Opdivo: Wondering if anyone else has... - Kidney Cancer Sup...

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Opdivo

Hampner profile image
11 Replies

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??

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Hampner
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11 Replies
MICHIGANDAVID profile image
MICHIGANDAVID

Welcome Opdivo. My wife has only been on Votrient.

arodgers59 profile image
arodgers59 in reply toMICHIGANDAVID

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 profile image
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 profile image
arodgers59 in reply toWinstonWolf

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 profile image
Hampner in reply toWinstonWolf

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

arodgers59 profile image
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 profile image
Hampner in reply toarodgers59

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 profile image
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 profile image
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 profile image
WinstonWolf in reply toKidneyCole

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 profile image
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.

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