(bee cee jee) Brand: TheraCys, Tice BCG Live (for intravesical use)
• You must not receive BCG if you have tuberculosis, a fever, a bladder infection, blood in your urine, or a weak immune system (caused by malady or by using determined medicines).
• You must also not receive BCG if you have had a bladder biopsy, surgery, or catheter within the past 14 days.
• Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with BCG. Stop using this medication and call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection (fever, chills, body aches).
• BCG (Bacillus Calmette and Guérin) is a freeze-dried product made from bacteria. BCG increases determined white blood cells that destroy invading tumor cells in the bladder.
• BCG is used to treat bladder cancer that is localized (has not spread to another parts of the body).
• BCG may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.
• You must not receive this medicine if you are allergic to BCG, or if you have:
· tuberculosis;
· a weak immune system from illness such as AIDS, leukemia, or lymphoma;
· a fever, a bladder infection, or blood in your urine;
· if you are using steroids or receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatments; or
· if you have had a bladder biopsy, surgery, or catheter within the past 14 days.
• To create certain BCG is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:
· any type of bacterial, fungal, or viral infection (including HIV);
· myasthenia gravis;
· a pacemaker or another artificial heart device;
· an artificial joint or another prosthetic;
· a history of aneurysm (dilated blood vessel);
· if you have ever had bypass surgery;
· if you have ever had tuberculosis; or
· if you need to have an organ transplant (kidney, liver, heart, etc).
• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether BCG will harm an unborn child. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy while receiving BCG. Speak your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
• It is not known whether BCG passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while using this medicine.
• BCG is injected directly into the bladder using a catheter inserted into the urethra (the pipe for passing urine out of your bladder). You will receive this medicine in a clinic or hospital setting.
• BCG is generally given once each week for 6 weeks, and then given each 3 to 6 months for up to 2 years. Follow your doctor's instructions about your specific dosing schedule.
• After BCG is placed into the bladder, you will need keep the medicine in your bladder as long as possible up to 2 hours. During that time you may be encouraged to lie down or remain relaxed.
• For at least 6 hours after you are treated with BCG, your urine will still contain some of the medicine and the bacteria it is made from. To prevent the spread of this bacteria, use a toilet rather than a urinal, and sit on the toilet while urinating.
• Till you flush the toilet, disinfect the urine with household bleach in an amount that is approximately equal to how many you have urinated. Pour the bleach into the toilet in which you urinated, allow it stand for 15 minutes and then flush.
• Your doctor may ask you to drink extra fluids for different hours after your BCG treatment to help flush out your bladder. Follow your doctor's instructions.
• Call your doctor right away if you have a fever after receiving BCG, especially if the fever lasts for different hours or longer.
• This medicine can reason unusual results with determined medical trials. Speak any doctor who treats you that you are using BCG.
• Call your doctor for instructions if you miss an appointment for your BCG treatment.
• Since this medicine is given by a healthcare professional in a medical setting, an overdose is unlikely to occur.
• This medication can pass into body fluids (including urine, feces, vomit, semen, vaginal fluid). For at least 48 hours after you receive a doze, avoid allowing your body fluids to come into contact with your hands or another surfaces. Patients and caregivers must wear rubber gloves while cleaning up body fluids, handling contaminated trash or laundry or changing diapers. Wash hands till and after removing gloves. Wash soiled clothing and linens apart from another laundry.
• Body fluids must not be handled by a woman who is pregnant or who may become pregnant. Use condoms during sexual activity to avoid exposure to body fluids.
• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor at once if you have:
· fever, chills, cough, body aches, joint pain, weakness, or another flu symptoms;
· vomiting, stomach pain, jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes);
· pain or burning when you urinate, more frequent or urgent urinating;
· difficult urination, blood in your urine, lower back pain;
· eye pain, redness, watering, severe burning or itching; or
· vision changes, heighten sensitivity to light.
• General side effects may include:
· mild nausea, loss of appetite;
· mild bladder or groin pain;
· urine leakage or incontinence;
· diarrhea, constipation; or
· tissue particles in your urine (not blood).
• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
• If you have an infection that should be treated with an antibiotic, you may need to stop receiving BCG for a short time. Antibiotics can create BCG smaller effective and must be avoided during your treatment with BCG. Follow your doctor's instructions and be certain to speak any another doctor who treats you that you are receiving BCG.
• Speak your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with BCG, especially an antibiotic, or any drugs that weaken your immune system, such as:
· cancer medication or radiation;
· medication to prevent organ transplant rejection;
· medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or another autoimmune disorders; or
· tuberculosis medication--pyrazinamide, rifampin, rifabutin.
• This list is not complete. Another drugs may interact with BCG, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medicine manual.
• Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about BCG.
Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.
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