Yes, David, I seem to be a reluctant part of the cast in a strange bladder cancer scenario down here in New Bern, NC. Our Urology Clinic discontinued usage of Mitomycin C last year after the report of a death directly related to administration of Mitomycin C on a perforated bladder. And yes, after discussing this issue last year here at the forum, I am aware that no other clinics are taking the same drastic step of pulling this drug off the shelf.
As far as the psoriatic arthritic response to BCG goes, once again I feel to be in the bubble. Your Derma Doc is right, there is about .001% chance of this reaction in the general population. When the arthritis hit me (after 10th instillation) and I came here to the forum to talk about what was happening, I was told that I was frightening people. I can tell you that I was more frightened than anyone else!! (Point taken, it is not my intent to discourage people from treatment) 2 weeks after the 10th instillation, and after having taken good exercise the night before, I woke up the next morning and I couldn't walk!! The good news for you is that you and your Doctor have a head's up on the possiblilites of this reaction. Even after this happened to me, I had to search and search and research to find documentation on the Internet and write to Dr. Lamm to hear his expert opinion about this BCG reaction and then, I had to convince my Doctor what was causing this sudden, severe arthritis. That was no easy job either!!
I have very little placque psoriasis on my body, just a little at the hairline and on the elbows. I rarely ever bother to medicate it. So, the amount of psoriatic placque probably has nothing to do with the amount of reaction...
Just by the by, I'm also having other chronic immune system issues as a result of BCG. Yeast infections, vaginal infections, etc, though I haven't had a sinus infection in a while, and the arthritis is MUCH more tolerable.....I will say it again, and not to frighten anyone, because remember, I am in a bubble that no one else seems to be in, but BCG did a number on me.
Still, I am glad that I did the 12 treatments and I would do it again....
Gosh, it's good to talk to you....thanks for listening...good luck with your treatments. Don't let me frighten you, but, I'm glad that since it happened to me, you have more of chance to see it coming, if it comes....
Your Bud,
Ro