Laryngitis and bronchitis after treatment for SCCa hypopharynx

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Elaineh
Elaineh Member Posts: 21
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi everyone.  I was treated last year for piriform sinus Cancer with chemo then chemo radiation.  I had an excellent response and am NED 15 months later.  I did well during treatment, was able to eat the whole time and didn't lose an ounce of weight.  I lost my voice for about a week.  Then on completion of treatment late June I crashed.  I had NO energy, lost 40 lbs over three months.  Became extremely depressed.  I got treatment for that, and eventually my weight stabilized.  My voice was fine until mid March when we worked on our property with chainsaws and a wood chipper.  I lost my voice again and still have not regained it.

In addition to that, I've had 6 episodes of severe bronchitis requiring antibiotics.  Swallow studies show that i do aspirate, so I'm going to swallow therapy and I think that's getting better.  I have to really pay attention when I'm swallowing and tuck my chin.

I just wondered is anyone else out there was having the same sort of problems??

thx--Elaine 

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  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #2
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    Welcome Elaine.....and yes I do or did.

    First and formost welcome, and sorry you need to be here but it is the best support you can find. It is always nice to talk [write] persons that know what you are saying and understand how you feel and are going through. I have both Broncitus and Emphysema, COPD stage 3

    Mine was SCC Supraglottic T3,N0;M0 [before surgery it was T4;N2;M0] the tumor was laying on my left vocal cord. I was asperating all the time and never knew it. Well liquid made me cough sometimes, but I had what is called silent asperation. Which meant I was not aware of it. I mighr=t cought and find bacon that I had four hrs earler. I also had stage 3 Emphysema and was told I would not survive surgery or radiation. It was decided that I would have to have a full laryngectomy to make it through surgery and my epiglottitis does not close as it should. They can't save my vocal cords so I had the full laryngectomy to solve my problems, and have been NED for 18 months.

    I am very sorry you are asperating and do know first hand what that can do to you. I have to still think each time I swallow any liquid as the fear of asperating is still there and mine will never go away. I have a prosthesis so I can still speak, but it too can leak and I will asperate. I also have a bone spur that go inward and pushes against my throat as I swallow and the bollis hits it. That was found in my throat study.

    Glad to hear you are NED and I do hope the swallowing will help stop your asperating.

    Bill  10.02.2013

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #3
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    hi elaine and welcome to the

    hi elaine and welcome to the family.  not glad you need to be here but very glad you found us.  what a bummer to do so well through tx only to crash afterwards!  could the dust from the wood have anything to do with losing your voice?  have you asked the docs?  I'm sorry about the bronchitis.  it seems like its one thing after the other.  i pray the docs get it all worked out and you can get back to feeling well and living life.  I also have problems swallowing.  it takes me forever to eat but i do eat.  i cannot talk after eating or drinking or my food comes back up.  also, i have a voice prosthese and when it leaks, which is quite often, it causes me to cough my head off with every swallow!  good luck with the therapy, i'm sure it will help alot.

    God bless you and welcome,

    dj

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