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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for February 2010

post treatment pain and gunk
My husband is almost 4 wks post treatment... he is still having a lot of pain in his throat and a lot of gunk that comes up with odor. He can't eat or drink anything. He is getting physically stronger.. and the feeding tube is working well ... but I was wondering if you could give me some idea how long this should last…
Please Welcome Coupe35
Team, I pulled the following post from Mary's So Afraid post. Coupe 35 is new to the community here. I thought Coupe35 might get lost in the shuffle, so am starting a new thread. Here's Coupe35's first post: Looks like I have this rare cancer. Had the PET scan and one node in the neck and the nasal area lit up. I will be…
treatment day 8 - taste beginning to leave
This is starting sooner than I expected, but of course not a total surprise. 8th treatment today and the sides of my tongue feel a bit numb and food is losing its flavor. I also notice I'm getting a bit cranky - short tempered, irritable, not very nice - especially when I am getting asked a barrage of questions like "how…
Pet Scan
Had my first Pet Scan since treatment ended Dec. 27th. All clean. There was a little hot spot in throat but the Dr. said that it is common this close to treatment and is not worried. Will do another scan in 3 months then he said one a year after that. I want to thank everyone here who has provided help, encouragement and…
Feeding tube
Hi all, Just tried to flush my feeding tube for the 1st time. It has been in since Wednesday last week. So far other than losing control of my life, this is the only thing that scares me. It still has the bandages on it from surgery and I have asked everyone, being the Ro nurse, the MO nurse and the Rns where i get my…
Hyperbaric Medicine
Four and a half years after tonsil cancer treatment another phase of the cancer journey has entered my life. While eating a few weeks ago I bit down on a piece of food and felt what I thought was a loose crown.I immediately made a dentist appointment. A quick exam revealed a loose tooth as opposed to a loose crown. The…
Just radiation
I just got back from San Francisco, after talking with the Radiologiest. Their plan is to treat me with just radiation since I am a Kidney transplant recepiant. Most if not all froms of chemo that we have discussed cause renal rejection. The doc's said that in the last two weeks of seven that I will be having radiation…
THRUSH AGAIN!
Welp, it's back, that thing my docs didnt tell me about, Thrush. Just a heads up for you guys and gals out there, there is a chance with your radiation treatments damage, that you will contract thrush. For those who dont know what that is, it is a yeast infection in your mouth, and man is it painful. The first time I got…
Hi everyone!!
I just thought I'd drop in again. I am still hanging in there:) And slowly (I mean slowly), feeling better. My throat is still sore (4 months out of treatment now, and I've got those darn sores on the inside of my mouth. MD prescribed Magic Mouthwash again. Doesn't seem to be helping. I go next month to see the ear,nose…
Head & Neck Radiation / BP
Carotid sinus Here is a problem that may or may not affect you at some point in your life; Damage to the Carotid sinus due to radiation of the Head and Neck. If you are having problems with too Hi or too Low of a blood pressure or maybe a mixed Hi & Low, you may want to just keep this web site in your files somewhere.…
TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS)
I am posting my story in the hope it might help somebody. In July 2008, at the age of 51, I was diagnosed with a Stage IV T4 N2b SCC of the base of the tongue. The local cancer board quickly came up with a treatment plan consisting of radiation and chemo therapy, which was explained to me by the local radio-oncologists. I…
Basal Cell Adenocarcinoma - Parotid Gland
I survived this rare cancer about a year ago, and I would LOVE to talk to anybody who has/had this or even knows anybody that went through this. I really need some support. I have most of my taste buds back, but my saliva is almost non-existent (I live on Biotene spray, mouthwash, gel, etc.). My biggest problem is still…
Chef
Anyone heard from Chef? Hope I just missed his posts. I've been worried about him.
Testing image posting
My apologies. This is not really related, but was just wondering if we could post an image if we want to emphasize a point. [IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/kdalb4.jpg[/IMG]
Eating
For the past three days I have not felt like eating (chemo 5 days ago). I am eating a little, but man my stomach feels bloated. I'm assuming it's the cisplatin because I didn't feel like this the day of the treatment. The bloated feeling has put me off food altogether. I am trying to eat a little frequently. I think…
pounding
Hi All, Well I start my chemo and radiation tomorrow. But I am special. I get the bonus package. Start chemo at 10:30 then go to RO at 3:00 for the dry run, 1st radiation treatment special. What a deal huh? Went Thursday for the dry run and the machine was broke. So I get the package deal tomorrow. Keep me in your thoughts…
feelings of neck constriction 9 months post RT
Hi all, I had RT to the parotid salivary gland area and down one side of my neck, just off centre so that it didn't incude the windpipe. For the last month I have had the feeling in my neck, like someone has a hold of my windpipe and is squeezing it. It is not restricting my breathing or swallowing, but is uncomfortable.…
Chemo hiccups
Hi there. Decadron (a steroid) and the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists (Emend, Kytril, Zofran and ramosetron) used for nausea against Cisplatin can cause persistent hiccups. Anyone here have that problem? Yesterday I had them for 3.5 hours before a bit of Maalox finally got rid of them. Got them now and I gotta go to the rad…
Lesser Evil - Pain Meds or Eating?
Need to whine. Which is worse - taking pain meds, or not eating? Took hydrocodone/APAP solution for pain a little while ago. I don't want to take pain meds. At this point, don't need them if I'm just sitting around - only took it just now so I can try to eat. Swallowing food seems to not be worth the effort. But I want to…
Thyroid
As many of you may know I am not a cancer patient but a caregiver. On another note I do have hypothyroidism and have been on medication (synthroid) for many years. I was always told that I didn't have a problem until I had gone to the ER with severe headaches and they ran tests and asked if I had ever been on thyroid…
Primary found... the journey continues
PET-CT Tuesday showed asymetric increased metabolism in the right side of the tongue base and hypermetabolic bilateral cervical lymph nodes. Also, a 4 mm right upper lobe nodule of the lung (non-specific and below the resolution of the PET). Wednesday, my ENT did a Direct Laryngoscopy, Brochoscopy, and Esophagoscopy, with…
Lungs..
I know I have read on here that some people have had thier PET Scan come back with a spot or spots on the Lung/s...Bob had this happen in the beggining and they could not do anything as when they put his Port in and his Tube he ended up in ICU for a few day's due to his swelling in his throat. They did not Biopsy the small…
Sweats
I have a question for those of you who have been through the treatments. I completed mine 12 years ago but I am now finding things here on this board that I could not explain before. I see where many of you are cold - bingo, I see where your jaw won't open wide - bingo again and the list goes on and on. I am now having…
Where to go from here...
Being new to this site, I have had treatment for squamous cancer. I opted out of the surgery thing as the details were frightening! It (surgery) would have been a complete overhaul on my face and neck. Plus the fact that it would not guarantee a prolonged living. It would only maybe give me a year if not longer. I opted…
Peg and port
Hey everybody, So here I sit at 2:00 a.m. wide awake after having my new devices installed. What a joy it was. Gotta say though, it really isn't as bad as I had made it in my own feeble mind. Yea there is some pain and discomfort, but it is going to be doable. Don't know why I had so much anxiety over the peg. Just the not…
Surviving The Mask
For all about to start radiation with the 'Mask', I thought to start a separate thread as it appears many threads these days are getting too 'crossed' up and lose track of the original purpose or the poster. Micktissue is about to start so these and following posts may assist. Make sure the mouth piece you have has a large…
Catch
Hi all Yea it is still me in the pick, only instead of a fish, I am now holding the biggest and best catch of my life. Best to all, Steve
Mental/Life Outlook
I went this morning to get my haircut and the 2 barbers at the shop of course were asking me how I was doing. They have both known me since I was a kid back in the late 60's. I updated them on my recovery assuming they meant the physical part which when anyone asks is how I respond but they wanted to know if it had changed…
Getting back to work.
I was wondering how many of you were able to get back to work after this ordeal? I have not been able to go back to my job. I was a manager of a shoe store. My job was very physical, and long hours. I had to work 48hrs a week, and had to close the store 3 nights per week. I would do two 12.5 hr days a week. There is no way…
Too much information???
Wondering how much information you all get from your doctors regarding your scans and what type of post scanning is used? I have gone for two CT scans now and find them to be very exact in their findings and more thorough than a PET or MRI. Perhaps too thorough! My initial test was an MRi which found an enlarged lymph…

Head and Neck Cancer

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