GramaA Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Starting Carbo+Alimta in 2 days. I’ve had it before so basically know the side effects. However, dr is adding Keytruda to the mix. Can anyone tell me your experience/side effects with that drug? I’m really nervous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexieCat Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Keytruda is awesome--greatly increases survival. I haven't had any side effects I can distinguish from Alimta or Carboplatin. There are a few people who can't tolerate it, but they are in the minority, I think. Seems like the most common side effects are fatigue, skin issues (e.g., rash), etc. Because it boosts the body's immune system, there's some risk that it will cause/aggravate autoimmune conditions. The docs will keep a careful eye out, and if it turns out you can't tolerate it for whatever reason, they will try something else. I wouldn't worry in advance about it, though. Chances are you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GramaA Posted April 3, 2021 Author Share Posted April 3, 2021 Thank you, LexieCat! This, and your other reply to the port, has greatly reduced my stress level! I have the tendency to Google drug side effects. NOT a good idea! Have a great day! Keeping you in my prayers!! A~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LouT Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 GramaA, Lexie is quick becoming one of our experts...great advice and support. Lou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steff Posted April 5, 2021 Share Posted April 5, 2021 GramaA, My mom was on Keytruda for about 1 year. She started with 6 doses of carbo + alimta + Keytruda and then went on to Keytruda alone. Her reactions to immunotherapy were similar for many folks - skin rash that drove her crazy with itching and some fatigue. She developed pneumonitis and paused Keytruda to take a bout of steroids to help with the inflammation, then resumed treatment again. Ultimately, after about 1 year, she developed severe colitis and had to stop treatment. She had been NED for about 7 months prior to stopping treatment. 3 years later, she is still NED and has been told that she is a low risk for another recurrence. As LexieCat said, Keytruda is awesome and helps so many folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GramaA Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 Steff, I’m sorry your mom had to go through all the difficulties, but wow!!! NED! That’s awesome! I’m just starting my journey and pray, one day, I, too, can say I’m NED! My one concern was that my dr originally prescribed Carbo+Taxotere+Keytruda. He then changed it to Alimta. He said he was changing it because he believed he could get me in “remission” with the Alimta. I hear Taxotere is very harsh. I’m not sure if I’m happy or not about this. I just want the cancer gone. I guess we’ll try the Alimta and see what happens. I know God is on my side, so I’ll ‘expect’ great results! Hugs and prayers to you and your mom! I pray she stays NED! A~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse L. Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 While I've never been on any type "Tax..." chemotherapy myself, I can honestly say that from everything I've read and heard the side effects can be considerably rougher than Alimta. Now, after having my first infusion yesterday with Carbo/Alimta I can honestly state that my side effects have been nearly non-existent. And I can't be happier about that. I slept probably 5 hours last night, been eating regularly with no stomach issues (yet), and maybe just have a bit of fatigue. From all the stories I've read not what I expected at all. I do keep in pretty good shape though; for example today I think I'll shoot for a four mile walk. And that's nothing for me...normally I will walk up to seven miles in a day. We'll see how it goes... One little tidbit I can throw your way is to drink lots of fluids, i.e. water, sports drinks (good for electrolyte loss), fruit juices, etc. From what medical tells me our bodies consider all chemotherapy harsh and expel the vast majority of it from our bodies in as little as 24 to 36 hours from infusion. Medical went on to explain that can be hard on the liver and kidneys so drink lots to help flush that stuff from your system. I myself am drinking over 100 ozs. a day...easily twice what I normally drink. Anything to get back to normal quicker... Of course with what they told me I did ask the question if our bodies excrete nearly everything from a single infusion in just a few days, how is it that they consider courses of treatment consecutively more taxing on the body? Well they stated there's just enough left infusion to infusion to continue the death of fast growing cells throughout an entire run of chemotherapy. Furthermore, it was also stated that all the fast growing cells (most importantly for us the cancer cells) in our body become so attuned to even the tiniest bit of chemotherapy, that if it is even detected near to them, they will die on their own...kind of like suicide really. The things you learn....wow! Wish you luck and good things...let us know how you're doing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GramaA Posted April 6, 2021 Author Share Posted April 6, 2021 Hi Jesse, My chemo went smoothly yesterday, too. Even the port access was easier than I thought. Being my 2nd go with chemo (2018 first time), I’m finding this to be the same so far. But it is only the 2nd day. I expect to be more tire and a bit of nausea (very mild) tomorrow and Thursday. I keep oyster crackers handy & by my bed and munch on them during the night. Yes! Definitely lots of fluids!! I had close to 100oz, also. I lost track as I had 8 bottles and then several glasses. I should’ve counted. Your last paragraph was pretty informative. Thanks! Best wishes and prayers to you, too! Rest!! 4 miles seems a lot...but I guess everyone is different. Big hugs! A~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse L. Posted April 6, 2021 Share Posted April 6, 2021 Well GramaA, I for one am hoping that my good fortune with chemotherapy side effects continues...the first 5 to 7 days after infusion are supposed to be the rough part they say. The clinic is calling me on 4/9 to see how I'm doing then and I have to go back in on 4/12 for blood draw and counts. I don't expect any problems... I try to stay in good shape; back before COVID I'd go to the gym 3 times a week for up to 1 and 1/2 hours weights and 45 min. cardio each time. While I haven't been doing that since 5/2021, I have been walking the country roads I live on a lot. Just "walking around my block" is 4.6 miles for me. And yes...the port is fantastic. My viens were stuck so many times in my hands and arms just for the biopsy and RLL lobectomy I had, that medical was kind of starting to eyeball my feet... I hear that really hurts when you stick those viens. Take care and keep in touch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GramaA Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 @Jesse L. Just checkin in. How are you feeling? 😘 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse L. Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Thank you much for your concern... Overall I guess I'm not too bad considering what with only minor problems noted last evening. My stomach just wasn't right and I had to take an anti nausea pill before I went to bed. Of course it just could have been my fault...perhaps spicy food for supper just could have put me over the edge...just saying. I'll have to tone that back I guess, but then maybe I should have been doing that anyway. I'm not indestructible anymore I guess... Woke up late, ate bland food for breakfast, and took one Tylenol this morning and now I'm better. I guess I just have to take care of my tummy so it can be my friend again. I hope all is going well for you...stay in touch. Take care! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GramaA Posted April 8, 2021 Author Share Posted April 8, 2021 Hi Jesse, I hope you’re feeling better by now. I’ve been very fortunate and never needed the nausea pills. I eat oyster crackers when I get an upset tummy. It ‘usually’ helps calm it. God spared me any significant side effects this round. Yesterday/today, little appetite and pretty tired. That’s about it. I’m sticking to yogurt, Premier Protein drinks, bread, and pudding. Oh...and ice cream! Tons of water and Gatorade. My neck area, above the port, seems to be more bothersome than anything. Talk about a literal ‘pain in the neck!’ It comes and goes. Praying things are back to normal by tomorrow afternoon. With all me experience, that’s usually the day. Keeping you in my prayers. Let’s keep in touch. Feel better and rest. 😉 It’ll get better. ❤️😘❤️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse L. Posted April 8, 2021 Share Posted April 8, 2021 Yes, I guess no more lots of onions, spicy steak sauce, Worcester sauce, etc. for me for a while. One thing I will say is that taking that Zofran pill just once shows me how effective it really is...I went from slight nausea to completely quiet stomach in a mere few minutes. And I'm so very happy about that! I absolutely despise nausea and what happens thereafter...so much so that I completely quit drinking some 40 years ago! I'm starting to get into just plain graham crackers now and that seems to be helping some. Well, I hope that everything continues to go well for you, a.k.a. dosen't get any worse... As to your neck pain with the port that should go away. Your port was installed not long ago after mine so if mine is any indication it should be almost unnoticeable within days. If it isn't as such I would get it checked out just to be on the safe side... Be talking to you soon...have to try a little exercise now. Got to keep the old body moving...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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