Time off work?
Earlier this year I was on short term disability after my first Turbt to remove a tumor. A follow up found a new tumor and now I will be getting a second Turbt and going on a BCG maintenance program. I'm told my bladder cancer is high grade.
My question is on the ability to continue working. I travel, by car, alot to visit clients. This also requires overnights and lots of bending lifting.
Is the maintenance treatment going to affect my job and do you normally go on long term disability. My company does provide great benefits.
Thanks from BC, Canada!
@Canuckfan33 - In my opinion this is a difficult question to answer as there is not enough information provided. As you are receiving BCG are you considered stage one high grade? Cancer and subsequent treatment impacts everyone differently. We are not medical professionals and cannot provide medical advice but personally I can tell you that I missed minimal work time with testing and treatments. I would discuss this with your doctors and see how the BCG treatments affect you. If you read other posts you will find that some breeze though it and others have side effects so it may be something that needs more review following treatments. Hopefully you will be able to continue your work as usual and have minimal side effects from BCG. Good luck to you. Linda ( moderator, Bladdercancer.net team member)
Thank you, Linda. Your answer helps. The doctor called it high grade aggressive after the biopsy results came back. I'm sure I'll be told more closer to my next Turbt.
@canuckfan33 - Mine was stage one high grade aggressive also. I went right to RC/IC so I did not ever have BCG. I do know many people who have and they had it near the end of the week and took a day off and returned to work the next day or had it on Friday. As I said, it affects people differently but I do not know of anyone personally who went on disability short or long, at stage one. I returned to work 4 weeks post RC/IC and for me it was the best thing to do as it took my mind off the cancer journey. I hope that your treatments are successful !! My best to you. Linda
i wish you the very best. my BCG treatments had minimal impact on my work. my treatments were every Tuesday at 2pm, so i worked in the morning up until treatment time, then spent the rest of the day at home, since the BCG caused me to go to the bathroom very very frequently (plus a drank lots and lots of water after the first void of medicine)... the next day, Wednesday, i usually slept in a little because of being tired from all the peeing the night before...but by 11am, i was back out to work. so for me, it was just about zero time off. wish you the best, sincerely, Tommy B Thanks
. I have my second Turbt scheduled for Aug 4thand then the treatments afterwards. Not sure the schedule or how soon after the Turbt.
Initial indications are I'll be staying on short term due to the nature of my work. Lots of driving and traveling would not necessarily be possible if I have to stick to a schedule of BCG treatments. My boss feels it will be a scheduling nightmare and would be easier to assume I'm out for a period of time. Guess it comes down to whether they can accommodate.@canuckfan33 - I believe that most info I have seen is the BCG is commonly once a week for 6 weeks. Good luck
Linda ( moderator, Bladdercancer.net team member)
