I don't have any experience with this, but the reason your doctor offered would be wonderful!!

KP, I hope so, and from what I have researched on Merck's site, that lines up!

When my body responded, gave me a side effect..my darling doctor said that is bad news (dealing with it) and good news ( your body is using the immunotherapy to create havoc ). You know it is working. I thought of that response on my year plus on it. Even 9 months after completion, he just asked me if I was back to pre treatment. Had to think about it. I so am done that I am ignoring minor things. Some are still there. It was a way for him to know if things are still stirred up. I never had ‘pain’. Yours could be your other drug. Hang in there! Hugs!!

Was treated with Yescarta for aggressive lymphoma (after 2 chemo's failed) and have been in remission since November 2018. Treated T cells are transfused over 15 min period. They then seek out and destroy targeted cancer cells. Hospitalized for three weeks as recovery from treatment was tough on my 75 yr old body but...here I am. I am sending you nothing but encouragement!

I never had any side effects. I hope what you are feeling is indeed the effects of the immunotherapy beginning to work. Lungs don't have feelings ... plus, the immunotherapy only stopped my tumors from growing ... so my experience would be completely different, I am sure.

So sorry about the rough days and the struggle, Greg. Is there any food or drink that soothes the pain at all? I wish you could eat something.

Oddly, I woke up this morning with no pain. Needed no pain meds. I worked in my shop until about 4 until it started creeping in. I came back to the house and cooked me and sweetie some dinner and had to take some pain meds. The lesion on the right that hurts when I swallow started acting up again. Overall, I'm still happy with the process. I believe what the good doctor says, that this is just a reaction to the keytruda doing its thing.

A question Sweetie and I both have is, how do we know if the trial drug is doing anything? It could be all keytruda working, or all the trial drug, I've never understood how they know with confidence what's working without stopping one or the other.

You do not have to know! Something is bugging your body! And that should, could, probably is a good thing! During my 30 radiation treatments, I visualized Pacman( dating myself) eating nasty cancer cells. On my ‘ not feeling so spify’ days, I imagine the immunotherapy throwing swords around. I have had crusty experts dumbfounded with my descriptions but they love it. My husband told me I ‘humanized’ a few docs on this journey. We really do not have to know what is working. SOMETHING IS WORKING is what counts. We are part of the solution! Hugs!!❤️

Good descriptions, 2943.

Greg, to answer your question, your clinical trial probably consists of several groups of patients. One group may be given only the experimental drug. Another group, only the Keytruda. Your group is receiving both.

Just a guess, but that's how trials are usually structured.

Thanks so much for sharing how it is affecting you. Honestly, your descriptions bring tears of joy to my eyes and a feeling of wonderment that such a treatment is available to you.

Hi Greg, I did have a lot of pain on the immunotherapy. Not at first but progressive. Mine was more arthritic type pain. Ended up with RA.