I wonder if anybody else has had the same symptoms, my last BCG treatment was six months ago since then I’ve been experiencing a lot of bleeding at one point bladder retention was in hospital Three days they flushed and sent me home, soon after it started again, I have been given three lots of antibiotics although no infection was present, the bleeding has now reduced a lot only when gardening etc, but all the time there has been a stinging when urinating and the feeling stinging when needing to urinate, I’m wondering if this is common, some advice would be much appreciated.
Regards.
Hi Penrhiw, I had 27 doses of BCG (the protocol at the time I was diagnosed) And my reaction to doses varied each time. Sometimes I got ghastly flu-like symptoms, sometimes soreness or stinging. Sometimes I hardly felt anything at all. Main point is that I was diagnosed in 2017, had 4 or 5 reoccurrences and subsequent TURBTs during the treatment which I completed in 2021, but since then I have been all clear. Currently NHS seems to recommend only 15 doses to protect from bladder inflammation, and there is no doubt my poor bladder looked pretty raw at cystoscopies for up to 2 years after treatment finished. However I remain cancer free and that's what it's all about really isn't it? I came to treat the 3 weeks of BCG doses as a time to spoil myself, flopping in front of tv instead of my normal active (quite self disciplined) lifestyle, eating quite a lot of yummy cake and generally allowing myself an easy, relaxed time while I coped with side effects. I almost looked forward to the 3 week treatments 
Now I am enjoying my healthy late 70s and grateful every day to whoever discovered that the BCG bacillus could trigger the auto-immune system and help fight the dreaded disease. I hope you will also recover good health. Sending love Hx
