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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Temporary setbacks or forever symptoms?
I guess this never gets easier, does it? And I think I fooled myself a bit as well, thinking that normalcy was right around the bend. After breezing (that's a relative term, of course) through the treatments last spring, three months post I was starting to feel pretty good, then knock, knock, knock... oh, hello…
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Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the tonsil
I am a 61-year old male newly diagnosed with cancer of the tonsil. It is in situ and my doctor recommends surgery followed by radiation. The radiologist recommends chemo/radiation followed by neck resection. I am not sure which route to take. The surgery will involve splitting my lower jaw, removing the tumor, rebuilding…
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Swollen neck
So I have a big fear of something being wrong. I have two young children so I feel I worry more because of that. Anyways, on my way to work last week, I noticed my right side neck was swollen. It looks and feels quite a bit swollen. I did make an appointment with the doctor but I can’t see her till may. The swelling feels…
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I need help- freaking out
I am sorry and I know I should calm down, but I really can’t. My husband was diagnosed with stage 1 HPV- tongue cancer in October 2015. He had surgery, chemo and rads. Was given the all clear in February 2016. Has been given the all clear (head and chest CTs) since then. He recovered amazingly well and his next appt is…
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Anyone with esophageal cancer - spread to liver
My dad was diagnosed with EC that has mets in the liver. He is a very strong man and I refuse to believe that he cannot beat this. I am looking for other EC (mets - liver) stories. Hopefully good ones. Thanks! Jen
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Metastasis to Lungs
Had a CT scan early Jan and it showed possible metastasis from oral cavity to Lungs. Death sentence or not?
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Thank You
All, I was convinced I had tongue cancer. ENT today pretty much told me I was silly but long lasting lesion on side of tongue, I figured my tobacco habits had caught up with me. I’ve been following along reading through all of your posts and discussions for about a week and am truly amazed at the positive attitudes, sense…
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CT scan results
Had neck dissection in sept. 2018 then TORS surgery the following week followed by 33 IMRT'S stage 2 with node involvement. CT scan of the head neck and chest on 3-5-19 came back all clear. Had a scope in office every thing looked great. It felt so good too get that report and hoping to have many more just like that.…
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Surgery Only choice
HI All, I have been reading these forums and noted so many people having radiation and/or chemo, but my situation so far has been just surgery. Two of them. For HPV positive, SCC of the tonsil with one node involved. I was diagnosed in November 2018 after a bilateral tonsillectomy due to growth of one tonsil. In January,…
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Teeth
Recent post got post-Rad damage to teeth and dealing with opened, so thought I'd contribute. 1) Was told 1-1/2 years after last Rad by the U. of Iowa that flouride tx., daily, should be started before tx, thru tx and continue to end of life. Came as a shock to my Rad Dr., who didn't have a clue. Head Dentist @ U. of Iowa…
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Next CT Scan is Tuesday.
Leaving tomorrow morning for Charlotte. CT scan Tuesday, ENT checkup Wednesday and Med Onc checkup Thursday. Wish I wouldn’t be scared but I guess that’s a normal ok feeling. Wish me luck for an unremarkable scan. Thanks to everyone for being here. I don’t post much but I follow everyone’s success. Thanks!
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Can never eat or drink orally again
Hello, I received forty doses of radiation for my stage 4 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the inner tonsel, right half of the tongue, right perotid gland, right corotid artery, and 32 lymphnodes. In addition to wekly does of Erbitux during my initial tretments for my cancer, that was quite an aggressive case at the time. I then…
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Phlegm is a killer
Hi there, everyone. I am seeking some advice (home remedies/treatments/prescriptions/anything) for the dastardrly phlegm. I post about my dad a lot on here and his fight (his name is Calvin, btw) We got a CT scan back last week and it was... not good. One of his mediastinal lymph nodes is now measuring about 2 inches and…
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jaw problem
hello, haven't been in this site in a long time. hubby had surgery in 2014 for throat / oral cancer. he has had his ups and downs but overall doing good. had to have some follow up surgeries to make him a nasal drainage system. best way to describe it as the surgery left him with no nasal opening and no where for natural…
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Ringing the Bell!
Hi everyone, This is Chris50, now 53 as of February 18. I wanted to check in to say I received the best news two weeks before my 53rd birthday—2 and almost 1/2 years NED Pet scan for HPV P16+ head and neck cancer (one tonsil tumor plus 1-3 lymph node involvement). I experienced a great deal of anxiety leading up to the PET…
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I think I will stick around for awhile!
Hello Everyone, I thought I'd drop by with words of encouragement. I know when I read Phrannie's post, it encouraged me! (I'm so very happy for you, Phrannie). And Matt and others were so supportive on this site. I want to give back. It's been a 14 months since my surgery (previous posts are here somewhere) I had radiation…
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Matt's humdinger of ROLL CALL informational post!
Dear H&N Members, I (CivilMatt) is very much alive and wish to continue with the ROLL CALL, as I have been doing for a number of years. Just so you all understand what I am doing when it comes to the ROLL CALL, I will explain henceforth, for H&N Member clarity: First off, I try to stay true to the “basic rules” as laid out…
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Have I got a story to tell.....
I have been pretty scarce on the forum for a while....but I gotta tell you guys what has happened in my life. First a little history, because I don’t recognize many names....course Matt is here....he kept me laughing for years. Ok...I was dx’d in 2012 with NPC....I had the regular 35 rad treatments, plus 3 Cisplatin…
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Dizzy much? Light headed? read on..
Apparently I have a little discussed, only recently found side effect of radiation. Its called Baroreceptor Dysfunction. You (we) have 2 Baroreptors, with 1 being on our carotids. These can be damaged (same as a thyroid) during radiation. So questions are, how does your blood pressure run? Do you get faint on standing, or…
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Tooth implant
I had a back molar pulled prior to radiation treatment which I really miss as it was a main chewing tooth and now that it's gone I chew differently and have a tendency to bite the back of my tongue which is really painful. I saw a dental surgeon who's willing to do the implant and has said my jaw bone is good eonough to…
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Pleural Effusion...anyone?
Anyone have this and what was it caused by,? We went in for mapping, did ct, found fluid around lungs. Drained 2200 mls... waiting for test results. Looking to see if anyone else experienced this
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6 Month NED
Hello. sorry I forgot to post this earlier. Had my 6 month post Proton beam rads treatment for right side tonsil and rifght lymph node SCC. My ENT said all looked great. She went on to say after scoping my throat..." i would challenge any doctor to find any evidence that you received 6 weeks of radiation for HNC". I still…
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ROLL CALL 2019 - CLOSEDInitial Submittal February 19, 2019CLOSED
ROLL CALL 2019 First Posting February 19, 2019 All H&N members are welcome! Roll Call is dedicated to the memory of HAWVET (JOHNNY) who’s curiosity to know and to share a little bit about members of the Head and Neck Form inspired him to start and run this thread (2008 thru 2014). Thank You. First off, please feel free to…
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My Story of Cancer Therapy
My Story of Cancer Therapy & Recovery Summer of 2015 - I was my father's caregiver for a few months. During that time I did not get enough sleep. What I know now is that I became more vulnerable to cancer because I wasn't taking care of myself. Fall of 2015 – In October I notice a lump on the side of my neck that doesn’t…