seizure in 2014, as a "Preventive"...I have been on a Seizure Med. for 10 Years....No Seizures, Now,
I'm Stuck with taking this Pill for the Rest of my Life....Also, Taking a Blood Clotting Med. for a Blood Clot behind my Knee since 2012,...This will Also be a Life Long Medication....I thought about and Read about these Cancer Treatments Especially Given the Way its Given....There Will be Side Effects that Come Along with this Cancer Treatment....The Burning, The Urge to Pee and I'm sure theres More to Come,
If they cannot put Me out for that Catheter Treatment, which they Wouldnt....I dont want it,...at 62, I will Rusk it...I know what the Signs are in the Future if it Returns, I will get Checked out Then....I'm already caught with taking these other to Meds for Life...I'm not gonna include Another "Preventive Treatment"...When my Cancer for Now is Gone....🤗

@daddyroxx2025, thinking of you. I believe you started treatment today and you were very nervous. How did it go? How are you doing?

@talltxlady Thank You for your Comment, These last 2 months have been Very Stressful, I got thru the Operations, Tumor Removed and Now The Treatments are Planned to Start....
I Turned Down the 6 Treatments,
I have had Enough of it All....
I WILL DO a Follow up Every Few Months with my Urologist/Surgeon...as a Prevenitive....🤗

@daddyroxx2025 ask your doctor to prescribe you 1 Valium for your procedure and have a driver.
At every Cystoscopy my doctor had prescribed a Valium for me, upon request. My husband was present for the entire procedure and was my driver. It helps a tiny bit having something to help take the edge off. I wish you good luck.

@tms3 OMG,...I dont know if I can do this,...I start Treatment on Wednesday and after my 2 Surgeries and then Kidney Stone Surgery...My Penis has had Enough,...Now to have this Catheter thing done again, Holding this Pee for 2 hours after,
then the Pain with Peeing,..Again
Couldnt I be put out for all of this,
for Gods sake....

Pain...yes. Sometimes seemingly unbearable! But, several suggestions. Find a doc who has the space for you to stay the required 2 hours with the catheter in and then drains it all out before you go home. Use ice pack during the procedure and later at home (I think particularly good for men with more of the urethra external. If you are a man, insist on them using a catheter with a curved section designed to pass by the prostate more comfortably. Go to a doc (or nurse) that will insert the catheter GENTLY. You can try taking uribel or AZO, but I've found them not very effective. But, give them a try...it can't hurt (no pun intended). Doctors are reluctant to offer anything stronger which may not help that much anyway. Advil or Tylenol might help if either has worked for you in the past.

I've had the first 6 week course and my first maintenance of 3 weeks with a scoping between, AFTER a similar round with another doctor and again 5 years earlier. The scarcity of BCG was interrupted that plan. All treatments were uncomfortable, some with a little blood clotting. Three things I've found helpful. If you are a man, insist on them using a catheter that has a curve in the tubing at a critical point that passes by the prostate more comfortably. Second, find a doctor who has enough treatment rooms so you can stay there for the 2 hour waiting time holding the BCG while they leave in the catheter, and then use it to drain your bladder including the BCG. Diminishes the difficulty of driving home while holding in the BCG, and draining out most of the BCG via catheter is much less uncomfortable than peeing it out. Third, I found that an ice pack on the groin will reduce the pain of inflammation both while holding in the BCG and later at home while still getting some irritation from passing what remaining BCG is in your bladder. And a fourth bonus, find a doc (or nurse) who GENTLY inserts the catheter. My first doc would pretty much ram in the catheter past the prostate while the current nurse is far more gentle. Irritating the prostate makes for more pain urinating later.

Sorry about the delay, well the TENs machine is positioned on the ankle /foot blocking the tibial nerve pathway. It has been used for overactive bladder.
As I have problems retaining the BCG for full two hours. I thought it might help. It certainly distracts my attention.

@janine1991, There are over 300 discussions related to TENS machines on Connect. See here https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/

How might the TENS help with BCG? Excuse my ignorance. I haven't heard of this. Was a TENS machine recommended by your cancer team?

Dear Hikercalifornia,
I am about to have 3rd BCG induction treatment this Tuesday. So far the pain hasn’t been as bad as when they do biopsies. I take Buscopan (hysocine) that reduce bladder spasms and a lorazepam prior to treatment. If pain bad, repeat the buscopan. Talk to your GP re medication. I also find a low dose amiltriptaline & Lyrica helps. (Which I take for pudendal neuralgia & peripheral neuropathy pain) Oral urine alkalinizer 4 times a day, plus lots of water. I am also looking into TENS machine placement to help me keep the initial BCG insitu ( I have small bladder capacity from pelvic radiotherapy last year) Anyone else have any suggestions. Please reply.