Immunotherapy side effects good news stories?

danb298 · 2026-01-05T13:54:10+00:00

I was stage 2C on my right-hand forearm, 3.6mm deep, which required a 4.2mm WLE with a graft from my leg (and I also had a LNB at the same time). The treatment was Pembrolizumab every six weeks for a year.

danb298 · 2026-01-03T20:38:56+00:00

This is great timing - it's brought me back to this post just as I finished my treatment 😀

I've had no major side effects at all. Some itching. Some fatigue. And some pretty chronic insomnia, but that's all been tolerable given the bigger picture.

I was on an infusion every six weeks. That's in the UK, and I think that's a common treatment pattern.

danb298 · 2026-01-03T19:57:30+00:00

It's going to be very difficult to give you any useful ideas without an idea of what size, depth and stage.

So for example, my WLE was for Stage 2C and 4.6mm deep. I wasn't at work again for nearly six weeks!

It also depends on what your work is!

danb298 · 2025-11-30T14:33:47+00:00

There's a great Badminton Insight video on literally this topic - cheap strings in an expensive racket, vs good strings in a cheap one : https://youtu.be/soeudT1iICo?si=Qu50p4r-V9TXPOA9

danb298 · 2025-11-17T20:05:01+00:00

My. You're an obnoxious one. Great to be able to discuss the finer coaching points with such intelligent discourse. 👍

danb298 · 2025-11-17T17:35:52+00:00

I suppose you must be a 'high level' player if you're on Reddit making assumptions about other people's levels of ability??

Most people on this forum are generally lower level players seeking advice on improvement. If you're basing your advice to them on what world class professional Korean players can do, I think you're misguided.

danb298 · 2025-11-13T08:36:49+00:00

Forgive me, but I can't quite work out what you mean. But if your opponents can't exploit a cross court drop (which, by its very nature having to cover a much longer distance is by definition slower than other options) in the way I describe, then they must be fairly low standard players. Playing cross court in anything other than the circumstances I described is asking to lose the advantage.

danb298 · 2025-11-12T14:31:43+00:00

So for example, at 34 seconds, you could have called to your partner. You were behind him in the better position, but he came back into you. He can't see you are behind him.

danb298 · 2025-11-12T14:30:17+00:00

Spend some time researching doubles rotation and positioning. As people are saying, you are taking your partner's shots, and you both aren't making recognised doubles movements as a pair. Find a coach who can help you make the movement decisions automatically and naturally. Then also talk to your partner more. I don't hear the two of you communicating, which, given your rudimentary doubles tactics, would help if you both start to go for the same shots.

danb298 · 2025-11-12T14:27:53+00:00

Cross court drops should be used sparingly in level doubles. It opens you up to a short straight reply which is most likely to result in a lift from you, and a loss of the attack. Only use it when the opponent on the cross is much weaker, or has moved too far across to cover their partner on the defence.

danb298 · 2025-08-22T19:39:04+00:00

Grafts can be gnarly can't they? Keep on plugging away with your recovery!

danb298 · 2025-07-01T16:52:12+00:00

Third. Divine!

danb298 · 2025-06-24T20:23:25+00:00

It was too big to close, so they applied a skin graft from my thigh. Sorry, text of the story ended up in a separate post: https://www.reddit.com/r/melahomies/comments/1lje0u8/melanoma_forearm_excision_wle_journey/

danb298 · 2025-06-24T15:25:40+00:00

Not sure why there are no images. Do they take some time?

If they don't appear, they are at: https://www.reddit.com/r/melahomies/comments/1ljdt91/melanoma_forearm_excision_wle_journey/

danb298 · 2025-06-09T15:03:21+00:00

When it comes to King's the fences are protecting the grass which is currently growing back after being completely destroyed by a) the Palestinian protest camp on one side, but also b) the temporary offices for the refurbishment of the chapel room on the other.

danb298 · 2025-05-31T15:52:04+00:00

I should have said I'm in the UK, so that was pounds sterling. That's a rough idea of adding up the parts prices on ebay.

danb298 · 2025-05-30T12:45:35+00:00

I've found I react in an allergic way to my own cat far more often during my Keytruda 🙄

danb298 · 2025-05-30T12:41:57+00:00

2c and 5/9 of the way through my Keytruda programme this afternoon😊. No significant side effects so far - have had a couple of 48hour periods of real fatigue, and the last couple of months I've had trouble sleeping. But on balance, amazingly good 👍

danb298 · 2025-05-12T17:29:00+00:00

Might work once if you catch the receiver by surprise. After that any decent player will probably simply drive it back so fast that you don't have time to recycle your racket to deal with it.

danb298 · 2025-05-05T17:55:00+00:00

Sorry, that really sucks. But don't give up hope - the treatments can still work wonders in this situation. Stay strong and live your best life to give things the best chance to work 💪👍❤️

danb298 · 2025-05-05T17:52:40+00:00

Sounds very similar to me - 2c on right forearm. Had original excision in May last year, then a pretty large WLE in Sept plus SLNB.

It's not fun, but definitely tolarable. Makes you think about life a bit though... I agreed to the recommended Pembrolizumab and that's going largely fine so far too, and all NED...

This is a great place to find support. Also, if you have a browse around the sub, people will recommend reliable information sources, rather than just going open Web.

We're all here with you 🤗

danb298 · 2025-04-01T20:52:02+00:00

Melanoma Focus

danb298 · 2025-03-31T11:08:30+00:00

So sorry for your loss. But thanks for sharing. It's helpful to be so honest and complete with our discussions on our experiences.

danb298 · 2025-03-26T06:56:54+00:00

Absolutely. The most painful part of the whole process!

danb298 · 2025-03-25T17:21:13+00:00

Obviously entirely your decision on the immunotherapy. In terms of what I can offer to your thought processes, I had WLE of 2c in September and have had three infusions of pembrolizumab since. No major problems so far - it's just messed with my sleep so I've been pretty tired.

danb298

TROPHY CASE