Keytruda side effects

I’m 78 year old male and had my left kidney removed with renal cell carcinoma on 9/24/2025. Today is 11/11/2025. I had my first Keytruda infusion on 11/7/2025, 400 mg.
Within 5 -7 hours I had severe muscle pan in both hands, arms and shoulders. I could not lift a water bottle with both hands for example.
I do have arthritis.
I took 40 mg prednisone that night and by morning I was so much better.
My oncologist doesn’t know what to do relative to Gavin the second infusion in 6 weeks. Trying to work with my rheumatologist to come up with a solution if I have a second infusion or whether the benefit of Keytruda is worth the pain.
What’s very frustrating to me is that there is no clear answer or direction. Don’t know what to do, if anything, at this point.

@mah7925
What degree of success did they have withe the nephrectomy? i.e., did they get all the cancer? Why are they having you take Keytruda?

@gangcarotid1 they removed the kidney and adrenal gland and the pathology showed negative margins. The Keytruda was recommended to boost my immune system to fight off any stray cancer cells.
My severe adverse reaction to Keytruda including other immunology drugs probably means I will stop immunology and pray!
I’ve changed my diet to keep my other kidney healthy.

I’m 78 year old male and had my left kidney removed with renal cell carcinoma on 9/24/2025. Today is 11/11/2025. I had my first Keytruda infusion on 11/7/2025, 400 mg.
Within 5 -7 hours I had severe muscle pan in both hands, arms and shoulders. I could not lift a water bottle with both hands for example.
I do have arthritis.
I took 40 mg prednisone that night and by morning I was so much better.
My oncologist doesn’t know what to do relative to Gavin the second infusion in 6 weeks. Trying to work with my rheumatologist to come up with a solution if I have a second infusion or whether the benefit of Keytruda is worth the pain.
What’s very frustrating to me is that there is no clear answer or direction. Don’t know what to do, if anything, at this point.

I am on Keytruda along with carboplatin and Taxol. After my first infusion I experienced aching from my knees on down at night while trying to sleep. Some people find relief from bone pain with Claritin and Pepcid AC. They are both histamine blockers. My second night I took Claritin and Pepcid before bed and had no pain or spasms. You might give it a try.
From the Keytruda I have experienced skin rashes and itching and have found it attacks the areas that had eczema as a child, so I think your supposition about Keytruda attacking areas that had previous inflammation may very well be correct.
Are you using the cold mittens and gloves during chemo to help prevent neuropathy? My oncologist also recommended 10mg L-glutamine/day and 100mg of Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxal phosphate, 5-P-5 form) to prevent neuropathy. If you do acupuncture for neuropathy I have read that the treatments should be weekly.
Do you think your treatment every 6 weeks could cause more side effects since it would be a higher dose than if administered every 3 weeks? I have wondered about that but not read anything to confirm my suspicions.
Hang in there!

I had a right nephrectomy in June 2025…DX: clear cell renal carcinoma. I started on Keytruda in July and get infusions every three weeks until next July. I had to stop taking Diclofenac, which I was taking for arthritis and told not take any anti-inflammatories due to possible bleeding. I have had a lot of bone and muscle pain and hurt with mobility. This has made sleeping difficult because I wake up to change positions.
My oncologist tells me to take Tylenol which does nothing. I never thought it would make me so irritable at times. Okay. That’s enough “boo-hooing” for one day. Suggestions???

@annie0180 there are some good discussions below regarding Claritin and Pepcid!

I had a right nephrectomy in June 2025…DX: clear cell renal carcinoma. I started on Keytruda in July and get infusions every three weeks until next July. I had to stop taking Diclofenac, which I was taking for arthritis and told not take any anti-inflammatories due to possible bleeding. I have had a lot of bone and muscle pain and hurt with mobility. This has made sleeping difficult because I wake up to change positions.
My oncologist tells me to take Tylenol which does nothing. I never thought it would make me so irritable at times. Okay. That’s enough “boo-hooing” for one day. Suggestions???