Welcome to the Forum! You will find a LOT about BCG here. Especially under the topic Non-Invasive...at the very top of the discussions there are several long threads on BCG that we saved permanently there because so many of us have, or are, receiving it.
First, take a deep breath. It is very likely that there is nothing major wrong and the symptoms you are having are not uncommon. BCG is meant to cause an immune response in the bladder lining, which causes it to shed all the cancer cells there. This often results in a LOT of irritation on the bladder surface, which is probably the cause of your symptoms. Several times my BCG treatments had to be delayed because I had "BCG cystitis" or irritation in the bladder.
Fatigue is a common side effect, as you will read. The GOOD news is that these symptoms indicate that your body is taking up the challenge and that the BCG is causing immune responses in the bladder.
If the symptoms become too uncomfortable, it is possible for your doctor to reduce the dose significantly. There have been studies which show that even 1/10 the initial dose is effective. By the time I finished the entire two year regimen I was on 1/3 the initial dose. Please discuss this with your urologist.
Some patients find the treatments too uncomfortable to continue. If, after a trial with a reduced dose, the discomfort is still too much to handle, you can, of course, stop the treatments. You will still gain the advantage of the response that you are showing now.
I went through the entire series, at a reduced dose, and have now been cancer-free for over 7 years. I am so glad that I did this. The results can be well worth it!
Best of luck to you
Sara Anne
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