So, we left off in May of 2023 and my next chemo was scheduled for the next day with a CT scan later in the month. That chemo was my last one. The CT scan showed that the chemo wasn’t working anymore. Most, if not all, of the spots grew and a new something popped up in my abdomen or pelvis.
The next treatment to try would be Immunotherapy. Per The American Cancer Society, “Immunotherapy is treatment that uses a person’s own immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy can boost or change how the immune system works so it can find and attack cancer cells.” The American Cancer Society also offers a flyer on Immunotherapy if you’re interested.
Getting the Immunotherapy approved took a few months because the tumor that was removed in 2020 needed to be sent back in for testing. I forget what it needed to be tested for. If I remember later, I will post an update. Therefore, I didn’t start the Immunotherapy until September at least. I honestly don’t remember the exact date.
In early September 2023, I went back to work – strictly working from home. I really wanted to start the Immunotherapy before I went back to work because I had heard (reading in Facebook groups) that the side effects are horrible. And I really wanted to take the drugs and see if it’s as bad as I read, or would I be able to handle it. I didn’t get the chance to do that, unfortunately.
So, the Immunotherapy I am on are Keytruda and Lenvima. Keytruda is an infusion every 3 weeks like the chemo was before. The difference is that the Keytruda IV bag takes 30 minutes to get through. The side effects – for me anyways – with the Keytruda don’t seem that bad. But the Lenvima? That is a daily pill (actually 2 pills), and the side effects are never ending. At least with the carbo/taxol that I was on before, I knew that I’d feel awful for a couple weeks and then I’d get a week or so of feeling “normal” before it was time to go back in for another infusion. With Keytruda/Lenvima, though, the side effects NEVER END!
I am going to leave this here for now and will update soon with exactly what my side effects are. I would have finished this during the weekend, however, I was sick…throwing up sick. Meh.
Until next time…Heidi