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Back pain

Forums Cutaneous Melanoma Community Back pain

  • Post
    studiodad
    Participant
      Received 2d infusion of Opdivo today for stage 4 subcutaneous melanoma. After first infusion 28 days ago, no side effects except for exhaustion. Today, all blood work was good but a strange thing occurred 7 minutes into the treatment. I experienced excruciating low back pain. The extra sharp pain was constant and continued until a sedative and steroid were injected through my IV. After waiting about 30 minutes, the infusion
      Continued, but at a slower rate. I can’t fully explain the severity of this pain. One nurse said she had been in the lab 11 years and never witnessed this. She later said it happens in 50% of infusions and later said 90@ of them. She didn’t know what to do and called for assistance. Four other nurses responded and seemed to understand what to do. I did completer the infusion. Next month (28 days) they will give me a prior dose of Benadryl and infuse at a slower rate. I am home now and feel well except for the always present exhaustion. One last note, the supervising nurse told my nurse that this was the second batch of Opdivo this afternoon that caused a severe reaction soon after the medicine was infused. Has anyone experienced this back pain during infusion?

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    • Replies
        JudiAU
        Participant
          I’m sorry to hear about such a hard day. Do you know the rate it was given? The time period? There was an earlier post about a bad reaction when they sped up the rate at which they administered the drug.
          Sdmotorcop
          Participant
            I had number 4 on Monday. They infused over 30 minutes with a 10 minute flush. No back pain while infusion was given. The exhaustion is a little worse but not debilitating. I was having polymyalgia rheumatica symptoms and was sent to a rheumatologist who prescribed 10 mg of prednisone. The only thing I have noticed after this round was blurry eyes the day after. It went away about 6 hours I got up. Hang in there!
            Shannon39
            Participant
              This has not happened to me but the nurses at the clinic I go to have seen this happen. It is usually the 2nd or 3rd infusion about 10 minutes in. Those patients now take benadryl prior to going and the infusion is completed over a longer period of time. I hear the pain is excruciating. I hope the benadryl helps next time.
              MelanomaMike
              Participant
                StudioDad! Im glad to hear your settling in with your Opdivo! Youve come along way since the days of your Hesitation to start it!!…
                Lower back pain? Sounds like your infusion chair, recliner or bed sucks! Being in an uncomfortable setting can trigger back pain but what do i know, im just a Melanoma stiff….hope it subsides, thats a bummer…
                  Edwin
                  Participant
                    At my cancer center infusion chairs are too deep for my legs. To avoid back problems during infusions I fold a pillow in half and put it behind my back.
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