I know you guys are tired of the "How long after" posts...

spector551
spector551 Member Posts: 109
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

But I just gotta ask anyway!

I have two radtreatments left, THANK YOU GOD!  I would like to get a baseline on how long it usually takes a person to start coming off of the Zophran and to stop with the compulsive, funny feeling, swollen throat gagging? Keep in mind, my chemo Dr cancelled my last two chemo treatments because it was just too harsh on me and he said that the lymph node response was so good that he didn't believe it would necessary for me. So I don't really think I'm battling nausia from the chemo anymore, just from the rads and the gagging (maybe thick mucous as well, but I don't really have a big problem with mucous).

As usual, thanks for the responses and God bless!

Jamie

 

P.S. Treatments end on Christmas Eve and I'm going to knock that bell off the wall!! Then I'm going to take my mask mouthpiece out for some target practice with a new laser sight that I haven't sighted in yet!! Keeping the mask, though... gonna make an Egyptian Sarcophagus out of it.

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
    it is like this

    Jamie,

    I only took Zophran a couple of times, the added benefit of constipation did not make it more attractive (I know you know what I mean).

    As for the funky throat feel, it can last for a long time, but it starts improving at about 2 weeks post.  Today, my throat feels normal as long as I don’t swallow, cough or talk too much.  If I do, I am reminded on how I got here.  It is not bad, just different and still improving.

    Anyway, timeline:

    Funny feeling = still feels funny, more of a new-normal

    Swollen throat = about 12 weeks, all gone, time for 1st post PET

    Gagging = always there if you are not careful, I can gag choke or cough from swallowing water.  No gagging like during treatments, it is more of a gentleman’s gag (you can do it in public).  Gagging can be avoided if you watch your P’s & Q’s.

    “How long after” are great questions, there are no wrong answers.

    Matt

    P.S.  My mask is waiting?

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #3
    Jamie

    What Matt said. Congradulations on Tuesday being the last. RING THAT BELL!!!!!

    I still have my mask complete with the mouth piece in the basement. Put it dowm there March 30, 2010 and lived happily ever after.

    Heal on.

          Jeff

  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #4
    For me, it took about 6

    For me, it took about 6 weeks, but the placement of cancer for me gave me a pretty persistent weird area at the back of my throat and I think that dragged recovery out for a while. For example, I had real trouble swallowing liquids and food--they got stuck on swollen tissue in my throat. So it may go more quickly for you.

    Hope this helps, and congrats on being so close to done!

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #5
    Everyone is Different

    Hi Jamie,

    I haven't been around much over the last few months but I figured I'd pop in and drop a comment or two on the boards.

    You've heard the "Everyone is Different" mantra by now and recovery is much the same. As you know, you'll be cooking for a while so don't expect to feel any better (probably worse) for a while. "Generally", give it 4-6 weeks before you turn the corner. 3-4 months until the next hurdle. I'm 8 months post and I still have another 4-5 months before I get to what would be considered the "new normal". I have my side effect issues and they're not fun but "it is what it is" as they say. Hang in there. The ride isn't over for a while.

    Positive thoughts

    "T"

     

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    fishmanpa said:

    Everyone is Different

    Hi Jamie,

    I haven't been around much over the last few months but I figured I'd pop in and drop a comment or two on the boards.

    You've heard the "Everyone is Different" mantra by now and recovery is much the same. As you know, you'll be cooking for a while so don't expect to feel any better (probably worse) for a while. "Generally", give it 4-6 weeks before you turn the corner. 3-4 months until the next hurdle. I'm 8 months post and I still have another 4-5 months before I get to what would be considered the "new normal". I have my side effect issues and they're not fun but "it is what it is" as they say. Hang in there. The ride isn't over for a while.

    Positive thoughts

    "T"

     

    ^^^^^^^^^^

    What he said....

    JG

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #7
    fishmanpa said:

    Everyone is Different

    Hi Jamie,

    I haven't been around much over the last few months but I figured I'd pop in and drop a comment or two on the boards.

    You've heard the "Everyone is Different" mantra by now and recovery is much the same. As you know, you'll be cooking for a while so don't expect to feel any better (probably worse) for a while. "Generally", give it 4-6 weeks before you turn the corner. 3-4 months until the next hurdle. I'm 8 months post and I still have another 4-5 months before I get to what would be considered the "new normal". I have my side effect issues and they're not fun but "it is what it is" as they say. Hang in there. The ride isn't over for a while.

    Positive thoughts

    "T"

     

    Yep.....

    ^^^^^^ Yep, what "T" said.... (copying you John Laughing)

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #8
    how long

    Jim used Zofran minimally: he had a shot with every daily radiation treatment that was intended to minimize nausea and it worked well.

    I will say in Jim's case there was minimal weight loss until about 3 months post radiation and then it was significant in spite of the fact Jim was consuming an enormous amount of carefully counted calories.  His bedtime snack had more calories than most people eat in a normal day.  Continue to watch your weight and notify your doctor if you start losing weight: it happened so quickly for JIm I was afraid the cancer was not really gone, in spite of good scans to the contrary.

    It was a blessing that Jim's appetite held and he really never stopped eating anything he wanted, although I consciously moved us to softer foods, i.e., spaghetti with meat sauce versus crunchy tacos, etc.

    Congratulations on concluding treatment!

  • ronneymoss
    ronneymoss Member Posts: 3
    #9
    It was two weeks after the last radiation

    Hello,

      I am new here.  The "how long" questions are why I found this site.  I finished radiation last October.  It was two weeks until I was not gagging.  Food began to taste like food again in a month.  I am wondering how long until my stamina is back to "normal."

    Ronney

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    ronneymoss said:

    It was two weeks after the last radiation

    Hello,

      I am new here.  The "how long" questions are why I found this site.  I finished radiation last October.  It was two weeks until I was not gagging.  Food began to taste like food again in a month.  I am wondering how long until my stamina is back to "normal."

    Ronney

    Abi-Normal

    First Welcome...

    I can't answer your question as for "normal", I'm abi-normal..., LOL. 

    As for energy and stamina, it's pretty much the same answer to a lot. 

     

    Its all different, because we are all different. 

     

    More calories, food, water, and etc.., will bring more energy, and that stamina.  Exercise, once you can with more energy, will also return and built quickly, though maybe a little slow at first. 

     

    Calories like mentioned though, will give you more energy, and when the body isn't using as much trying to heal itself from the war you have been in, that will aid in more energy and stamina too. 

     

    Best

    John

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