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Head and Neck Cancer

New to the group and question for caregivers
Hi everyone, I just joined a few days ago and figured I'd introduce myself. My 38 year old husband has hpv+ oropharyngeal scc and started treatments about 2 weeks ago. His treatment is 35 rads and 6 chemo - cisplatin. So far he's doing reasonably well aside from some fatigue, discomfort in his neck, and a little…
3rd attempt at getting my mask made
hi everybody well tomorrow will hopefully be the day to get the mask made 1:40pm and get this thing going if they can make the mask tomorrow then the following Monday i should be starting the chemo treatment 3 cycles of cysplastin and 7 weeks of rads i want to get it started so i can get it over with i'm hoping for no…
Had this great idea, today....
Yesterday, the rad-onc said they were shortening up my radiation "scope" after the next three sessions. My throat will now be out of the radiation, and they will be concentrating on my nasopharnyx. I thought..."well, could this get me out of amifostine treatment everyday???" Asked both the oncologist and the…
anyone tried Hallelujah Diet for cancer
Jim and I were going to try the Hallelujah Diet just before he was diagnosed. When he was diagnosed we didn't think about it again until the recent news that his cancer spread to the lungsit. The website has many testimonies from cancer survivors. We were thinking of trying it since the oncologist said he wouldn't survive…
First Treatment and What can I do this summer???
Hey everyone, I just had my first Chemo treatment this week (Friday May 25) So far so good, no nausea or fatigue yet. The only side affect I really felt was on day 3, some intense joint pain in my knees, ankels, hips, lowerback, elbows wrists, and neck (all joints). It was a soreness like it was stiff to move but after…
Recently diagnosed with metastatic melanoma facing Radical neck Dissection and have questions
I have been dx'ed with metastatic melanoma which is baffling the Dr.s as it 1st showed up in a lymph gland. They are doing radical neck dissection at the end of the month followed by radiation and immunosuppressive therapy as they say my kind of melanoma does not respond to chemo. I know not to believe everything I read on…
Update on feeling rough ....
Hey all ....just wanted to give a quick update on the "feeling rough" post I did last week (I think it was last week). I was in the ER yesterday (Saturday) with a pretty ugly peg tube infection ...just seem to explode over a 2 day period.... ..anyway... the ER doctor called my docs in Boise and he / they decided to take it…
Pneumonia / Peg Tube
Well I have been in the hospital for the last few days fighting my first pneumonia problem. I had another bad attack of aspiration last week, got sick but had no idea what the problem was till my Wife brought me to the emergency room later Friday night, when the check Pneumonia. What sucks is that they will not let me eat…
Odd Smell
Just a quick question for you all. During and now after my rad treatments whenever I bend over and stand up I get a weird smell. It's kind of like burned something and I can't say I've ever smelled it before. I'm assuming it is from the radiation burn to my sinus'. And this morning I had a sneezing fit due to the fierce…
Dry mouth : how did you deal with it?
I am done with 6 radiations and already hit with extreme dry mouth and throat, throat seems worst. Sips of water helps but night time is hard. I tried biotine oral balance gel recommended by my RN but that is bit sticky And did not help much. Biotine mouthwash helps for 15 mins or so, I have ordered stoppers 4 from…
Woke up with hair
going to bed BALD? Well I guess I was not prepared for todays events as my hair started coming out/ Chemo 101. So off with it, sheers in action and as I post now I look like Mr Potato Head, told TODitto she could add ears, mustache etc. On a serious note I had not heard about that much hair loss for HN, I guess its as…
Hopeful Intersting HPV stuff for the near future?
I read this article on the oral cancer foundation web-site; then checked out the companies web-site. Would be good news for future HPV+ survivors!!! http://oralcancernews.org/wp/advaxis-recruiting-for-hpv-head-and-neck-cancer-trial/ http://www.advaxis.com/
Denied scans---your experiences
My insurance company denied my upcoming scans. Their decision is based on the NCCN guidelines, Follow-up recommendations. These may be the same criteria used by your insurance carrier. For comparison, I was base of the tongue, stage 4 and have had small lung spots show up on previous scans without significant change. This…
After Treatment- Horrid
Hello my mom has finished her treatment, intact somewhat, she spent the last 2 weeks of her treatment in the hospital, she is 68, PEG tube equipped and uses regularly. Last Rad was 3.12.12 and last Chemo was 2.22.12- today 5.27.12- she feels horrible, mucus party every day. No appetite, no desire for food at all. Her…
Dissapointed at this time
Hi everybody i really thought today was the day to get this thing going get the mask made and move on with treatment but i drive down there he does his exam and tells me i'm not ready yet there is too much swelling will try again on Tuesday i'm so frustrated at this point its been long enough getting this battle going…
Feeling rough .......just need to hear from you guys :
Hey all .... Feeling pressure in my head for about a week now ....feeling quite blah...voice is still raspy / rough ....and you all know how your mind flies away with this stuff ... ...but to make myself feel better ....I keep saying I was feeling quite rough about a week before my fist post treatment scan May 7th ...and…
Thanks and Hello Everyone
I would like to say thank you very much too all of the contributors to the CSN website I’ve read and I would like to introduce myself and fill you in on my status. First, my wife (Candy) discovered this website around the first of the year and we have both enjoyed and used it regularly. Until just recently, Candy did all…
I was just diagnosed with SCC on my tongue. I am scared.
I have recently been diagnosed with tongue cancer. They said I am stage 1 almost stage 2. I was told I need to have 1/4 in deep and about legnth of two quarters taken off the side of my tongue. They did a PET scan and it showed no cancer anywhere else but they are wanting to do a partial neck disection to make sure there…
Newbie to the forums
Hi everyone, my name is Nick I was dx last month with stage 4 scc hpv+ and started my treatments last week. I have been reading the posts and it sounds like a great bunch of folks on here. I'm 40 and have a wife and 3 children one of my biggest concerns is my weight i'm underweight 130lbs 5ft 8 inches and i burn calories…
anyone else have neck dessection (or resection) after chemo & radiation?
I was diagnosed with tonsil cancer (right tonsil) with cancer cells found in lymph glands on both sides of the neck (stage 4 advanced). After a 7 1/2 week treatment of daily radiation and weekly chemo (erbitux) ends next week, I will have a 8-12 week waiting period to see how well the treatment worked. As many of you know,…
Which tooth brush is best...and more dental ques
Now that we will need to take care of teeth for lifetime, i have started to looking into buying a good tooth bursh. I also always had sesitive teeth and my gum line is receding in one or two teeth which is not good. However my dentist did clear me for treatment (oncology dentist) I was looking and it seems sonicarr comes…
Memorial Day Reflections
Greetings everyone! I haven't been on the site in a while and thought I'd drop by. Two years ago on Memorial Day weekend I was checking in to the University of Kansas Medical Center. I was getting ready to be hooked up to an IV for the next four days because of the severe nausea induced by the chemo. I couldn't hold…
Olfactory Neuroblastoma - Financial Assistance Programs?
Hello, I'm Chris Marler and I was diagnosed with Olfactory Neuroblastoma a few days go. I have Kaiser but my copays are very high. I'm looking for leads to financial assistance programs that might be available for me. I really don't know where to start. I tried the PAF program, but my diagnosis is not on their list of…
Not good news
Jim went to the oncologist today for the CT results. There are several more nodules in the lungs and the one on the previous PET has grown. The doc is contacting the radiologist to see if a needle biopsy is possiblle. Any surgery is out Jim had two in the last 4 months). He says no treatment because it woulld kill him (it…
Good Article on Depression!!!
I was was never suicidal; but did and still do battle depression. I thought this article on the oral cancer foundation web-site was interesting!! http://oralcancernews.org/wp/suicide-rates-among-oral-cancer-patients-on-the-rise/ Charles
Ditto 1 or Ditto 2
Just checking up on ya'll.....I may have missed a post but I haven't seen ya'll on the boards, please let us know how you're doing.
has anyone had more than 70% of your tongue removed and reconstructed?
Hi, has anyone had more than 70% of your tongue removed and reconstructed? My hubby is going for the surgery very soon. A huge portion of his tongue will be removed and reconstructed. We were told speech will be badly affected and taste bud gone forever as well as swallowing problem. however, there will be speech and…
Sun, sun screen..large hat suggestion?
I have finished 8 radiations and skin is okay so far. I do know that sun is not good for skin right now as it is going thru radtiation. Was wondering if okay to go out wiht lot fo sun screen put on every 2 hours? Also any suggestions for one of those really large hats? Thanks, Sam
The truck finally stopped backing up over me!
Sorry I've been absent for a couple days. I ended up being hospitalized Sunday evening, and just got out yesterday. I went in when I threw up on Sunday and it was mostly blood. They kept me for four nights to try to stop the nausea and get some control over the pain. It seems like my body decided to hold all of the side…
Good book for us
with HNC by a Dr. who contracted it himself. This tells his journey, the highs and the lows and where he is now. I told my rad onc about it and hopefully he reads it but its so informative for all of us. I got it for my Nook for $8.99. It's certainly worth it. I don't know how long it's been published so you might can get…

Head and Neck Cancer

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