Anyone with experience of this combination? Need it after immunotherapy but getting worried about long-term effects
Prednisolone? I was on it for 2 months to mitigate kidney inflammation caused by immunotherapy. I was on a minimum dose (for me) at 30mg a day for 2 weeks and then tapered 5mg a week. I wasn't keen to go on it either, but there was no alternative on offer. But it did its job and I was back on the nivolumab after that. I was lucky not to have any side effects from it. I was going to sleep at 2-3am though, spending my time reading all sorts of white papers on immunotherapy outcomes, steroids and how long it takes steroids to get the kidney function back to normal.
The problem with this situation is that it is a step into the unknown. The theory is you take the steriod, inflammation reduces, things return to "normal" and you can re-challenge with the immunotherapy (perhaps). But it might not work like that. You may find inflammation doesn't reduce or the taper results in the symptoms, why you are on the pred, returning. You can then end up on longer use than originally intended.
Immodium is an over the counter medicine so little concern (to me).
If you get an adverse reaction to the immunology then evidence suggests it results in better long term treatment outcomes.
Hi Mum, thank you for taking the time to reply. I developed a mild form of colitis as a response to my immunotherapy with Tecentriq. I have been on prednisolone for about three months now in varying doses but manage to get it down to the threshold level of 10 mg in time for my three-weekly treatment. CT scan tomorrow so I'll see whether the side effects are worth it
Patrick xx
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