Opdivo

[Hampner]

Wondering if anyone else has had opdivo attack their lungs. After being on it for just 2 months I started feeling short of breath. Saw my primary care they told me everything sounded good. Saw my oncologist about a month later for routine scans and the opdivo had made my lungs swell tremendously.

I had my left kidney removed in September of 2014 but cancer had already spread to my lungs.

They put me on prednisone for my lungs which I gained almost 50 pounds on. 2 months later they saw say lungs are clear and I have 99% oxygenation but I still feel that I get out of breathe too easily??

[MICHIGANDAVID]

Welcome Opdivo. My wife has only been on Votrient.

[arodgers59 in reply to MICHIGANDAVID]

God bless your wife. I was on votrient for 4 years and it worked great, but lots of side effects. It stopped working apparently in January of 2017 and I am now on opdivo.

[WinstonWolf]

Ive been on it for 5 weeks but no side effects or concerns yet - itchy skin occasionally - I wont know whats happening inside for another few weeks when i go for my next scans. Good luck !!

[arodgers59 in reply to WinstonWolf]

Hi. Make sure you tell the doctor about the itchy skin. With each infusion they have me fill out a form of side effects for the opdivo. You should be having that as well. Also, I take it twice a month for an hour each time. I know there's new protocol for it to be only once a month or twice a month for 30 minutes. I have refused to do either due to side effects. I've been on it since March of 2017

[Hampner in reply to WinstonWolf]

If u r talking about itchy skin on obdivo there is a medication that works really good to stop the itching

[arodgers59]

Opdivo can definitely cause lung issues. They cause me to have pneumonia over the summer. Do you still have tumors in your lungs? I have tumors in both lungs and I am short of breath all of the time. I believe it is from the tumors. I also had lung surgery in 2012.

[Hampner in reply to arodgers59]

I have 10 very small tumors in one lung. The prednisone they gave me to take the swelling down made me gain 60 pounds!

[WinstonWolf]

Actually Im on Combo therapy - Nivo + Ipi. I have mets in my lungs and bones but my lungs feel much better than 6 months ago - no cough or shortness of breath - Im thinking they may have shrunk, but only the scans will tell.

[KidneyCole]

I’m on the same treatment but only 7 weeks in. I have lung mets as well as bone. I haven’t had any lung issues but I’m having horrible flu like symptoms. My muscles ache something awful and I’m nauseous. Just dealing as best I can to try and get all 4 treatments of both meds.

[WinstonWolf in reply to KidneyCole]

Well it looks like we're almost on a parallel schedule KC. I had my 3rd combo infusion yesterday. No major side effects at his point other than occasionally itchy skin. Sorry to hear about your symptoms - hopefully they will pass once you get on the single dose. Now that you mention it I am a little achy and tired today...

[INJK]

I am on Opdivo as well. I have Bone Mets and a 5cm tumor near my pelvis. I just had my second treatment last week and I have noticed the area of the tumor is getting larger or swelling. Has anyone had this? It’s strange because my pain has gotten so much better I can’t imagine that the tumor would have grown so fast. Plus RCC is known as a slow growing cancer.

I was on Votrient for 4 months previously but it made my BP dangerously high so they took me off of it.