brianm

It has been over 5 years since my first dose. I just remember after the treatment and for about two days I would feel slow and muscles sore. After that, it was just the symptoms from the cancer to deal with.

I didn’t have nausea, but sometimes because of the tumors and morphine.

Hope that helps, I almost died and that combination made me cancer free. Started working on the tumors in about 7 weeks.

God bless you,
Brian

I went to SF from Reno to the Melanoma center at CPMC in SF.  Once I was diagnosed with stage 4, I used an Oncologist for my 4 nivo/opdivo treatments, then afer the first opdivo only treatment, I got a referrel to a Reno oncologist that works with my specialist in SF.   I go to SF for a second opinion and to talk to my specialist every 4 months, but take my every two week dose here in Reno.

So far it has worked well, and I get two opinions thoughout this treatment.

Thx,

For my lung tumor, I just had an incessant cough…..

Hope that helps

Not to be alarming, but I had a cough that was a tumor.  Opdivo didn't give me a cough. But it took some treatments to make it go away…

I also have this.  I can't belive the gas my body produces.  I think I have found something that helps some (but not all the way).  I got proactive yogurt (probiotic) and I eat one with each meal.  My theory is that either the treatment or antibiotices that I've had killed off the bugs in my digestive system.  Sometimes, when I do the probiotic yogurts, I have about 75% less gas.  It is anecdotal, but I keep using it.  Last night was really bad and I realized I hadn't had the probiotic for 3 days.  I had one and it slowly went away.  Had another one this morning.  You may want to try it.

I had a similar experience and was wondering the same thing as you.  I kept going to the emergency room and they kept saying the tumors were growing.  I think about a week after my second treatment, I ended up in the hostpital for really bad back pain.  They said there was fluid next to my spine and couldn't explain it. However on that CT scan, there was no change in tumor sizes.  Previous to that, some tumors were growing 4 cm every two weeks.   

I didn't quite notice at first that I was getting better, but soon, I could breathe in deeper, some of the bumps (tumors) that were popping up (on my shoulder and other places) seemed to not be there anymore.

So 9 days is really too soon.  Keep him alive and keep treating those side effects and buy him time for it to work.  If it is working, a few more weeks should show stablization.  (at least what it took from me).

The morphine is a life saver, but managing that is a problem also.  Hopefully you got the longer 12 hour versions of the medicine.  That stuff doesn't go without side effects either.  I became addicted physically to it and finall have worked out of it.  He definetly needs it now.  Hang in there.  I remember thinking the same things as you and worrying about it.  Just 9 days insn't quite enough.  You are probably in for several more visits to the ER as those things grow and cause havoc.  Hopefully after that, the immunology stuff will take hold.  Even if it does (I almost had it as bad as him), I'm sitting here 4 months later and there is much work and still pain to bear.  Side effects from medicine become the subject of the day as your cancer leaves you and you are left wondering what will be your new normal.  I'm still working on that.  You and your boyfriend are in my prayers.  It isn't a fun thing what you both are going through, but I sure know that he appreciates you being there.  Stay strong and you should see some miricles happen!

PS:  After the stuff started working, I was back at work between my 2nd and 3rd treatment. (About 5 weeks)…. With the help of morphine!

I asked my oncologist if I had to keep getting my skin checked for melanoma even though I was doing the 12 month opdivo plan.  He said, "Absolutley!"   The reason is, is that some skin melanomas aren't hooked up to your blood system and thus never get the medicine.  At least that is what he said.  He said that it was possible to get melanoma a second time by a new mole after treatment that hadn't been hooked up to the blood system.

I'm not a doctor and take it for what it is worth, but now I have to keep seeing a dermatologist.

 

I have backpain and am getting opdivo also.  My back pain is internal and almost like kidney problems but on both sides in the lower back.  Morphine seems to help some, but not all of the way.  

I am not thinking I've been sitting on my butt and my muscles are so weak that it gets that way.  It seems to come on at night after I've been laying down for a while.  But the last two nights it has been absent.  (Since I've started doing simple exercises with arms and going up and down stairs a few times.).  I don't know if this will solve the problem though…