Stopping Keytruda due to adverse effects

@dougmck
5th day from my second Keytruda treatment. Feeling very good, only minor itching and no night sweats.

@cglover47 That's great! On my second day since infusion, no side effects as of yet.

@dougmck

The glass is 1/2 full 👍🏻.

I had colitis, afib after each infusion, severe dry eye. I completed keytruda August 5 and since then have developed inflammatory arthritis and anemia. I had a total of 9 infusions; every 6 weeks for a year. If they worked (so far yes). If not, then the effect on my quality of life would not have been worth it. But we dont have crystal balls. As of now, the only side effect remaining is the inflammatory arthritis and I'm on prednisone and seeing a rheumatologist

@ladylennie I hope the arthritis subsides... supposedly keytruda stays in the system for four months, I hope things get better. Great you had good results with your cancer!

Hi,
I stopped Keytruda after 4 treatments due to a severe rash. My last treatment was in December 2025. It took about 2 months to get rid of the rash. It is now May 2026 and I have just broken out with this rash again. Has anyone else experienced this?

My husband took Keytruda 1.5 years, stopped when he got several adverse side effects. One side effect was back rash (but there were worse). Dermatologist switched rx cream 3 times until it subsided after many months.
I hope you get the appropriate rx soon,

@dougmck finally in May, I'm off prednisone and the arthritis has disappeared. In the meantime, my dry eye caused a corneal ulcer and I'm slowly but surely getting my sight in that eye back. Needless to say, I'm permanently off immunotherapy

It has been very enlightening to read all the different side effect caused by keytruda.
I have been on keytruda 5 years....yes you heard right...5 long torturous years. I like to say " keytruda saved my life BUT it's killing me". A little back story.
2012 I had breast cancer, lumpectomy & treated with radiation and cured. Then in 2013
a tiny freckle on shoulder turned into stage 3 melanoma skin cancer. I had surgery, lymph glands removed and no further treatment because they didnt have anything effective. Melonoma does not work with chemo. (Photo of after surgery ).
2017 thyroid cancer. 3 tumors on thyroid ( We think from the radiation) I had surgery and no further treatment although I am still under doctors care.
Then the unthinkable happened. In 2021 my lung doctor did a routine CT scan and a mass was in my lung sitting next to the esphogus. It was stage 4 metastasized melanoma and inoperable. The only treatment at that time that effectively treated melanoma was Keytruda. In a few short months the mass shrunk and within 9 months I was in remission.
I get infusions every 3 weeks and have since 2021 and still do to this day. My oncologist says I will be on it for life. Melanoma hides and if treatment is stopped it could come back with a vengeance.
Now on to the side effects I have dealt with and still dealing with. I have to say my quality of life is poor but I dont want to die.
I have suffered EXTREME breathlessness almost since the beginning. As long as I am sitting I feel fantastic but doing the simplest task causes me to grasp at any air I can get. Nothing helps it. I sleep with oxygen and immediately upon getting up and walking in the kitchen I cannot breath and use my nebulizer for relief. The nebulizer treatment works for a short time, like making the bed etc.
At first 3 doctors argued my symptoms after my oncologist noticed my swollen feet. I made an appointment with heart doctor who immediately put me on a defibulator vest after enzymes shower I was on the verge of heart failure. Heart function was 25%, cardiomyopathy, sudden death syndrome symptoms. I went off Keytruda for 6 weeks until my heart function went up to 55% and it was deemed that the heart problem was chemically induced (Keytruda) and not genetic.
Tired yet of this long post??
Fatigue and breathlessness was unbearable. Then my top teeth started breaking off and turning dark. I spent $17,000 out of pocket for permanent bridges and received a beautiful smile. My perfectly fine bottom teeth are starting to show signs.

Eyes are blurry at times from excessive dry eye. I am under care for it.

Lastly, several months ago my back started hurting slightly. I had had two back surgeries in 2009 & 2010 and had not had any problems.
I went to a back doctor and the CT scan showed massive arthritis.
The pain when walking along with breathlessness is debilitating so I tend to sit more than I normally would. I actually sit alot because I am afraid to do anything else.
So it looks like Keytruda has caused inflammation in my lungs causing the breathlessness and in my back inflaming my arthritis. Steroids and melanoma dont get along either so I can only go on 5mg a day if my asthma acts up.
My breathlessness and asthma have totally different feelings. It is crazy.
This is my story and as hard as it's been I am thankful to be alive. I have 8 great grandkids I am getting to watch grow up. I was able to attend all 4 weddings of my grandkids. My 5th granddaughter is divorced and I have been helping with one great-granddaughter since she was born 7 years ago. Its been hard but I push through.
I pray every day for God's mercy.
Thank you for staying with me. I wish I could find one person with the same cancer in lungs and side effects and has answers.

That is so sad that you are going through all of these things! I'm so sorry to hear that! My husband had lung cancer and they talked him into Keytruda which almost killed him! He got pancreatitis from it and the cancer doctor wouldn't treat it. We went to our primary care doctor who got him to a specialist that cured it. Needless to say we changed cancer doctors! My husband refused all treatments from then on and lived for 14 years with lung cancer. We just ate healthy and prayed a lot and it worked for those years. I understand about your severe breathlessness because my husband had the same issue. It is very hard to deal with. One thing that really helped my husband was eating good quality red meat. It gave him a lot of iron so his body could fight the cancer.
I will say a prayer for you. God made you and he can fix you!
I wish you the best.
PML