› Forums › General Melanoma Community › is anyone taking keytruda, if so, what about the side effects
- This topic has 18 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 7 months ago by
bessiesue.
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- January 12, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Yes.
Initial side effects were a mild tiredness after the infusion (might just be from the long day at my oncologist's office).
I have always had dry skin, mostly on my fingers (dry, cracked, red) and Pembro seems to exacerbate it. After about 8-9 infusions (during which I was stable, with potential mild growth or inflamation – Docs couldn't say) my whole hands, bottoms of my feet and a few other patches all began getting very dry. It was as if the dryness from my fingers had spread. Right now, my hands (the bottoms) and some of my feet are dry, itchy and cracked. I wear gloves at night to cope and moisturizing very often. It's not that terrible though.
During my last scan, this time a PET (previous scans from starting Pembro were all Bone/CT), they did not find any metabolic activity suggesting cancer.
I have not experienced colitis, liver inflammation or other major side effects and am frequently listed as "tolerating very well."
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- January 12, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Yes.
Initial side effects were a mild tiredness after the infusion (might just be from the long day at my oncologist's office).
I have always had dry skin, mostly on my fingers (dry, cracked, red) and Pembro seems to exacerbate it. After about 8-9 infusions (during which I was stable, with potential mild growth or inflamation – Docs couldn't say) my whole hands, bottoms of my feet and a few other patches all began getting very dry. It was as if the dryness from my fingers had spread. Right now, my hands (the bottoms) and some of my feet are dry, itchy and cracked. I wear gloves at night to cope and moisturizing very often. It's not that terrible though.
During my last scan, this time a PET (previous scans from starting Pembro were all Bone/CT), they did not find any metabolic activity suggesting cancer.
I have not experienced colitis, liver inflammation or other major side effects and am frequently listed as "tolerating very well."
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- January 12, 2016 at 1:55 pm
Yes.
Initial side effects were a mild tiredness after the infusion (might just be from the long day at my oncologist's office).
I have always had dry skin, mostly on my fingers (dry, cracked, red) and Pembro seems to exacerbate it. After about 8-9 infusions (during which I was stable, with potential mild growth or inflamation – Docs couldn't say) my whole hands, bottoms of my feet and a few other patches all began getting very dry. It was as if the dryness from my fingers had spread. Right now, my hands (the bottoms) and some of my feet are dry, itchy and cracked. I wear gloves at night to cope and moisturizing very often. It's not that terrible though.
During my last scan, this time a PET (previous scans from starting Pembro were all Bone/CT), they did not find any metabolic activity suggesting cancer.
I have not experienced colitis, liver inflammation or other major side effects and am frequently listed as "tolerating very well."
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- January 15, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Thank you so much, very helpful information. My husband is stage 3c, melanoma found in 2014 that had mets to the sential nodes in the groin, they removed them. He had a CT scan in Oct that showed 4 densitys in his thigh. 3 positive biopsys. They are going to repeat the Scan next month and are talking about using keytruda. I hope that you are doing well, and continue to do so.
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- January 15, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Thank you so much, very helpful information. My husband is stage 3c, melanoma found in 2014 that had mets to the sential nodes in the groin, they removed them. He had a CT scan in Oct that showed 4 densitys in his thigh. 3 positive biopsys. They are going to repeat the Scan next month and are talking about using keytruda. I hope that you are doing well, and continue to do so.
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- January 15, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Thank you so much, very helpful information. My husband is stage 3c, melanoma found in 2014 that had mets to the sential nodes in the groin, they removed them. He had a CT scan in Oct that showed 4 densitys in his thigh. 3 positive biopsys. They are going to repeat the Scan next month and are talking about using keytruda. I hope that you are doing well, and continue to do so.
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- January 12, 2016 at 5:11 pm
I have been taking Keytruda since October. I have had very few side effects. I have been sick and fatigued, but the doctors are attributing that more to pneumonia and a collapsed lung, rather than the Keytruda. After treatment number three my skin itched for about a week and then it just stopped. Been relatively easy drug to be on. I should find out today if the drug is working after getting recent scans…hopefully yes!
Good luck!
Stage IV with brain, lung and small intestine mets
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- January 12, 2016 at 5:11 pm
I have been taking Keytruda since October. I have had very few side effects. I have been sick and fatigued, but the doctors are attributing that more to pneumonia and a collapsed lung, rather than the Keytruda. After treatment number three my skin itched for about a week and then it just stopped. Been relatively easy drug to be on. I should find out today if the drug is working after getting recent scans…hopefully yes!
Good luck!
Stage IV with brain, lung and small intestine mets
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- January 12, 2016 at 5:11 pm
I have been taking Keytruda since October. I have had very few side effects. I have been sick and fatigued, but the doctors are attributing that more to pneumonia and a collapsed lung, rather than the Keytruda. After treatment number three my skin itched for about a week and then it just stopped. Been relatively easy drug to be on. I should find out today if the drug is working after getting recent scans…hopefully yes!
Good luck!
Stage IV with brain, lung and small intestine mets
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- January 13, 2016 at 9:43 pm
I have been on Keytruda since July, and have had something like 9 infusions now I think…I lost count.
The side effects I have experienced have been so mild they are hardly noticeable. Some fatigue that comes and goes without warning, but which isn't debilitating at all. Usually a short nap helps a lot. A little joint pain, mainly in my knees, and my feet and ankles sometimes hurt when I get up in the morning.
Dry skin, and a very mild, itchy rash that is nowhere near as bad as what I got with ipi. I was on prednisone for several months because of that, and with Keytruda the itching is so mild that I haven't had to take steroids at all.
No stomach or gastric issues at all. Right now I'm having no ill effects from the cancer, and no ill effects from the treatment. If it wasn't for this medi-port on my chest, I wouldn't even know I was sick!
-Bill
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- January 13, 2016 at 9:43 pm
I have been on Keytruda since July, and have had something like 9 infusions now I think…I lost count.
The side effects I have experienced have been so mild they are hardly noticeable. Some fatigue that comes and goes without warning, but which isn't debilitating at all. Usually a short nap helps a lot. A little joint pain, mainly in my knees, and my feet and ankles sometimes hurt when I get up in the morning.
Dry skin, and a very mild, itchy rash that is nowhere near as bad as what I got with ipi. I was on prednisone for several months because of that, and with Keytruda the itching is so mild that I haven't had to take steroids at all.
No stomach or gastric issues at all. Right now I'm having no ill effects from the cancer, and no ill effects from the treatment. If it wasn't for this medi-port on my chest, I wouldn't even know I was sick!
-Bill
-
- January 13, 2016 at 9:43 pm
I have been on Keytruda since July, and have had something like 9 infusions now I think…I lost count.
The side effects I have experienced have been so mild they are hardly noticeable. Some fatigue that comes and goes without warning, but which isn't debilitating at all. Usually a short nap helps a lot. A little joint pain, mainly in my knees, and my feet and ankles sometimes hurt when I get up in the morning.
Dry skin, and a very mild, itchy rash that is nowhere near as bad as what I got with ipi. I was on prednisone for several months because of that, and with Keytruda the itching is so mild that I haven't had to take steroids at all.
No stomach or gastric issues at all. Right now I'm having no ill effects from the cancer, and no ill effects from the treatment. If it wasn't for this medi-port on my chest, I wouldn't even know I was sick!
-Bill
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- January 15, 2016 at 3:46 am
I will have my 18th dose on the 20th. Side effects for me have been mild. Some colitis and dermitis but all tolerable. I do have fatigue that's irregular. But that could be from being a mom too! I wish you all the best!
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- January 15, 2016 at 3:46 am
I will have my 18th dose on the 20th. Side effects for me have been mild. Some colitis and dermitis but all tolerable. I do have fatigue that's irregular. But that could be from being a mom too! I wish you all the best!
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- January 15, 2016 at 3:46 am
I will have my 18th dose on the 20th. Side effects for me have been mild. Some colitis and dermitis but all tolerable. I do have fatigue that's irregular. But that could be from being a mom too! I wish you all the best!
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