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Head and Neck Cancer

How do you guys pay for it all
16 months post BOT SCC surgery and then 30 rads last February-March; I hit my out-of-pocket max ($5,900) each of the past two years and now it looks like I'm heading that way for the third year in a row. Just had a CT scan that's likely to set me back $1k, ordered by my radonc, whose appointment/endoscopy cost me nearly…
dysphagia
10 years ago I had chemo and rads for larynx cancer, I have slowly been losing swallowing ability. Had a surgical procedure late November, swallowing was almost impossible after surgery, had to have a peg tube put in, I becysphagiame severely dehydrated and developed dysphagia. Doc says it's due to the rads. Getting…
Patients who work out fare better!
That's what I was told by my docs/nurses, so I have embarked on a fitness quest and am on the hook for at least 16 sessions with a fitness class progam called "Orange Theory". Oh my! What did I get myself into! So I partook in a free 1-hour session last Wed and lived to tell about it. I was in a small class where most of…
Please read... May save your life
So, we all periodically get CTs. We went into our 9 mos, feeling great to see RO and MO. All the radiation technicians, the nutritionist, many of the nurses and office staff came up to us to tell us how great he looked. You could see him floating. Backstory...stage IV right tonsil cancer, given 2 to 3 days to live ...had…
Copd
Completed radiation Oct 1 2018 for vocal cord cancer. Stage T1 Still very fatigued..lots of mucus..coughing and very dry Now dr says I have the beginning of COPD. I'm finding I'm using the rescue inhaler more often. Has anyone else had this problem after radiation. I'm 71 yrs old and also an 18 yr survivor of stage 3…
Biotene vs Salivea
My husband recently discovered Salivea mouthwash and mouth spray for his dry mouth. They also make a toothpaste. Laclede, the company that originally developed Biotene, sold Biotene to GSK in 2008. GSK changed the formula and many people at the time said the new formula wasn’t as effective. The non-compete expired in 2018…
voice box cancer
Hi my name is Gerry I'm recovering from cancer of the Larynx\ voice box i have had 25 treatments of radiation finished four months ago. I'm now suffering from side effects coughing at night and excessive mucas in the throat constant spitting.. Is there anyone on here that has had the same cancer and has had radiation…
metastasized to thyroid?
Hoooohh-kay... deep breath here... Over the past week the way my neck feels has changed pretty significantly, at first I thought it was my lymphedema but I'm beginning to think it's possible my HPV BOT cancer (surgery/dissection 12/2018, 30 rads, took 57 lymph nodes/1 was involved) metastasized to my thyroid. No swelling…
Copd
Completed radiation Oct 1 2018 for vocal cord cancer. Stage T1 Still very fatigued..lots of mucus..coughing and very dry Now dr says I have the beginning of COPD. I'm finding I'm using the rescue inhaler more often. Has anyone else had this problem after radiation. I'm 71 yrs old and also an 18 yr survivor of stage 3…
Getting ready for IMRT/help
Hello. I am new here and have been searching everywhere for advice. I was diagnosed almost 2 years ago w vocal chord cancer. Pre-cancer and T-1. Had several surgeries and lots of follow ups. During November 18 follow up vocals looked pretty good but they found spot on supraglottis. Had that removed and it’s also pre/T-1.…
9 month follow-up complete
My 9 month post date technically was March 18, but today was the first day I could see all the docs/nurse practitioners on the same day. Anyway, NED all the way, and everything looks great! All healed up inside and out and no issues whatsoever. My edema is less than the double chin most guys at my weight are sporting and…
Just diagnosed Squamous Cell Cancer on right tonsil and right lymph node(s)
Help! 48 year old, married father of 3. Otherwise healthy and fit. Driving myself crazy. Very scared. Just diagnosed with squamous on right tonsil and a 3cm x 2cm mass in neck. Pet scan isn’t until next week. Terrified. Ive had very minor symptoms that I just thought related to getting older. I’ll be 49 in June. I have…
This may be it
Posted the other day that I felt some saliva was coming. Well it is happening slowly , post radiation 20 months.I hung in there as many of you advised. Thank you for the inspiration. As long as you are alive there is a chance even if it takes longer than most survivors. I am also getting very small taste and hope more is…
Ug... tops on teeth need to be added again- Tooth Guard Question
Well, I finally did what I've been putting-off. Post-Rads, have had tops added to 12 teeth in the past 7 years, with a couple of them twice. Now I need 5 more @ $200/tooth. Can literally see the inside of one tooth w/small bloodline between said and outer tooth. And the one- looks like a little drilling will needed to be…
Tooth Extraction Follow Up
I went for my 2 weeks follow up on Wed. April 3 to the oral surgeon since my tooth extraction. The good news is the doctor says it is healing as well as someone who has not had any radiation and I will not be needing any HBOT to follow up treatments. This is an extra blessing because it means I most likely will be OK with…
Looking for Esoph. Cancer Buddy
Hello, My husband's grandmother has been recently diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. She is waiting to start treatment and has to have a feeding tube inserted. She has recently hooked up to the internet, and I am trying to find an 'online cancer buddy' for her to talk to from time to time. Her husband died last year, and…
Unpredictable
20 months post neck radiation ,2 chemos and 45 days of radiation. Still no taste but some saliva coming back slowly. Can chew most foods and swallow. I wanted to give up but I just didn't. Lost 40 pounds and still do not want to eat.Certain soft foods I can tolerate with liquid to wash down. Lost most of my hearing, aids…
Lymphedema changes?
BOT cancer, stage 1 (under the new staging), surgery 12/17, modified radical neck dissection/they took a total of 57 nodes, all followed by 30 rads... and many complications. Including lymphedema, which has been an issue since about five weeks post-operation. For the past year, though, it's been almost exclusively on the…
Buccal mucosal cancer -moving forward question
Hello. I recently had surgery March 12, 2019 (radial artery graft from my left forearm to my right cheek after removal of the tumor), skin graft left thigh to left wrist and right neck dissection. I was in the hospital 8 days with 3 days in the ICU. Had a feeding tube in the hosptial, but was gone before I went home. Just…
Smoking post treatment
He treated for P16-positive HNSCC/ mets to local lymph nodes. He had tonsil removed did cisplatin and 6 weeks of radiation treatments. He was "cured" they said in early 2015 . He has neglected to get follow up scopes done and has begun smoking on and off. I cannot belive he is behaving like this.
suction machine
how do i go about getting a suction machine?
Visit to MD Anderson
I'll be at MD Anderson in Houston 3/3/19-3/5/19 for what they are calling my five year checkup. If anyone is or will be out there during my visit and you would like to get together, please send me a PM and we can work out the details. I'll post my results as soon as I get them. Best of luck. Bugsy
mouth sores post radiation
Currently using baking soda and water rinse, magic mouthwash from pharmacy(lidocaine), biodyne mouthrinse and gel, diflucan(yeast) and my tounge is still killing me! any suggestions?
Medication Question
I take several everyday meds, premerin, Lthyroxine, my oncologist has a list of all the meds, did anyone have issues trying to take meds during various courses of treatment?
Cancer is Tough-Treatment is Rough
And we can not get out and do the things we like to do-we feel too lousy. But if you are used to going to church and can't get there a substitute is available. It is "The Christian Worship Hour" and it is an hour long gathering set up just like a church service. The pastor is Harold Salem who is now 97 years old and they…
3 year NED
Just completed ENT visit. Visual scoping shows NED from original March 2016 diagnosis of Stage IVA (old staging) tonsil cancer with spread into soft palate, base of tongue and nearby lymph node. Stiff neck from time to time and thick saliva are the constant reminders of surgery, radiation and Cisplatin. Having plenty of…
damages from radiation
Where I am from they pass out Cancer/Radiation/Chemo like it's candy. the doctors etc. have no clue what they are doing. They are neither experience or trained in the issues and damages that occur from radiation. You get NO correct diagnosis, No appropriate treatment or anything documented correctly. I have been to every…
Tongue reconstruction with free radial forearm flap after hemiglossectomy
I had 50% of my tongue removed and replaced with a radial forearm flap. The surgery is extensive. I was in ICU for 12 days due to an infection in my neck. My main question is how long did it take for the free flap swelling to go down in order to completely close your mouth therefore increasing the ability to eat. I will be…
Tooth Extraction-Needed rather Suddenly
Some of my tooth trouble along the way is due to aging and not necessarily from my treatments. I can't really say how much is caused by each. But actually, for the most part, my teeth are holding up pretty well with the increased maintenance I am doing. I can't complain. On Saturday my one molar on the left side second…
Any Nasopharyngeal Cancer survivors? If so, what kind of treatments did you get?
I am researching about this cancer because my dear sister was diagnosed with stage 4 around Thanksgiving of 2015. The tumor is the size of a baseball. She immediately started chemo and did 6 rounds. The chemo was not effective at all. The cancer spread to her liver & pelvic. She is currently getting immunotherapy and…

Head and Neck Cancer

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