Are you ready for your treatment
journey with YERVOY?

Staying Connected

Before, during, and after your treatment, who better to surround you than your support team? Your support team can include your healthcare providers, caregivers, friends, family members, neighbors, support groups, and others. Take a look below to see how you can stay connected to the people who make up your team.


Healthcare Provider

Keeping your healthcare provider in the loop is key to your treatment, as they are the best source of information for your health.

Before you are given YERVOY, tell your healthcare provider about all your health problems if you:

  • have an active condition where your immune system attacks your body (autoimmune disease), such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, lupus, or sarcoidosis
  • had an organ transplant, such as a kidney transplant
  • have liver damage from diseases or drugs
  • have any other medical conditions
  • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. YERVOY may cause stillbirth, premature delivery, and/or death of your unborn baby
  • are breast-feeding. It is advised that nursing mothers do not breast feed while taking YERVOY

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including all prescription and non-prescription medicines, steroids or other medicines that lower your immune response, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Know the medicines you take. Keep a list to show your doctors and pharmacists each time you get a new medicine.

You should not start a new medicine before you talk with the healthcare provider who prescribes you YERVOY.


Family and friends

There are several ways you can reach out to stay connected with your friends and family.

Do what you can and when possible:

Reach Out

  • Create your own website to keep in touch
  • Set up your own blog to quickly share updates about your treatment with friends and family
  • Make phone calls and write letters, e-mails, and postcards to keep up your connections

Go Out

  • Meet a friend for lunch or plan an afternoon outing
  • Go to the movies with a friend—how about a comedy?
  • Take a walk in your neighborhood or visit your community center
  • Plan a weekend event with friends to play cards, watch a game, or just hang out together

It's important to talk to your doctor before beginning any exercise routines.


People like you

You may already have read page after page of information on melanoma (a kind of skin cancer) that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery, but sometimes one of the best ways to learn is from people like you.


Support Groups

Online or in person, support groups can help keep you on track during your journey with YERVOY. Get a list of organizations.


Online Communities

Check out the YERVOY Community. It's a way to learn from other patients with melanoma (a kind of skin cancer) that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery. Here's how you can get involved within the community:

  • Watch videos of other patients with melanoma (a kind of skin cancer) that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery
  • Sign up to receive updates when new videos or information are added to the community
  • Tell us what you think in our polls
  • Discover useful health tips
  • Get motivated by our quotes

Keep in mind, your healthcare provider should be your main source for information on YERVOY and you should report any side effects to them right away.

Connect now in the YERVOY Community

NEXT: Keep Reporting Side Effects
 

Important Safety Information

YERVOY (ipilimumab) can cause serious side effects in many parts of your body which can lead to death. These serious side effects may include: inflammation of the intestines (colitis) that can cause tears or holes (perforation) in the intestines; inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) that can lead to liver failure; inflammation of the skin that can lead to severe skin reaction (toxic epidermal necrolysis); inflammation of the nerves that can lead to paralysis; inflammation of hormone glands (especially the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands) that may affect how these glands work; and inflammation of the eyes.

These side effects are most likely to begin during treatment; however, side effects can show up months after your last infusion. Your healthcare provider should perform blood tests, such as liver and thyroid function tests, before starting and during treatment with YERVOY. Your oncologist may decide to delay or stop YERVOY.

Call your healthcare provider if you have any signs or symptoms or they get worse. Even seemingly mild symptoms can lead to severe or even life-threatening conditions if not addressed. Do not try to treat symptoms yourself.

Serious side effects may include:

  • Inflammation of the intestines (colitis) that can cause tears or holes (perforation) in the intestines. Signs and symptoms of colitis may include:
    • diarrhea (loose stools) or more bowel movements than usual
    • blood in your stools or dark, tarry, sticky stools
    • stomach pain (abdominal pain) or tenderness
  • Inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) that can lead to liver failure. Signs and symptoms of hepatitis may include:
    • yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
    • dark urine (tea colored)
    • nausea or vomiting
    • pain on the right side of your stomach
    • bleeding or bruise more easily than normal
  • Inflammation of the skin that can lead to severe skin reaction (toxic epidermal necrolysis). Signs and symptoms of severe skin reactions may include:
    • skin rash with or without itching
    • sores in your mouth
    • your skin blisters and/or peels
  • Inflammation of the nerves that can lead to paralysis. Symptoms of nerve problems may include:
    • unusual weakness of legs, arms, or face
    • numbness or tingling in hands or feet
  • Inflammation of hormone glands (especially the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands) that may affect how these glands work. Signs and symptoms that your glands are not working properly may include:
    • persistent or unusual headaches
    • unusual sluggishness, feeling cold all the time, or weight gain
    • changes in mood or behavior such as decreased sex drive, irritability, or forgetfulness
    • dizziness or fainting
  • Inflammation of the eyes. Symptoms may include:
    • blurry vision, double vision, or other vision problems
    • eye pain or redness

Pregnancy and Nursing:

  • Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. YERVOY may cause stillbirth, premature delivery, and/or death of your unborn baby. Before starting YERVOY, tell your healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding. It is advised that nursing mothers do not breast feed while taking YERVOY.

Tell your healthcare provider about:

  • Your health problems if you:
    • have an active condition where your immune system attacks your body (autoimmune disease), such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, lupus, or sarcoidosis.
    • had an organ transplant, such as a kidney transplant
    • have liver damage from diseases or drugs
    • have any other medical conditions
  • All the medicines you take including:
    • all prescription and non-prescription medicines
    • steroids or other medicines that lower your immune response
    • vitamins
    • herbal supplements

    You should not start a new medicine before you talk with your healthcare provider who prescribes you YERVOY.

Most Common Side Effects:

The most common side effects of YERVOY include: tiredness, diarrhea, itching, and rash.

These are not all of the possible side effects of YERVOY. If you have any questions about your health or medicines, talk to your healthcare provider.

Please see U.S. Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING regarding immune-mediated side effects, and Medication Guide for YERVOY.

The information provided on this website is not a substitute for talking to your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider is the best source of information about your disease.

Models on this website are used for illustrative purposes only.

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Scroll down or click here for detailed Important
Safety Information.

Indication

YERVOY (ipilimumab) is a prescription medicine used in adults to treat melanoma (a kind of skin cancer) that has spread or cannot be removed by surgery.

It is not known if YERVOY is safe and effective in children less than 18 years of age.

Select Safety Information

YERVOY (ipilimumab) can cause serious side effects in many parts of your body which can lead to death. These serious side effects may include: inflammation of the intestines (colitis) that can cause tears or holes (perforation) in the intestines; inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) that can lead to liver failure; inflammation of the skin that can lead to severe skin reaction (toxic epidermal necrolysis); inflammation of the nerves that can lead to paralysis; inflammation of hormone glands (especially the pituitary, adrenal, and thyroid glands) that may affect how these glands work; and inflammation of the eyes.

These side effects are most likely to begin during treatment; however, side effects can show up months after your last infusion. Your healthcare provider should perform blood tests, such as liver and thyroid function tests, before starting and during treatment with YERVOY. Your oncologist may decide to delay or stop YERVOY.

Call your healthcare provider if you have any signs or symptoms or they get worse. Even seemingly mild symptoms can lead to severe or even life-threatening conditions if not addressed. Do not try to treat symptoms yourself.

Please see detailed Important Safety Information, including Boxed WARNING regarding immune-mediated side effects.