new nodes after 1st Ipi round?
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new nodes after 1st Ipi round?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › new nodes after 1st Ipi round?

  • Post
    • June 6, 2011 at 2:22 am
    TracyLee
    Participant

    Hi Y'all,

    I had my first Ipi a week ago. Tonight I found a new node, on the opposite side of my neck.  My "bad" side has the string of nodes, which seem to be swelling slightly but are not painful.

    I've not had any swollen nodes or issues on this side, and just had an MRI of my neck 2 weeks ago. It came back "ok" for this side.

    Has anyone else done Ipi, then had swelling in nodes that were previously clear? I'm trying hard not to panic and am praying that it means the Ipi is working on a potential future problem area.

    Thanks,

    Hi Y'all,

    I had my first Ipi a week ago. Tonight I found a new node, on the opposite side of my neck.  My "bad" side has the string of nodes, which seem to be swelling slightly but are not painful.

    I've not had any swollen nodes or issues on this side, and just had an MRI of my neck 2 weeks ago. It came back "ok" for this side.

    Has anyone else done Ipi, then had swelling in nodes that were previously clear? I'm trying hard not to panic and am praying that it means the Ipi is working on a potential future problem area.

    Thanks,

    TracyLee

    Stage IV 5/16/11 – scalp/neck/lungs

Viewing 11 reply threads
  • Replies
      • June 6, 2011 at 2:53 am
      FormerCaregiver
      Participant

      I feel that it is very early in your treatment with ipi (Yervoy) to assume anything about
      how you are responding. Swollen nodes might be a sign that your immune system is
      responding to treatment. However, they could also indicate that you might have an
      infection such as the common cold. It is difficult to be certain at the moment.

      Take care and try not to worry.

      Frank from Australia

      • June 6, 2011 at 2:53 am
      FormerCaregiver
      Participant

      I feel that it is very early in your treatment with ipi (Yervoy) to assume anything about
      how you are responding. Swollen nodes might be a sign that your immune system is
      responding to treatment. However, they could also indicate that you might have an
      infection such as the common cold. It is difficult to be certain at the moment.

      Take care and try not to worry.

      Frank from Australia

      • June 6, 2011 at 12:19 pm
      Carol Taylor
      Participant

      Tracy,

      I'm praying for you fearless leader. And I wish this part of your posse could be there to help you. Praying all is actually well and these nodes are OK.

      Lord, in Your mercy, make it so and let Tracy's nodes be fine and let her be a responder to ipi. Thanking You in advance. Amen.

      Grace and peace and let us know Tracy,

      Carol

      • June 6, 2011 at 12:19 pm
      Carol Taylor
      Participant

      Tracy,

      I'm praying for you fearless leader. And I wish this part of your posse could be there to help you. Praying all is actually well and these nodes are OK.

      Lord, in Your mercy, make it so and let Tracy's nodes be fine and let her be a responder to ipi. Thanking You in advance. Amen.

      Grace and peace and let us know Tracy,

      Carol

      • June 6, 2011 at 12:59 pm
      shellebrownies
      Participant

      TracyLee,

      Try not to worry overmuch. If you just had a scan that came up clean, it's more likely what Frank said: a response due to the ipi or perhaps just a cold. I wouldn't panic; let your doctor know, but I wouldn't panic. : )

      Hang in there, Fearless Leader! lol

      Michelle, wife of Don, Stage IV

      • June 6, 2011 at 12:59 pm
      shellebrownies
      Participant

      TracyLee,

      Try not to worry overmuch. If you just had a scan that came up clean, it's more likely what Frank said: a response due to the ipi or perhaps just a cold. I wouldn't panic; let your doctor know, but I wouldn't panic. : )

      Hang in there, Fearless Leader! lol

      Michelle, wife of Don, Stage IV

      • June 6, 2011 at 1:11 pm
      nicoli
      Participant

      TracyLee,

      I agree that this is too early to freak out. Tell your doctor.  Try to see this as an indication that the ipi is doing SOMETHING and this is your body's  reaction. Too early to freak out.

      As I and most here have not had ipi, you are truly LEADER OF THE PACK, GGRRR.

      (if you don't remember that song, please forgive my oldness.)

      Nicki, Stage 3b

      • June 6, 2011 at 1:11 pm
      nicoli
      Participant

      TracyLee,

      I agree that this is too early to freak out. Tell your doctor.  Try to see this as an indication that the ipi is doing SOMETHING and this is your body's  reaction. Too early to freak out.

      As I and most here have not had ipi, you are truly LEADER OF THE PACK, GGRRR.

      (if you don't remember that song, please forgive my oldness.)

      Nicki, Stage 3b

        • June 6, 2011 at 3:07 pm
        TracyLee
        Participant

        Aw, Nicki, I remember that song!   🙂

        • June 6, 2011 at 3:07 pm
        TracyLee
        Participant

        Aw, Nicki, I remember that song!   🙂

      • June 6, 2011 at 3:10 pm
      TracyLee
      Participant

      Thanks posse for calming me down! My husband was very sick with flu AND a sinus infection right when I got my first Ipi, so I may well be fighting off his crud.

      Or, as I choose to believe, Ipi is working ahead and keeping nodes from going bad.  I did call my doctor, who believes it's the Ipi working, too.

      Next Ipi on the 16th, so I can move on to NED status when I'm all done.

      God knows what I need, and He'll provide it.

      • June 6, 2011 at 3:10 pm
      TracyLee
      Participant

      Thanks posse for calming me down! My husband was very sick with flu AND a sinus infection right when I got my first Ipi, so I may well be fighting off his crud.

      Or, as I choose to believe, Ipi is working ahead and keeping nodes from going bad.  I did call my doctor, who believes it's the Ipi working, too.

      Next Ipi on the 16th, so I can move on to NED status when I'm all done.

      God knows what I need, and He'll provide it.

      • June 6, 2011 at 4:51 pm
      MichaelFL
      Participant

      As Frank stated, Yervoy takes time to work, so hopefully this node is most likely something else instead.

      Yervoy works by blocking a protein on the surface of T cells, which are the soldiers of the immune system and are called called cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, or CTLA-4. The protein inhibits the action of the T cells. Yervoy works by blocking CTLA-4 to help the body unleash the immune system.

      Your doc is also spot on, as for most patients, tumors don’t shrink immediately and may even grow, making it hard to tell if the drug is working.

      Please don't come down with the flu or a sinus infection either!

      Michael

      • June 6, 2011 at 4:51 pm
      MichaelFL
      Participant

      As Frank stated, Yervoy takes time to work, so hopefully this node is most likely something else instead.

      Yervoy works by blocking a protein on the surface of T cells, which are the soldiers of the immune system and are called called cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4, or CTLA-4. The protein inhibits the action of the T cells. Yervoy works by blocking CTLA-4 to help the body unleash the immune system.

      Your doc is also spot on, as for most patients, tumors don’t shrink immediately and may even grow, making it hard to tell if the drug is working.

      Please don't come down with the flu or a sinus infection either!

      Michael

        • June 6, 2011 at 6:38 pm
        NYKaren
        Participant

        Hi TracyLee, we're on the same Ipi schedule.  My second infusion is on the 16th too.

        I noticed that my melanoma (which is on my temple) seems to have spread in the last week, and the doctor's office did tell me that it often seems to get worse before it gets better.  

        Here's to the Ipi working for us and everyone else who's on it!

        Take care,

        Karen 

        • June 6, 2011 at 6:38 pm
        NYKaren
        Participant

        Hi TracyLee, we're on the same Ipi schedule.  My second infusion is on the 16th too.

        I noticed that my melanoma (which is on my temple) seems to have spread in the last week, and the doctor's office did tell me that it often seems to get worse before it gets better.  

        Here's to the Ipi working for us and everyone else who's on it!

        Take care,

        Karen 

        • June 6, 2011 at 8:05 pm
        dawn dion
        Participant

        Micheal you just said something that I have often wondered about.    I was on ipi and a month after I started had a new met.  My question has always been how do you know it isn't working?  I have never gotten a satisfactory answer to that, especially when they told me that the met was probabaly already there but to small to be seen on the CT scan.    The other thing you just said was don't get the flu or a sinus infection – I did get sick during that time frame – what if anything does that have to do with it?

        Hugs and Smiles

        Dawn

        • June 6, 2011 at 8:05 pm
        dawn dion
        Participant

        Micheal you just said something that I have often wondered about.    I was on ipi and a month after I started had a new met.  My question has always been how do you know it isn't working?  I have never gotten a satisfactory answer to that, especially when they told me that the met was probabaly already there but to small to be seen on the CT scan.    The other thing you just said was don't get the flu or a sinus infection – I did get sick during that time frame – what if anything does that have to do with it?

        Hugs and Smiles

        Dawn

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