Sharon93065

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away. Sharon Simi Valley, CA
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away. Sharon Simi Valley, CA
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I was stage 4 no surgery. tumors in lung, pelvis, lymph node, about 7 in all. I had yervoy/opdivo combo. After 2nd treatment bump on my lower back above waist gone! Only was able to have 3 of the 4 combos treatments 3 weeks apart due to toxic liver. After 5 months of prednisone, liver perfect. Then 2 years of opdivo maintenance every other week. 30 minute IV. Petscans every 3 months.
I had to go 7 months this time because of COVID. Cancer has not reappeared. My Kaiser oncologist said it has not reappeared in his other patients treated the same as me. Initially side effects, fatigue, rashes, I still take 125mg of thyroid meds. But I’m alive! I have had 5 brain mri’s in the 3 years. It did show some spots after the prednisone and no treatments for 5 months then they went away.
Have faith. Also i received lots and lots of prayer. I was only given 90 mg of opdivo for 2 years. Oncology nurses said i received the lowest dose they gave to any patient. Thank you all for this forum. Many of you helped me 3years ago! Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

Re: Stage 4 Starting IPI/NIVO Sharon93065 – (8/24/2020 – 1:56pm)
I have not been on this forum in months. I will say this is the place to get the help from others that have gone on before us.
2017 stage 4 metastatic melanoma. Received 3 of 4 Opdivo/Yervoy. Then high liver numbers. After 4 months of Prednisone I was
put on Opdivo maintenance for 24 months. Petscans every 3 months. Tumors in lung, groin, armpit, back etc. Gone! Started shrinking right away.
Then after 2 years we stopped treatments. As he did with other patients like me. Supposed to have petscans every 3 months. Had one 2 days after after
7 months. We kept me out of driving all the way to Kaiser Woodland Hills because of virus. Phone appt Wed to verify results. I asked how other patients
were doing, he said there were 5 like me and the beast did not come back. I still have to take 125 mg of thyroid every day.
In the beginning treatment gave me rashes. So treat with eczema cream. Also take Benadryl at night for them. I still have fatigue. But I’m retired.
So this treatment works! Oh also get brain MRI’s to make sure not spread to brain it does I read in 60% but he said radiation would zap that if that happens.
Stay positive! Immunotherapy and prayer heals!
Sharon, Simi Valley

I have not been on this forum in months. I will say this is the place to get the help from others that have gone on before us.
2017 stage 4 metastatic melanoma. Received 3 of 4 Opdivo/Yervoy. Then high liver numbers. After 4 months of Prednisone I was
put on Opdivo maintenance for 24 months. Petscans every 3 months. Tumors in lung, groin, armpit, back etc. Gone! Started shrinking right away.
Then after 2 years we stopped treatments. As he did with other patients like me. Supposed to have petscans every 3 months. Had one 2 days after after
7 months. We kept me out of driving all the way to Kaiser Woodland Hills because of virus. Phone appt Wed to verify results. I asked how other patients
were doing, he said there were 5 like me and the beast did not come back. I still have to take 125 mg of thyroid every day.
In the beginning treatment gave me rashes. So treat with eczema cream. Also take Benadryl at night for them. I still have fatigue. But I’m retired.
So this treatment works! Oh also get brain MRI’s to make sure not spread to brain it does I read in 60% but he said radiation would zap that if that happens.
Stay positive! Immunotherapy and prayer heals!
Sharon, Simi Valley

After second Yervoy/Opdivo treatment the large bump on back was totally gone! After 3rd combo treatment liver numbers high, had to stop. Prednisone for 4 months, then Opdivo every 2 weeks for 2 years. And as of Dec 2019 treatments stopped and I am NED!
Stay away from processed foods, more chicken fish, less beef pork. Stay away from sugar, they feed tumors. I did not have to but I have hear that marijuana products help with nausea etc.
I had insomnia, got a prescription for it. I was Stage 4, gone now. There is hope!
Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I asked before my Opdivo/Yervoy treatments. I was told I needed to protect my liver. After 3 combo treatments my liver numbers were toxic. And had to stop treatments. After 4 months of high does of Prednisone my liver numbers were normal enough to start the Opdivo maintenance. At that time I would have a occasional glass of wine. Every two weeks blood tests to look at ALT/AST numbers.
It had given me Hepatitis D (drug induced, like Tylenol etc) Everything ok now and I can drink a little.
But watch your liver health.
Sharon, Simi Valley, CA

I also have been absent from this forum for two long. I am NED and after 2 years of every two weeks Opdivo treatment is stopped.

Yeah us! PTL!
Sharon

I was only able to have 3 of the 4 combo treatments Yervoy/Opdivo but had to stop due to toxic liver. I would wake up at 2 am with rashes.
What really help me is the Trader Joes Tea Tree Oil, Peppermint, Eucalyptus Body Wash, Shampoo, Conditioner. With adding a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in it.
I would put the Body Wash all over and let it set for a few minutes. Same with shampoo, such a relief. Also Allegra non drowsy antihistamine helped with the rashes if I took in am.
Eczema Cream with colloidial oatmeal, adding a few drops of tea tree oil. These helped me and at times when I get some rashes on upper back chest I still do this.
Sharon Simi Valley, Ca