As a female when peeing out the BCG I suggest pouring cool not cold water over the genital area. I found this helped lessen the burning and reduced the genital inflammation. Wash your genital area with mild soap after each void to get rid of the BCG on your skin. Lanacaine cream does help if your girly bits get irritated from the BCG. This is something the guys don’t experience. I also found avoiding caffeine consumption while undergoing BCG helped reduce bladder irritability as well as drinking lots and lots of water. A heating pad worked wonders on my abdomen to reduce bladder pain during and after treatments. Epsom salts added to the hot bath water relieved the aches in my body. I used the crappy feeling as a good excuse for some much needed me time.
I also found treating myself to a small reward each week got me mentally through the process. I also made a special day of the treatment day. Since I stayed at the hospital for my treatments I always showered and donned fresh soft clothes ie favourite sweat suits so I was warm and comfortable before heading to the hospital. (I do this before a cysto too.) I always had special soup or treats to eat afterwards and while undergoing treatment I would read a new book and/or listen to relaxing music using my walkman and headset. It made the time go by faster. Sometimes if I was tired especially towards the end of the treatment sessions I would just doze. The nurses were great in providing warm heated blankets which helped with the bladder discomfort too.IF you are doing your treatments at home you can mimic this by keeping a heating pad in bed with you while in bed doing the rock and roll. Keep in touch and let us know how everything is going. Good luck for the rest of the treatments.
