Written by Randy Smith, Bladder Cancer Canada Board Chair & Volunteer
Disclaimer: This story reflects one person’s personal experience with bladder cancer and is shared with the hope of raising awareness and offering different perspectives. It is not intended as medical advice, and does not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Bladder Cancer Canada. Everyone’s health journey is unique, and symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments can vary widely. If you are experiencing symptoms or have any concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.
Bladder cancer treatments can cause difficult side effects that affect daily life, sleep, comfort, and emotional well-being. In this personal story, Randy shares his experience using CBD oil for while undergoing BCG treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and how it helped him cope with treatment side effects.
What is CBD oil?
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a therapeutic compound found in the cannabis plant. People can mix CBD with a carrier oil to create CBD oil. CBD can also come in the form of gummies as edible candy. Evidence suggests that CBD oil may help to treat cancer symptoms. This is my story on how CBD oil helped me reduce some significant side effects from BCG treatment.
My Bladder Cancer Diagnosis & BCG Treatment
I was diagnosed with Stage 1 High Grade non-muscle invasive papillary bladder cancer in 2013 and started BCG treatments soon after a TURBT. The induction BCG of six treatments went very well with minimal side effects. Maintenance BCG treatment of three instillations was scheduled and that is when BCG started to become a problem for me in terms of side effects.
The first set of maintenance BCG was three instillations, once per week, for three weeks. The first treatment was okay. The second treatment a week later added some significant pain and voiding issues. After the third treatment I was urinating pretty much every 15 minutes for the next day and then often for at least 20 days. I was experiencing pain, chills, loss of sleep and plenty of anxiety.
BCG Treatment Side Effects During Maintenance Therapy
The inflammatory side effects of the second round of maintenance BCG instillations three months later were even worse; constant need to urinate, painful urination, burning, voiding issues and blood lasting several days, and the side effects lingered for weeks. That is when I decided to try CBD oil. My urologist was not against it. At that time, the use of cannabis products had to be prescribed by a physician. I was approved for use and that’s when I started to ingest CBD oil. The physician prescribed an oil mix of 80% CBD and 20% THC.
Using CBD Oil for BCG Treatment Side Effects
My third round of BCG maintenance was scheduled again three months later. By then, I was using CBD oil as a supplement for two months. Although I experienced many of the same inflammatory BCG side effects after instillation, I was able to urinate with a little less pain. I believe that the CBD oil helped reduce the level of inflammation. It certainly helped with the anxiety I was experiencing with the difficulty and frequency of voiding. I noticed that I became more relaxed and less focused on the BCG side effects. Lastly, it increased my ability to get a good night’s sleep, again reducing any anxiety that I was facing during treatment.
CBD oil helped me continue BCG treatment for another year until I had to stop after twenty-one treatments. Cannabidiol (CBD) therapy may not be for everyone. It is important to always check with a medical professional before using CBD oil to ensure it will not interact negatively with any current medication, cancer medication or forms of treatment.
Support for People Living with Bladder Cancer
Living with bladder cancer and managing treatment side effects can feel overwhelming, but support is available. Bladder Cancer Canada offers educational resources, patient support programs, and information to help people navigate bladder cancer treatment and recovery with greater confidence.
