Keytruda and Fatigue: What Users Say (Page 2)

• JDS...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2024

For Urothelial Carcinoma "My maculopapular skin rash and itching symptoms increased to the point of being quite bothersome when the dose was increased from 200 mg q.3 weeks to 400 mg q.6 weeks. I am using 10 mg of Aller-Tec bid to control my itching and either 1% or 2.5% cortisone ointment for my rash. My hoarseness and dry cough increased as well. My paresthesia of my fingers is constant on both doses. I nap every afternoon for 1.5 hrs because of fatigue. I take Colace bid for bowel regularity. My upcoming MRI will shed some light as to how long Keytruda will be continued."

• Kik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2025

For Breast Cancer "Not really happy about the many side effects I am experiencing! Daily headaches, extreme fatigue, mild shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, sweating, feeling cold, nerve pain, bone, muscle, and joint pain, decreased appetite, abdominal pain that is always present and gets worse every time I eat, mucus in stools, nausea unrelated to eating, tingling and random stabbing nerve pain. I have 3 more treatments, and I’m finished unless the TNBC comes back. My oncologist has given me the choice to stop the Keytruda infusions if I can’t tolerate the side effects, but I’m afraid that the cancer will come back! The pathology report from my mastectomy showed a complete response to the chemotherapy and no positive sentinel or other lymph nodes, so at present, I am cancer-free. I want to stay that way, so I’ll keep doing the infusions unless my oncologist says they have to be stopped. I can’t describe if it worked or if it was the other chemotherapy drugs that worked. Despite side effects, I’ll continue."

• Agg...
• November 11, 2024

"I’ve now had 4 infusion treatments with Keytruda. The last CT showed that the bone lesions were stable. I’m hoping that the next bone scan will show that there has been healing in the impacted areas. I’m not having any unexpected adverse reactions to the drug. My CMP results are all within normal range, and my CBC continues to improve. One of my lesions was on the top of my skull (I was headed to a bit of a point), but now I can barely feel any difference in that area. While I did have several rounds of radiation therapy to all of the other lesions, I had no treatments in that area. My team chose Keytruda because genetic testing showed that I have a very high MSI, and other mutations, as does my HR+ cancer. My level of pain is tolerable, my appetite has somewhat decreased, and for a few days after infusion I do feel a bit more fatigued."

• Sta...
• August 22, 2024

For Breast Cancer "It is working... in combination with chemo. My tumors are shrinking. Lots of side effects. Colitis, nausea, blurred vision, muscle pain, headache, back pain, loss of energy... could be the chemo."

• Joh...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 25, 2024

For Non Small Cell Lung Cancer "Very good so far. Almost a year, and only now a loose stool. Not had too bad a time, some sleepiness, dizziness, fatigue."

• DJD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2024

For Melanoma, Metastatic "I have had 5 treatments so far. Side effects are minimal, mostly fatigue some days. I don't know how it is working yet to reduce the cancer but will be having a scan in a few weeks to determine that."

• Doc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 23, 2024

For Bladder Cancer "Weakness, colitis, neuropathy, dizziness, lack of energy. Cancer seems to be going away."