Pembrolizumab and Fatigue: What Users Say (Page 2)

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

Pembrolizumab 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."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 4, 2025

Pembrolizumab for Breast Cancer "Side effects: unrelenting itching, increased nerve pain such as carpal and cubital tunnel pain, fasciculations, paresthesias, random sharp nerve pain strikes like I am being stabbed with an ice pick, joint pain, worsening of back and hip pain, arms feel heavy, leg and ankle swelling, abdominal pain, headaches, nausea, mouth sores, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, hair loss, increase in tinnitus. I have CRPS, and it has definitely caused an exacerbation of pain in that area! I don’t know if it’s working. I’ve been on it every 3 weeks for 1 year. I only have 1/2 to 1 day of feeling semi-OK within the 3-week cycle, and that is the day before the next infusion! I hope it’s working, but don’t know if it is. I think it’s worth a try if you can stand the side effects, but regardless, if you have an aggressive cancer diagnosis, you’ll do anything necessary or recommended in an effort to keep it from coming back!"

• Agg...
• November 11, 2024

Pembrolizumab "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."

• Ms ...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 2, 2024

For Colorectal Cancer "For the most part, my cancer is clearing up after 6 months of treatment. My thyroid is shot, I'm now on 50 mg Synthroid, I'm very tired, weak, fatigued most of the time, can't get in the direct sunlight because it stings, and could have a severe skin rash. I'm happy that my tumor went from 11 cm down to 7. Small hot spots have gone completely. Would I do it again, absolutely. It's a miracle drug!"

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

Pembrolizumab 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."

• Sta...
• August 22, 2024

Pembrolizumab 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."

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

Pembrolizumab 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

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