Cycles 3 + 4 update

I’m in the middle of my 4th cycle of treatment (11th week), and happily, things were fine during cycle 3. No fatigue nor pain during the full cycle, and I even stopped taking morphine (2 per day * 5mg Oxycodone w/12h effect) when starting cycle 4 – so far, so good! Also, I got back on the bike for my short commute to work, and most recently to bring our daughter to school – her smile alone was worth the effort!

Bike to work!

As for the side effects (which are all known for the drugs I’m taking – Pembrolizumab and Axitinib), here’s the current status:

• I developed very sensible hand fingers extremities (it reminds me playing the bass for hours), and had a similar feeling on the left foot more recently – I’m using moisturiser for the foot and it seems to help;
• My rash was getting very bad – the Doctor prescribed Daktacort and antihistamine tablets, and I feel much better 10 days after starting it;
• I have small scars / fungus / ulcers on the mouth and tongue – I was prescribed Daktarin oral gel and BXN mouthwash: it’s getting better but still sour for eating or drinking depending on my intake;
• I felt very fatigued for this second week of cycle 4. I slept almost all week-end, and had to take the afternoon off at work yesterday. I’m afraid of repeating my early “catch-22” though, so I try to stay active as much as possible, even though I’m quickly short of breath at the moment.

Besides that, my next CT scan (the first since I started the trial) is scheduled for the 2nd of June – and I should meet with my oncologist to discuss it a few days later, and see how effective the treatment is. Fingers crossed!