Am I just a wimp?

Fatigue is very common and probably a side effect that doesn't get mentioned as often as other more serious ones. I have felt fatigued since the very first infusion. I get tired during the day much faster than I ever used to. I had to change my schedule at work to start later in the morning because it's wayyy harder for me to wake up and get going as quickly as I used to. I don't have kids yet, so I can only imagine how much more that would add to feeling drained. You might need to cut back time at work, like I did. I work about 5-6 hours a day now, I used to work 8 hours a day. Financially it's been difficult and I try really hard to work as much as I can, but I also try to listen to my body and when it's done it's done and I need to give it rest. 

When I've told my oncologist about my fatigue, she said that's typical, some patients get more fatigued than others. She said if I get fatigued to the point that I can't get out of bed at all then that's a problem that would need further investigating. 

I will say the fatigue gets better the farther out from the infusion you get. But, with the first 4 main doses, for me anyway, I would feel almost close to normal the week before the next infusion and then BAM infusion time and back to feeling like a snail. I am now on maintenance doses so they are 3 months apart which has helped me regain more of my normal energy levels. My next infusion is in a couple of weeks and I am trying to work a bunch and get lots of errands and cleaning done before it comes because I know I'm going to be back to feeling pretty darn tired.

Let your onc know about your fatigue and any other symptoms, always keep your doc in the loop. It is possible the other medications you're on are contributing to the fatigue, but I don't know as much about those. Your onc should definitely know about any and all medications and supplements you take.

This will all go by faster than it seems, take care of yourself and rest up as much as you can.

Fatigue is very common and probably a side effect that doesn't get mentioned as often as other more serious ones. I have felt fatigued since the very first infusion. I get tired during the day much faster than I ever used to. I had to change my schedule at work to start later in the morning because it's wayyy harder for me to wake up and get going as quickly as I used to. I don't have kids yet, so I can only imagine how much more that would add to feeling drained. You might need to cut back time at work, like I did. I work about 5-6 hours a day now, I used to work 8 hours a day. Financially it's been difficult and I try really hard to work as much as I can, but I also try to listen to my body and when it's done it's done and I need to give it rest. 

When I've told my oncologist about my fatigue, she said that's typical, some patients get more fatigued than others. She said if I get fatigued to the point that I can't get out of bed at all then that's a problem that would need further investigating. 

I will say the fatigue gets better the farther out from the infusion you get. But, with the first 4 main doses, for me anyway, I would feel almost close to normal the week before the next infusion and then BAM infusion time and back to feeling like a snail. I am now on maintenance doses so they are 3 months apart which has helped me regain more of my normal energy levels. My next infusion is in a couple of weeks and I am trying to work a bunch and get lots of errands and cleaning done before it comes because I know I'm going to be back to feeling pretty darn tired.

Let your onc know about your fatigue and any other symptoms, always keep your doc in the loop. It is possible the other medications you're on are contributing to the fatigue, but I don't know as much about those. Your onc should definitely know about any and all medications and supplements you take.

This will all go by faster than it seems, take care of yourself and rest up as much as you can.

Fatigue is very common and probably a side effect that doesn't get mentioned as often as other more serious ones. I have felt fatigued since the very first infusion. I get tired during the day much faster than I ever used to. I had to change my schedule at work to start later in the morning because it's wayyy harder for me to wake up and get going as quickly as I used to. I don't have kids yet, so I can only imagine how much more that would add to feeling drained. You might need to cut back time at work, like I did. I work about 5-6 hours a day now, I used to work 8 hours a day. Financially it's been difficult and I try really hard to work as much as I can, but I also try to listen to my body and when it's done it's done and I need to give it rest. 

When I've told my oncologist about my fatigue, she said that's typical, some patients get more fatigued than others. She said if I get fatigued to the point that I can't get out of bed at all then that's a problem that would need further investigating. 

I will say the fatigue gets better the farther out from the infusion you get. But, with the first 4 main doses, for me anyway, I would feel almost close to normal the week before the next infusion and then BAM infusion time and back to feeling like a snail. I am now on maintenance doses so they are 3 months apart which has helped me regain more of my normal energy levels. My next infusion is in a couple of weeks and I am trying to work a bunch and get lots of errands and cleaning done before it comes because I know I'm going to be back to feeling pretty darn tired.

Let your onc know about your fatigue and any other symptoms, always keep your doc in the loop. It is possible the other medications you're on are contributing to the fatigue, but I don't know as much about those. Your onc should definitely know about any and all medications and supplements you take.

This will all go by faster than it seems, take care of yourself and rest up as much as you can.

The plan is for the Yervoy/Ipi to trigger your immune system. As everyone's immune system is different, so are the side effects.

Maybe some time in the future they will be able to run a battery of tests and then predict for an individual which immunotherapies will work, which won't and the possible side effects of the ones that should work. We are nowhere near that point yet.

Before I started Yervory/Ipi (3mg/kg, four infusions) I was told that only 15% of people were 'responders', so for many people there is no effect. Others have side effects but no response against the melanoma cells.

Then there is what I call the 'other stuff'. I am phobic of doctors/hospitals. Any visit to a hospital, even a scan or a consultation with a doctor, leaves me very tired. I guess it is emotional exhaustion.

Here are some suggestions:

Do you have a juicer? I never thought I would buy one but it did/does help me eat more healthily. When my appetite was poor, I could face a driink more than a plate of food, especially if that food was vegetables!

Are you being unrealistic about what you 'should' be able to do? I would never have expected to have worked on a day I had my infusion. I know I am twice your age (56) and I have psychological issues to deal with, but it would not have occurred to me not to take the whole day off.

What about 'me' time? Most of the people I know with two/three children, even if they are totally healthy, have almost no 'me' time. You need 'me' time to recover from the psychological and physiological impacts of the treatment.

The plan is for the Yervoy/Ipi to trigger your immune system. As everyone's immune system is different, so are the side effects.

Maybe some time in the future they will be able to run a battery of tests and then predict for an individual which immunotherapies will work, which won't and the possible side effects of the ones that should work. We are nowhere near that point yet.

Before I started Yervory/Ipi (3mg/kg, four infusions) I was told that only 15% of people were 'responders', so for many people there is no effect. Others have side effects but no response against the melanoma cells.

Then there is what I call the 'other stuff'. I am phobic of doctors/hospitals. Any visit to a hospital, even a scan or a consultation with a doctor, leaves me very tired. I guess it is emotional exhaustion.

Here are some suggestions:

Do you have a juicer? I never thought I would buy one but it did/does help me eat more healthily. When my appetite was poor, I could face a driink more than a plate of food, especially if that food was vegetables!

Are you being unrealistic about what you 'should' be able to do? I would never have expected to have worked on a day I had my infusion. I know I am twice your age (56) and I have psychological issues to deal with, but it would not have occurred to me not to take the whole day off.

What about 'me' time? Most of the people I know with two/three children, even if they are totally healthy, have almost no 'me' time. You need 'me' time to recover from the psychological and physiological impacts of the treatment.

The plan is for the Yervoy/Ipi to trigger your immune system. As everyone's immune system is different, so are the side effects.

Maybe some time in the future they will be able to run a battery of tests and then predict for an individual which immunotherapies will work, which won't and the possible side effects of the ones that should work. We are nowhere near that point yet.

Before I started Yervory/Ipi (3mg/kg, four infusions) I was told that only 15% of people were 'responders', so for many people there is no effect. Others have side effects but no response against the melanoma cells.

Then there is what I call the 'other stuff'. I am phobic of doctors/hospitals. Any visit to a hospital, even a scan or a consultation with a doctor, leaves me very tired. I guess it is emotional exhaustion.

Here are some suggestions:

Do you have a juicer? I never thought I would buy one but it did/does help me eat more healthily. When my appetite was poor, I could face a driink more than a plate of food, especially if that food was vegetables!

Are you being unrealistic about what you 'should' be able to do? I would never have expected to have worked on a day I had my infusion. I know I am twice your age (56) and I have psychological issues to deal with, but it would not have occurred to me not to take the whole day off.

What about 'me' time? Most of the people I know with two/three children, even if they are totally healthy, have almost no 'me' time. You need 'me' time to recover from the psychological and physiological impacts of the treatment.