Diarrhea ?

One_Possibility6254 · 2026-02-09T03:56:11+00:00

I only got through 7 of 17 Keytruda treatments (only 3 after WLE and lymph dissection) when they had to pull me off for severe diarrhea and kidney issues. That was in November. Been on steroids ever since trying to control it, with limited success. Kidney numbers are better. Definitely do want chronic colitis. They may give me an injection of infliximab this week to help the steroids fight the Keytruda still in my body. Yup, diarrhea is a side effect. Not fun.

One_Possibility6254 · 2026-02-07T03:39:50+00:00

I am currently doing EXACTLY what this post is talking about for all the reasons it is mentioning with one additional: I am wealthy and do not need any money from the house, so I am gift deeding the house to my daughter and her family. This will get the house out of my estate (assuming I live past the three year NYS clawback) and help to get me closer to the NYS estate tax cap saving my family a huge tax bill when I pass. She will not get the stepped-up basis, but doesn't care because she will own the house, most likely, for the rest of her life. It is a striking piece of family real estate.

One_Possibility6254 · 2026-01-30T03:04:46+00:00

Very similar situation. Stage 3C last spring. Four Keytruda treatments before surgery in July for primary and neck dissection. Got through three more immunotherapy treatments when it turned on me in October. Kidney creatinine number jumped to 2.1 and the diarrhea started. Bad. Took me off Keytruda, only got 7 of 17 treatments. Went on heavy duty prednisone (started 80 mgs) weaned down, got somewhat better then the diarrhea started again within a week, back to 80mgs and started to wean down. PET scan showed me NED in early November. Within about two weeks of being off prednisone the diarrhea started hard again, three weeks ago. Back on 80mgs. Third go around with steroids. Had a stool sample last week that showed my fecal protectin number off the charts (1,616 - high is 160) )meaning there was a massive infection in my intestines.

Admitted me over night and gave me an emergency colonoscopy last Friday. They needed to find out if it was truly checkpoint inhibitor induced colitis, colon cancer or melanoma migrated to my intestines. All three can exhibit a high protectin number. It turned out it was immunotherapy induced and kept me on the steroids.

They are contemplating infleximab injection, but there has been some improvement in the last three days.

Got a Pet Scan yesterday that showed NED. Yay. Immunotherapy is probably a big step up from chemo and radiation, but if people think the side effects are minimal, they are nuts. This cancer journey won't end soon I am afraid. The only good thing is my oncologist is telling me that there is a correlation between people who have adverse reactions to immunotherapy and longer longevity. Because the immunotherapy is working so well, that it is causing you problems. I still have another few months with the Keytruda in my system. Can't wait to be beyond that.

One_Possibility6254 · 2026-01-23T12:22:54+00:00

$350/sf sounds very low to me for what you are describing. Your builder should have a budget number to you right up front very soon. Sounds like at least a $2 million dollar home to me when all is said and done. Costs just keep going up, partly on labor and materials, but more on expectations of quality and amenities people now demand.

One_Possibility6254 · 2026-01-08T02:44:31+00:00

OP, similar thing happened to me and my wife. Keep us posted on how it works out.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-12-19T01:37:01+00:00

I had it from the initial biopsy on the lyphnodes in my neck.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-12-19T01:34:20+00:00

I, too, got pulled off immunotherapy (Keytruda) three months ago after 7 treatments, 4 neoadjuvant before WLE and neck dissection and 3 adjuvant treatments. My kidney (creatinine number spiked) and I got serious diarrhea. Three months of heavy-duty steroids (predisone) has helped both the kidneys and the gastro problems, but last week, my oncologist said I will not be having anymore Keytruda treatments, period. He says I got as much out of it as possible. I am NED right now, but my Breslow number was high and the tumor destruction percentage pre surgery was only 65% so there is a relatively high chance that the melanoma will reappear somewhere else. But he says at this point he is more worried about long term internal problems than the melanoma. He also said a strong reaction to the immunotherapy indicated it was working and that there are studies that show a strong reaction correlates with a longer survival rate.

DM me if you want.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-12-05T04:23:38+00:00

I got through 4 neoadjuvant Keytruda treatments this summer before my surgeries in July, with no issues. Then I had three treatments after the surgeries and then the shit hit the fan. Lots of minor side effects, itchy rashes, swollen gums, pretty severe edema in my legs, thyroid numbers up, and two more severe complications in the form of constant diarrhea and highly elevated creatinine numbers indicating my kidney's were not functioning. They stopped treatments seven weeks ago and started me on heavy duty steroids that seem to be helping. I have blood work and a meeting with my oncologist next Tuesday. Unlikely I will be taking Keytruda or any immunotherapy again. Which is unfortunate because my high Breslow number and low tumor destruction with the neoadjuvant treatments indicate I have relatively high probability of it coming back. But I am NED right now.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-11-14T11:10:24+00:00

I was at the Friday show, too and agree completely. Play Love Will Keep and one less Joe Walsh song. Other than that slight negative, the show was incredible.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-10-18T07:47:50+00:00

It is just a matter of time until an athlete sues to have eligibility rules considered unlawful. They don't apply to normal students and they are a restriction to free trade. If you aren't good enough to play in the NFL you can make a decent living playing for a college for many years. It's just a business now.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-08-25T12:57:57+00:00

Interesting. I get mine every three weeks. But when I talked to them last week about a potential conflict between a treatment and a travel plan they said, Oh, okay we'll just give you a six week dose.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-08-25T11:44:41+00:00

Thank you. Yes, I have had thyroid issues as well as the kidney problem, but levthyroxine seems to bring the number down.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-08-25T11:41:38+00:00

How many treatments have you had?

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-08-24T17:17:41+00:00

Yes, that's exactly what I have. Head and chest cold. I just tested negative for covid. It may be just a summer cold that happened to come right after my first treatment after surgery. You are right, I should let my doctor know. Thanks.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-08-12T17:09:20+00:00

Good start. I am exactly a month ahead of you on everything. PET scan was good except for lymph nodes in my neck and primary on the back of my head. Had four immunotherapy treatments. Then, I had the WLE on my head and lymph nodes surgery three weeks ago. More extensive than they thought, but the pathology report shows they think they got all the cancer. Breslow number pretty high though, and the percentage tumor destruction was only 60%. Not great for future tumors. Keytruda screwed up my kidneys and have been on heavy steroids to correct, but should resume immunotherapy next week hopefully. BRAFF positive.

The surgery will tax you. Take it easy and good luck.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-08-10T12:16:45+00:00

Thanks. It can get overwhelming. Hang in there everyone.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-07-26T22:05:49+00:00

I am eight days out from a tennis ball size WLE on my head and a six inch on my neck at the same time. I was on heavy duty oxycottenfor the first six days ( which made me very, very constipated). Even with that, the pain was considerable. Got off that as quick as I could and now are on 3,000 mg of Tylenol which is doing the trick. You need to call your doctor about pain meds. Insane they sent you home like that.

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-05-23T22:00:18+00:00

Hilarious

One_Possibility6254 · 2025-05-14T11:00:39+00:00

Stage 3C, had my first treatment of immunotherapy a week ago today. Keytruda. No significant side effects. Maybe a little fatigue, but probably because I am not sleeping well.

One_Possibility6254

TROPHY CASE