I'd like to start by saying how glad I am to have discovered this forum -- I had been googling for info on inflammation following BCG. Thank you so much! I have learned more in the past few days than over the previous four months since being diagnosed with BC -- and from reading your posts, I still have a lot to experience and to learn.
I had a TURB on 4/13 to remove a papillary carcinoma and to laser out as much as possible of a Carcinoma In Situ (CIS?). Then four weeks later a round of 6 weekly BCG which concluded on 6/12. I'm scheduled for a cyto and possibly TURB exam on 7/19.
My concern is bleeding and severe pain, mainly in the urethra. The worst bleeding was as you might expect about a third of the way thru the BCG sessions -- a lot of large clots and blood one 12 hour period. My concern, however, is that now, nearly four weeks after my last BCG I'm still having pretty severe pain when voiding and occasional blood, although not too much. Is that pretty standard? :-\
Of course like most of the posts I have read my main concern is keeping my bladder because all Uro surgeons will tell you right up front that if two sessions of BCG don't work their recommendation is to remove the bladder and of course that's scary. The Dr. did mention the possibility of radiation and chemo but said it posed a high risk of allowing the cancer to spread.
Thanks again to all of you who have posted your personal experiences, thoughts and feelings. I appreciate you.
David Doyle
63 yrs old, still working
Houston, TX
(using Tri-Care Military health insurance - retired Navy Reserve)
