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Happy Halloween
I have the next couple of days off from work and don't have internet at home, so I wanted to go ahead and wish everyone a HAPPY HALLOWEEN. Be safe! Kathy
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Radiation To Epiglottis
My husband just underwent a harsh treatment protocol of chemo and radiation for Stage IV Base of Tongue cancer T-3 N-2 M-0. He's been through the mill with neutropenia, hospitalization, extreme oral mucositis, painful radiation "burns", PEG tube infections, thrush...every single extreme side effect, Seth has gotten in…
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Just got my PEG installed; what a nightmare!
Hey all, Just got released from a 4 day stay at the local hospital after going in on Wednesday for same day surgery/installation of the PEG tube. About an hour after being released I began experiencing the most horrible stomach pain of my life, actually the most horrible pain of my life period. There was the pain from the…
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Sperm Banking?
My Doctors said that since the treatments are being directed towards the neck the sperm banking isn't; necessary but should avoid getting someone pregnant during and after six months of tx. Has anyone had these same concerns? Anyone have kids after being tx for cancer! Since I'm in the military I can get 1 year storage for…
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The food free for all, such as it was, is over. I am at baseline weight.
I am back to my baseline weight ( and as I am only about 2 feet tall, it isn't much) I guess it is a good thing, and I shouldn't complain..however.. The trick is going to be not turning into a puffball as it is hard to eat without slathering on the food lubricants (foobricants?) butter, dressing etc. Any suggestions? Hard…
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Diet Ginger Ale for mouth sores
My boyfriend Joe has 7 more radiation treatments left and I wanted to share something we just found helpful. He has of course developed thrush and awful mouth and throat sores. He has tried everything available without any relief and his radiation doctor suggested 'diet' ginger ale. She said to swish and gargle and if…
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NEWLY DIAGNOSED
I have just been diagnosed with poorly differeniated squamous neck cancer, and I have my neck dissection in 1 week and I am only 31. I have so many questions regarding what I will look like afterwards. My doctor said I will have a big scar and my neck will be sunken in, how bad will it look? I know I sound really vain but…
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My poor abused tongue
Any suggestions on how to handle the sores that have taken up residence on the side of my tongue? Also, everything burns my tongue, including water. Is that normal? I've been doing swish-n-spit with the baking soda / salt and painting my tongue with the magic mouthwash, which doesn't last all that long. 7 more days to go!
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Home from Brother's Funeral
Hi all: Basketcase checking in. I'm back from Chatt. for my brother's Richard funeral services. Being the big TN Vols fans we all are in my family, his wife had him dressed in a new orange shirt he'd just bought and a black suit and a beautiful TN tie! We put an orange/white shaker in with him and one of his TN ball caps.…
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Cold Hands & Feet
It is getting winter time in North Carolina and I am again beginning to experience the being cold syndrome, especially the hands and feet. I am now going on five years post treatment (radiation and chemo) and being cold is another one of my many side effects. I have read on this site about others experiencing this and…
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Am I blessed or just lucky?
So far I'm not doing so badly with this radiation thing. (I sure hope I haven't jynxed myself there!) Of course I have a wussy cancer compared to what many of you are going through / have gone through. Stage 2, don't need chemo, just radiation, localized in the larynx and so only targeting the larynx and neck nodes - all…
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dorisEcknight
Would the people in charge remove this persons post from ALL categories, thankyou
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5 lbs gained and holding
Current me at 153....the best I can Do Folks..lol, Dennis, No trache, with some minor breathing, Could be worst,
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New member????
Just wondering if anyone else has had a new member??? add them as their friend. It just strikes me as a little suspicious that I would get this request on the same day that someone posted spam on every forum. The person who added me as their friend has never posted on either of the forums I frequent and has not filled in…
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Frequent urination!
Ok folks no prostate jokes here; because i am way too young for prostate problems. But ever since I had treatment I seem to be having increased urination during the night. Has anyone else experienced the same problem?? Charles
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hearing loss from radiation
Hi -Looking for people that have had rads to the head that have suffered hearing loss. I am 5 mths post cancer treatments. I had Ewings sarcoma base skull which reqired chemo and ended with 35 radiation treatments. I was told I could have problems with my ear but permenent hearing loss was not mentioned. I hear a little…
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Sore throat after treatments
Dave finished up all treatments 1 week ago. He has a really sore throat still. Any suggestions on what he can do to soothe his throat? I thought maybe some honey or something like that to coat his throat. He is still on feeding tube and taking only ice water orally. Any help is much appreciated> Hope all are having a good…
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swollen cheeks & lower lip
Hi everyone,so mike was doing really good, & then started having headaches & a pain in the side of his neck he said felt like a spasm..all of a sudden he's got swollen cheeks & his lower lip is huge! the dr put him on steroids for the swelling and a couple of days ago, a small hole opened up where his neck was hurting &…
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Good Heavens - How Much Water Does the Man Need?
Hubby went and saw his Medical Oncologist (chemo doc) today for first time since surgery 5 weeks ago. Doc thoroughly reviewed surgical report with him, says there are no signs of cancer, none of lymph nodes removed showed cancer so he is recommending no chemo. Kind of scary, but ok, we'll go with that since he already had…
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Another new mbr
Hello all! I've been an "outsider" reading your posts since I was diagnosed with Stage IV tongue cancer. I've had my surgery and going into my last week of radiation and chemo. I finally decided to join to thank you all for your posts. I felt I wasn't alone and decided to join because there might be other "outsiders" like…
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Swallowing after treatment
I am two weeks post radiation treatment and was able to swallow until the last week of treament. Today for the first time in three weeks I tried to swallow and even though it hurt like crazy I was able to swallow a tablespoon of melted vanilla ice cream and a few sips of Ensure (yuck!). Even though I was able to swallow…
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Hot and Cold
I have a question for those of you finished treatment. Do you still have discomfort from liquids and foods that are really hot or really cold. My dad said that really cold stuff and really hot stuff cause his tongue and throat some mild discomfort. Is this normal at a couple months post treatment. Thanks!!! Kathy
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JAW REPLACEMENT SURGERY
MY SON IS TO HAVE JAW REPLACEMENT SURGERY RELATED TO THE CHEMO AND RADIATION HAS HARDENED HIS MOUTH IN WHICH HE IS UNABLE TO OPEN, BY READING SOME OF YOUR INFO SOME OF YOUR PATIENTS HAVE HAD TO HAVE THIS SURGERY WHICH WAS POSITIVE, MY SON IS WONDERING WHAT SURGEON DID THEIR SURGERY AND WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED, IT DOSN'T…
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How to know when to take PEG out?
Hi All I have had a PEG for about 7 months and still use it every day. I eat soft things, soups, yogurts, some chicken and fish, but only a small amount. My question is how do you know or when did you decide to take out your PEG????? I can probably eat and drink my 2200 calories needed, but I'm sure I'll get tired of…
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An "outsider" coming in
Hello all! I've been an "outsider" reading your posts since I was diagnosed with Stage IV tongue cancer. I've had my surgery and going into my last week of radiation and chemo. I finally decided to join to thank you all for your posts. I felt I wasn't alone and decided to join because there might be other "outsiders" like…
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A BIG concern
I am very concerned about Osteo radio necrosis. Doctors and dentist warned me and prescribed flossing/brushing after every meal as well as fluoride trays/treatment daily and believe me I am anal about complying (I guess after 25 years in the Army following orders is in my DNA). I started the routine 2 weeks before my first…
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My story
I had a "rough" spot on the inside of my cheek which didn't go away. I showed it to my dentist who said it probably wasn't anything other than "cheek-biters" cheek but suggested a biopsy. The oral surgeon saw no urgency...oral cancer is rarely in the cheek and this looked like "cheek-biters" cheek. I delayed the biopsy for…
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very dry throat
My husband, Jim, is now almost two months post-treatment, radiation and chemo, for hypopharyngeal and base of tongue cancer. PET scan showed only residual activity at the site of the treatment, which was great to hear. This was a couple of weeks ago. An increasingly troublesome ear pain has caused him to move back onto…
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Edema - Chin & Neck
I've been told that the swelling under my chin (wattle) and rings around my neck are normal reactions to radiation. My concern is that they keep getting bigger and they are extremely firm to the touch. I'm 7 months post and I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this continued growth? Thanks Gang
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Discontinuing TPF for BOT cancer
Buzz has had 2 rounds of TPF chemotherapy and has had severe side effects. He is in the hospital for the second time with low white cell counts, a respiratory infection, and severe electrolyte imbalances. The doctor has hinted we may need to stop chemo and not do round three. Has anyone had only two rounds of TPF chemo and…