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Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for June 2012

Antisocial
Is it normal to feel so antisocial in just the first week of treatment? My plan was to be this trooper that lets nothing get me down but yesterday after I came home from rads I just wanted to sleep then started crying in the bathtub. I feel like I should be enjoying my last couple of weeks of feeling somewhat normal. I do…
Let's talk bowels....
I have never been so constipated in my life...ah, but to keep the mystery alive, a little diarrah when I least expect it...or...both, at the same time (sounds impossible, but it's not for me). I keep trying things to eat to help, since I don't trust Colace (not the substance, but the "when" it will suddenly become…
Finally teeth are working....
Hello everyone, Might sound goofy to some who aren't in this position....but last nite at a wedding reception, I wore my dentures. I was hungry but teeth never worked to eat with. What to do...take 'em out no way. So I tried and it worked....I was so happy ! Maybe I'm finally getting past the lyphedema ! Also…
The bummer of the day...........
which happened before I went to the last rad...I had my CBC done as I was leaving the Oncologists....White cells, in the toilet...Red cells, in the toilet....Hemaglobin, in the toilet, and Platlets in the toilet. They asked (very seriously) if I felt bad, which I don't. Told me to go to the hospital infusion center both…
Party time!!!
Got my diploma in hand, I have graduated from Radiation Theragpy...WHOO HOO! I walked out and my whole family was in the waiting room, a little surprise party. When I went to get into the car, there was a huge poster on the back window saying "JUST FINISHED RADIATION", and a string of cans attached to the bumper...LOL. It…
This is my bus stop..
..and I'm done too! I came home yesterday night after the doctor removed my brachytherapy implants. Since it's whining week on the board, here's my contribution.. ;) The implants were not too painful and the discomfort was manageable, but somehow I got really tired of the whole thing after days of antibiotics destroying my…
Found some new PET scan buddies
Everyone, My PET scan was a success at least the mechanics of the procedure (scary part). In addition to taking 1.5 tablets of Lorazepam (which was plenty), I took a page out of the book of phannie51 and did a (virtual) tucking in of each of you in my pockets. It got a little crowded, but with everyone tucked in, I breezed…
Done, Done, Done
Brought home the immortal mask today!!!! Not feeling terrific but SO GLAD it's behind me and hopefully FOREVER!!!!!!!! I endured my little portion but my heart sincerely goes out to the rest of you in treatment and FAR WORSE than I endured!!! You're absolutely miracle workers to survive!!!!!!! Haven't heard the bell from…
29 or 30?
Suppose to complete my 30 rad treatments next Friday. The machine broke down today. I have major plans for next weekend, going to beach for a week with family to celebrate the end of treatments and hopefully recovering my life. The question is should I stay behind because the doc says I really need that 30th treatment? I…
Do your exercises....
I think about once a month I'll post this friendly reminder :) . Exersise your tongue and your jaw, 3 times every day during radiation....S-T-R-E-T-C-H those muscles. They never said diddley squat to me about doing exercises, but heard it from other people who had HNC...and I'm glad I did. My jaws started tightening up…
Sleep...help !
Hello all ! I have not been getting alot of sleep as of late. My mind has been working over time. Any suggestions ? Counting sheep, NOT ! I'm already on so many meds, don't want to add another if I can avoid it. Not a fan of warm milk, or herbal teas. I know sleep is a good thing when our bodies are trying to heal, and…
Anyone experience major cold sweats?
My husband is a little over two months post treatment and is experience cold sweats on and off usually in the evening before bed. He gets cold and his body breaks out in a cold sweat. There is no fever and otherwise he seems to be doing okay.
There is no such thing as whining......
on this board. Everybody has gone, thru....is going thru...or about to go thru a horrible cure in order to beat cancer. The side effects are enough to make a mountain man shutter, yet here we all are doing it...not everyone has the same side effects, the same duration, or the same depth of misery.....but we are all here to…
Question
In late Jan early Feb after all treatments completed, I noticed a whitish sore area on the right side of my tounge, at each onco, rad and ent visit I asked if it looked like anything serious, all said no. ENT had me take an antibiotic, thought it might be thrush, nothing changed, then we tried magic mouthwash , again nada,…
Hanging in there
Wow, it can be really tough to stay positive when you're dealing with the mucus. It's been making me throw up, and it has had a big effect on my nutrition and hydration. I'm trying to give myself extra water each time I do my meds (every 4 hours) but I'm eating so little that I'm really dropping weight. I know I had the…
Looking for a good PET
Everyone Well, it is time to cross the (first, 12 week post, PET scan) bridge, tomorrow morning at 7:30 am. Can I look for NED yet or is too early? Or do I have to wait for the 6 month or 1 year checkup? Of course I had to have it done on exactly the 12 week mark, which is a Friday so I have to wait through the weekend and…
Changing my viewpoint re Amifostine.....
Since I only have today and tomorrow left to get it, I've changed my point of view from one of "have to", to one of a "volunteer"...I'm quite sure that skipping these last two wouldn't undo what the first 33 did, but it helps to know "if I don't want to, I don't have to". Only the dogged stubborness of finishing what I…
First rad affecting taste???
Could my first rad already be affecting my taste or could it be my allergy attack that's going on? I just peeled and ate an apple and it has no flavor. There's nobody else home to taste it to tell me if it's just the apple. Weird.
Is my pain normal?
I have a lesion(SCC not a tumor) on the left side of my tongue and have surgery on Tuesday. I have never really had pain there unless I ate on that side. However now I am having shooting stabbing pains in my ear and throat now. Can anyone tell me if this sounds normal? I know I can call my Dr but they say if I have…
I almost made it 1 year
Well it has been a pretty good last couple of months, I am healing nicely and the botox injections have allowed me to eat with alot less pain. I have been a bit pollyannish about my every 6 week checkups, and despite what I have been told about the odds, I thought I was done with cancer. Tuesday during the scope in my nose…
A chance to give back to my caregiver
Hi guys! I don't know if it's allowed to do this, but here it goes! We all know what hell we go through during treatment. We also all know that without our caregivers, many of us wouldn't have made it. I have often wondered how I could ever begin to repay all my husband has done for me and I actually have an opportunity! I…
Dry dry extreme dry throat
I know i keep whining about dry throat but it is almost becoming inpossible to handle. It is so dry it almost feels like someone is scratching my throat with a glass in one area on righht side (my salivery gland is remoed from right side). I keep coughing becuase of the dry throat. I have zero mucous, a little mucous will…
Two Weeks Down
Five more to go. This week is actually better than last week. The stomach spasms ("I think my body's trying to reject my PEG tube!") and digestive tract problems are all but gone. Still searching for a Magic Mouthwash he can tolerate. His gag reflex is so sensitive to the taste, texture of the swish and swallows that he…
I did it!!!
Survived my first chemo and rad. Rad server was down in the morning so did chemo first. Really had a good time. Weird. Then I fell asleep during rad. Lol. So far I'm tired and have a slight headache but that could be from not sleeping much last night. So now I must nap!!!
Today I Turned 56
Yep, it's my birthday. I wondered last year this time if I would see another year. I've been a lurker but not much of a poster since I joined the forum, as I'm a pretty quiet guy. No one ever seemed to have much to say to me and I just realized today that I never filled out the information about myself and my plight, so…
Aloxi and Emend
Great article touting the effectiveness of using Aloxi with Emend for the preventing chemo induced nausea. http://news.cancerconnect.com/aloxi-plus-emend-highly-effective-in-preventing-chemotherapy-induced-nausea-and-vomiting/
ground glass nodule on lung
on my mom's recent PET scan a ground glass nodule measuring 0.5 cm was dicovered. Doctor said not to worry, we should just watch it. How often nodules like that are malignant? should we be worried? with my mom's history any little thing like this one makes me wonder...any suggestions?
Single digits!
9 more rads, 1 more chemo! Can't wait for this to be over, my poor guy is so tired.
Black Tongue
Well I feel a bit "stupid". I have posted in the past about how my tongue turns black and my GP Doctor didn't seem concerned that I was becoming a Chow (dog breed with a black tongue). Well yesterday I saw my ENT and he told me the name of the condition is "Black Hairy Tongue". This can be caused by several things (dry…
What's next?
I'm new to these boards and have been reading threads and getting good information and now am at a point in my treatment where I have questions that are not well answered by the professionals. I have SCC, HPV+, primary tumor is on the base of the tongue with involvement of the left cervical lymph nodes, put at stage IVa by…

Head and Neck Cancer

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