@zxc142 what side effects did you have that made you go off keytruda?
I have been on keytruda since 2021 and will remain on it for life. My oncologist says melanoma hides and if I am off keytruda it will come back with a vengeance.
So I am in remission right now but I am suffering so badly with:
1. Severe breathlessness when barely walking 20-30 feet. As soon as I sit down I can breath perfectly. I use my nebulizer as a rescue inhaler as the inhalers are not strong enough. The nebulizer only lasts 30 min if even that. My doctors can not figure out why I have this problem. I cant go anywhere cause when I cant breath I feel as if I am taking my last breath. I sleep with oxygen but it does not help when I am breathless.
2. Keytruda effected my heart. My doctor sent me to a heart doctor. My bloodwork enzymes showed I was very close to a heart attack. I was put on a defibulator vest for 8 weeks while heart medicine repaired and protected my heart from keytruda. My heart was at 20% but in 8 weeks it was up to 55%.
3. Keytruda damaged my top teeth. They started turning dark and breaking off. I spent $17,000 on a permanent top bridge and at the time my bottom teeth looked good. It's been 2 years since my top teeth and now bottoms are looking darker and it looks like something is eating the enamel. I cant afford to do the bottom teeth. I had no dental insurance when my tops were done. We dipped into savings.
4. I have excruciating lower back pain. I had 2 back surgeries 10 years ago with no problems up to several months ago. My back doctor said my metal nuts and bolts look great but I have alot of arthritis. I feel my arthritis is being inflamed by keytruda but I was sent to a rheumatoligist to see if keytruda had caused an autoimmune disease with the arthritis. After checking results of previous test she said no they were not connected. I am not so sure she is correct.
I have no quality of life. I cant go anywhere for fear of being stuck somewhere breathless and at the same time my back pain is debilitating. I did buy a scooter to help me.
Keytruda is a lifesaving miracle drug.
I tell people it saved my live but it's killing me..