Please remember that these discussion boards are a public forum, which means open to the public (i.e. non-CSN members) and the content can be found via internet search engines. Members are strongly advised not to share personal identifiers such as real names, email address, telephone number, street address, etc. This information can be used to identify you and link you to the content you provide. Other areas of CSN are restricted to members only and cannot be found by search engines.

Head and Neck Cancer

Archives for July 2012

Checking In
Still having only light side effects. Mucus in back of throat is a bit worse but not unmanageable. Only 3 mOre rads to go!! Rad Onc Doc said if she can judge by how my body has managed it this far, she doesnt expect my side effects to get much worse. Hope she's right! Feeding tube site is all. I ely healed. No issues…
Saw the ENT Today
Today was hubby's first appointment with the ENT since his diagnosis. Now that he has finished treatment for his Stage 3 HPV+ tonsil cancer, the ENT gathered all his treatment reports and tests and brought us in for an appointment today. We love our no-nonsense ENT. He is the head of the Head and Neck Cancer Department at…
Periodontitus Linked with Risk for HPV+ Head & Neck Cancers
Interesting article just released June 18th in the Articles of Otolaryngology. By Mine Tezal, DDS, PhD, School of Dental Medicine, State University of New York at Buffalo. "A history of periodontitus might be an increased risk for head and neck tumors positive for HPV". I was dx with BOT SCC two years ago with HPV+. The…
Lung specialist in the a.m.
Hello everyone ! I go in the morning to the doctor who first discovered my acc. I'm not as anxious as the last time I saw him. I am prepared this time with the proper questions on my lungs. I have right around 10 nodes in each upper lung. With the type of cancer I have it is very common to spread to the lungs. So knowing…
Dry mouth questions
I have a couple of questions about some issues my dad is having. 1. Do any of you notice that airconditiong makes your dry mouth issues worse? 2. Do you also get a dry sore throat when your dry mouth is worse. 3. Do you sometimes sound like you are losing your voice. 4. Did your dry mouth get worse years after treatment.…
Getting my 5th chemo today...
I'm a little nervous of the 5FU part of it, since last time it produced massive mouth sores, not to mention, my face swelled up and turned bright red oh AND I ended up needing a transfusion....took 3 weeks to recover, and now I'm back here getting ready to do it all over again. Talked to the Oncologist this morning, and…
It's been a year!!!
I don't post here much but come here every day to check on everyone. I can honestly say that you all have made this past year much more bearable.I finished my treatments on July 22, 2011 then 8 wks later my Dad died of a heart attack and 18 days later my brother commited suicide. It was a struggle to get through each one…
2 weeks post treatment. When will the pain stop! 35 rads 2 cisplatin chemo. HPV+
Hi I have cancer in my throat but because they couldn't locate exactly where it came from I had radiation from about where the tip of my nose is to just below my neck above my chest. I had radiation 5 days a week for 7 weeks. I also had 2 rounds for Cisplatin Chemo. I was supposed to have 3 but got too sick after the 2nd…
One Year Post Treatment
Hello all, I haven't posted in quite a while. I just wanted to drop a line and let everyone know that I just had my one year check up today and am happy to report that I am still cancer free. This blog was extremely helpful as my wife and I went through treatment last summer. I just wanted to be an encouragement to anyone…
Best treatment for Epiglottis Cancer
Hello Everyone, My father was recently diagnosed with cancer of the epiglottis. The doctors are saying that he has stage 1 cancer, but could go up to stage 3 if they find lymph nodes infected. The doctors are currently suggesting surgery, but people I spoke with are saying we should go for radiation. The doctors are saying…
Scan time
Jim goes to have his lungs scanned on the 20th and we have to wait a week to get results. So the anxiety begins. To update those new to board, Jim had stage four base of tongue, finished Rads and Chemo in August 2011. 6 months PET showed that cancer gone but nodule in right lung. Three months later numerous nodules and…
From Chefdaddy
My supporting friends, I just got a link from Sweetblood22 that mentioned the passing of Glenna. She was very special to me as a lot of you were when I was being told I wasn't going to survive after all of the treatments and 14 surgeries. She called me in my hospital room because my good friend Hondo sent out the word that…
Gargle and spit w/ Tylenol PM helped pain
Hey all .... The last month I have had some pretty bad pain in my uvula (sp) area...not worried about it as oncologist did a scope July 1 and said all looks good ..ENT also said pain will come and go when I saw him July 19th.. ..but boy, really painful this past week. The pain seems to be coming from the uvula (that thing…
just woke up with a puddle of drool on the pillow
sweet! disgusting! it'll probably stain the pillowcase! but one of the surest signs of progress since rads ended a month ago today. happy dance!
Cough
New side effect. Hubby started last night with a dry hacking cough. That's how I describe it. I asked him how he would describe it. His throat is so sore and raw he just shook his head. He is 10 days post rads. He had been coughing a lot during the day coughing up the mucous. He is still doing that but not quite as much.…
‎"There's a rainbow of babies/Draped over the graveyard"
(John Prine reference) My dear friend Glenna: You would be pleased to know that I spent the weekend involved with the grandboys, their parents, and their friends in a birthday party. It was a car racing theme, per the young man turning four, and there was lots of water play involved, as you might imagine, along with all of…
a tiny bit about me~~~
Today, the 29th, my boys have left to go home to Chicago. Ten days of fishing,arcades,miniture golf, Cedar Point for 3 days, eating out, movies , etc..are over and gone..making memories, this Grandmom is soooo happy to be around to share in the fun!!!
Week six ahead
Wife heads into week six of chemo/Rad tomorrow. Been positive about the whole thing til now. Tired of the rinces,the ensures, the pain and the lousy mouth. No amount of love is working . Won't try to eat anything and thinks the prescribed meds will only work after the fact instead of preventative. Walking the fine line of…
Newly Diagnosed but Stage 4 - Scared to do Anything!
Hi, Maybe I've googled too many discussion boards, because I am so scared of doing Anything now. It seems like I'll be so much worse for "quality of life" compared to just going forward as is, with pain medication if/when symptoms worsen. Just want to enjoy my time left with 2 grown children, 2 grandsons, play my guitar,…
GlennaM ~ Fallen Warrior...
Another of the very best...fallen warrior. I had gotten word earlier today that Glenna was with family and preparing for her journey to heaven. I just hear a few minutes ago that she has departed us and is in the grace of the Creator. She was a very dear and close friend, she will be missed. Glenna was a very special…
SETBACKS
I guess I am just having a couple of down days. Origally should have been finishing radiation on the 31st, now won't be done until at least August 3rd if my neck heals enough to start back up on Monday, I don't think it looks hopeful. I have thrush and that doesn't seem to be getting better, been on Nystatin since…
Mouth sores and problems at 4.5 weeks out of rad
I am out 4.5 weeks from radiation (no chemo) and still have mouth sore and sore throat. Is this normal? I also developed thrush for the first time this week. Doc has prescribed nystatin. I also have dry cough becuase of dry throat. Some days are good and some days i have cough all night. Xylimelts still burns my mouth so…
Getting Ready for Radiation..
Hi all, sorry its been awhile since my last update but feeling anxious and scared more often, can't sleep and getting very irritable with my wife and nurses, family, etc...it's more my own frustration on being dependent on others to do things for me and not at them. But feeling guilty as well. For the first time I feel…
Dental/Necrotic Jaw Problems 30+ yrs Post Radiation and Radical Neck Dissection
After recently experiencing extensive dental issues, both my dentist and oral surgeon are concerned the problems are a result of the radiation treatments I received following a modified radical neck dissection. Here’s the kicker – I was 19 years old while a freshman in college when I had the cancer/surgery; I am 51 now –…
Gardasil (HPV) vaccinations for boys
my 20-year-old son just made an appointment to ask about getting vaccinated. he did it on his own, knowing that his old dad has HPV-16+ SCC. yep, proud of him! "HPV vaccine is recommended for all teen boys and men through age 21, who did not get all three doses of the vaccine when they were younger. The vaccine is also…
Tx plan
Well we saw the medical-oncologist yesterday and she through us another curve ball,, good thing I'm a 290 hitter! Appears she believes I am young enough (54) and healthy enough for a very aggressive plan. 3 rounds of chemo cocktails (3 drugs) 22 days apart, then 7 weeks of rads concurrently with chemo, guess I better " Get…
Had my barium swallow test today
Mmm, tasty barium (not)! I got super sick from the narcotics during treatment, and was unable to eat much even via tube. While I was in the hospital the first time, I had a swallow test that was incomplete, but showed that I had a little aspiration with thin liquids. At that point, my radiation oncologist (the primary…
wake up with bleeding dry mouth
I have been waking up about every hour with mouth pain, dry mouth, and bleeding. Sometimes I get a hour and a half of sleep between. The pain is real sharp. I think I must be sleeping with my mouth open. any sugestions.. I am in my 6th week of Radiation, with 9 more treatments. For pain I have time release morphine and I…
SCC of the hypopharyngeal posterior wall
It has been 2 weeks since the end of my 35 rads and 8 Erbitux treatments and feeling better. My throat pain is slowly going down as well as my stiff neck. Still have some blisters and burns popping up but they are also healing slowly. I have been able to cut back on my pain medicine so don't feel like I am addicted. I have…
LAST DAY OF CHEMO TODAY!!
First milestone done today, chemo is over. It did kick my butt this time, even thought they put it over 3 days instead of 2. I thinking the having to get up every 2 hours all night to pee is wearing me out. But at least this is over. Tomorrow is just Iv fluids. They put me on break from radiation until at least Monday as…

Head and Neck Cancer

Discussion List