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Head and Neck Cancer

Healthy Alternative to Boost or Ensure?
My brother-in-law just completed chemo/radiation last week and the past week has been hellish. Still feels like he has a hot coal in his throat, lots of mucus, nausea, etc. He is having a difficult time drinking Boost, it's just too thick and all the sugar and milk protein is not agreeing with him. Is there a healthy…
Fungating Tumors
Anyone dealing with these types of tumors? I have searched the boards but didn't find much information. My husband had surgery for oral cancer of the inside of his cheek as well as a neck disection. After some mis-diagnosis about what the pockets of fluid were along the outside of his cheek, if was determined to be more…
My radiation mask is too tight....what can I do
Hello I'm so glad I found this site. I have head and neck cancer and I'm currently getting radiation treatments. Two weeks in and my mask has become extremely tight....especially choking me and crushing my already sore adam's apple. It's excruciating and I just can't endure it anymore. My oncologist cut a hole next to my…
Side affects chin and lip numbness
Hi to everyone, I am 5 and 1/2 years post treatment of base of tounge cancer. Dealing with many side effect of 35 radiation treatment and 3 doses cisplatin chemo. Sides effects include damaged thyroid, blood pressure issues, cervical issues,dry inflamed mouth and throat neck spasms and the list goes on. Managing all these…
ATTN: All military veterans on this forum... new VA PACT Act passed 2022
I have not yet contacted any veterans organizations to get the ball rolling; however, as a former Marine '88-'93 (12 months of that in the gulf.. so, I should be covered by what have read so far), I am going to start making some calls asap. If any other veteran has had any experience with this new PACT Act, please let us…
Coughing up blood
I had bot cancer stage 3 treated with radiation in December 2021. I suffer from a lot of phlegm and I usually clear this by vigorously coughing or clearing my throat. Most mornings I suffer from a coughing fit and today I coughed up some blood. I can feel that where my cancer was is now a little sore, this area is also…
Just dropping by to say hello …
Hey folks. Another year has passed, since my operation in 2019, and I'm dropping by to wish everyone the best in life. This place has been so invaluable for support, both technically and mentally. Still getting very tired, during the day, but that's basically it, so far. I want to thank everybody once again, and perhaps…
A Support Web Site To Check Out
I have come across this site at different times in my research for support and information on cancer-related H&N subjects and I think it is a very helpful site with Blogs and Webinars and a Webinar Library where you can access past webinars on many subjects related to cancer, you may find something helpful. More…
Wishing Everyone A Happy And Blessed New Year And Great Hope for The Future-Add Your Hopes & Helps
Hello everyone, we are about to turn over a new year and are looking to the positive as much as we can I am sure. I know we are all in different phases of treatment and recovery and or dealing with the after-effects of treatment to some degree. May we continue to work together on here for the good of each other to help and…
Pain medication for Stage IV NCP SCC, HPV neg, mets/ lymph nodes & lungs
My husband was recently diagnosed with Stage IV Nasopharyngeal cancer with mets to the lymph nodes and lungs. He has his first chemo treatment two weeks ago and goes back on the 27th. Last week he asked me to call his oncologist to see if he could get any medication for pain. He has a tumor at the upper left back of his…
I need some Radiation Mask advice--Please Help
I went for the trial run today, and they put that mask on me, and I lost it. I told them there was no way that is the mask they fitted me with. When they snapped it down around the back of the neck, I just freaked out, and could not handle it. It was so tight around my cheeks. My Doctor is new, and he was so great, he…
Need advice: Does anyone have COPD and throat cancer?
m y 65yo boyfriend has had COPD for several years and it was managed well. Two months ago after some suspicious symptoms, he was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer. Last week, he began chemo 1x/week of cisplatin for 6-7 weeks, and radiation 5x/week for 6 weeks. Two weeks ago he had his port put in. About 4 days later his…
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to all on here. This was a gift from my wife. She had an incredibly talented artist paint it as a Phoenix. She said the quote, "In order to rise from it's own ashes, a Phoenix first must burn" really spoke to her in relation to my experience. I hope each of you have found some peace and rest during the…
PEG Tube- Need tips
Difficult or painful to install? To maintain? To get used to? Do they effect your ability to sleep or eat normally when you can? My Docs want me to put one in week 1 or 2 of the 7 weeks of IMRT just in case needed. I am going in with a normal diet, appetite, perfectly healthy and about 25 pounds overweight. Do you think I…
"First bite syndrome" - oh it hurts!
Hey All, I had head/neck cancer diagnosis in June 2018, finished treatment in Sept 2018 (2 rounds of chemo + 42 days IMRT radiation). The treatment was pretty rough but now I'm 7 months post-treatment and each day is a little different, mostly in the positive direction. Before treatment, occasionally I'd experience "first…
I Am Wishing Everyone A Blessed And Joyous Christmas And Hope For Tomorrow-Add Yours
Christmas is Upon Us Once Again It is once again Christmas and time for family gatherings, food, gifting others and extending goodwill to all. This is certainly a wonderful time of the year that can fill us with hope. Because Christmas is the story of hope and hopes eternal. Christmas is a time of great joy and celebration…
Had Radical Neck Dissection May 26.22, BUT now a small Fistula had opened
Any of you experienced vets encountered this? It started out early Dec as a pus-filled abscess that eventually erupted voluntarily. Took one antibiotic for a week. Drainage reduced 95% but not completely. Then surgeon put me on AUGMENTIN 875, 2/day for 14 days, now on DAY 4. THEN, to complicate matters, here in the last…
Radiation Necrosis in the throat and neck
TORS tonsilar cancer surgery in May, 2022, 30 IMRT's completed Aug, 2022. Had SCC in left tonsil/lymph nodes in 2007. Minor surgery, 35 IMRT's, 7 weekly Cisplatin treatments. LEFT SIDE IS STILL NED. However, there are parts of my neck and throat that received parts of all 65 IMRT's from both events. First post-treatment…
Anyone get sick from drinking Boost?
I am nearly 15 months out of radiation for bot cancer. While I expected to lose some taste and saliva glands, I thought that I’d be able to eat much better by now. I still have problems swallowing many foods, some surprising to me. (mashed potatoes!?! Feels like I’m trying to swallow wet sand).. So I’ve been living mostly…
A new battle
We all know what going thru H&N tx is like- a 2-month battle that drags on as long afterwards. A thought occurred to me with where I'm at now, almost 13-1/2 years since my last Rad session: first there was the battle of going thru treatment, and now there's the battle of dealing with the long term side-effects of C…
NED - Year One
Hi all, Ringing the one year bell! CTs ordered by the MO and scope and poke by ENT show all clear - NED! Most report various long term side effects and about a year out declare their new "normal". A handful declare a new normal as good as or efven beetter than the old normal. For some unknown reason, I'm extremely…
tongue cancer
I was recently diagnosed with tongue cancer. I had part of my tongue removed and a neck dissection. I would like to connect with others who have been diagnosed tongue cancer.
Coughing that doesn't stop
I finished my treatment back in July I have this cough that just doesn't stop it keeps me up all night I prop myself up sleeping or I just sleep sitting up on the couch my Dr's have prescribed hycodan, codeine, numerous magic mouth washes, guafesin syrup, I've tried a couple Over the counter cough syrup that don't have…
Therapy for Vertigo
It's been 2 years since I completed my chemo and radiation treatments for cancer in left tonsil and lymph nodes in left neck. My surgery was in June 2020. My neck scar is still sensitive at times and I have slight numbness around my ear. None of that bothers me. My last scan in Sept 2022 shows no cancer. I've done a bit of…
Numbness in chin and tongue
Well folks, Stage 4 tonsil cancer, 1 node removed, surgery, chemo, rad. 10/2003. Here I am 19 years out, living my life, just became a grandparent. About a month ago I started feeling a tingling on the right tip of my tongue (cancer side) that has spread to my chin. Went straight to my Oncologist. He told me it could be…
New diagnosis - Stage IV Nasopharyngeal Cancer metastasized to lymph nodes and lungs
Hello all, I am new here and I am hoping to gain a such insight so I can help my husband through this new journey and perhaps in turn, after we’ve been through it awhile, perhaps his experience might can be helpful to someone else. He is 55 years old, been retired from the military after 30 year when he was 48. In that…
Side affects of Radiation / List up-date
Does anyone have the Full list of Radiation Side effects, it seams like every time I go to a doctor about a problem I am told it is Radiation side effects. At what point do they stop blaming it on the treatment and start being doctors again and looking. Just asking to see if anyone else is having this same problem.
Numbess in chin and lower lip, left side
Calling all long-term survivors of HNC. Over the last 2 mos. or so I have developed numbness in my chin and lower lip, left of center. Coincidentally (or not?) my HPV16 positive HNC was on my left side (tonsil and lymph nodes). I am almost 4 years post treatments and doing great so I just chalked this up to another "new…
Too much mucus and excessive cough
It's been 6 months post radiation of my throat and I'm just miserable. I have so much mucus I'm spitting up will it ever stop? And a constant cough nothing helps I can't use cough drops because now I have dysphagia so if my liquids aren't thick I choke n my food has to he mashed I feel Like I'm living in hell I have no…
4 weeks out of treatments
Hi, I'm new to the group. My name is Scott and I was diagnosed in August of 2022 with Metastatic Squamous Cell pos. P16. It has been 4 weeks since I finished 35 rounds of radiation and 6 of chemo. I am wondering if there is anyone on here who have went through this and how they are doing after treatments.

Head and Neck Cancer

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