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Sore throat when speaking... feeling worried.
Ho all. I am 5 weeks post treatment of my right tonsil SCC and multiple right lymph nodes, hpv positive. Finished 33 rads on july 6th last month. I am very scared as i feel sore throat and little pain on the right side while i speak. I dont know whethet it is caused by radiation or something else more serious. I am…
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Feelings and Depression
It's not something we talk about. In fact, as a former EMT, depression is something people who are going to kill themselves never ever talk about. They smile, and when they are done, people say "he/she was always so happy" We are very good at hiding what we really feel. So, I'm going to start it, First, there's the "why…
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Stinging on scalp and face
I finished treatment (immunotherapy and radiation in March. For the past 3 weeks weeks every time I get hot or sweat I start to sting and itch on my scalp, face and neck. Has anyone else experienced this? Thank you Blessings of healing for all Orchid
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Personality changes
Has anyone experienced big changes in your personality? I know there is chemo brain but how has that affected you and did it end? My bf had 40 rads and 3 Cisplatins. He had an emergency tracheostomy and feeding tube. I know a ton of changes has come his way and I know he is trying to figure out a way to maneuver through…
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Checking in
hello all. I don’t know what made me think to check in, but here I am. Almost 6 years from my last treatment. Glad to see some of the people that were here for me during my ordeal Are still here. As a survivor we all know our inner feelings. It is easy to say you have to fight. For me it was the toughest fight I ever…
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Home Again - TORS surgery complete
I'm so glad to be home, friends! I thought I'd get on here while we were at the hospital ... but of course that was not of importance at the time. He had the TORS surgery, took out part of his tongue, a muscle that controls tongue movement, and part of his paryngeal wall. Then the regular surgery to take out the affected…
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Two Days From Surgery And Insurance Refuses
Just found out insurance is refusing to approve his treatment again. NEVER get an HMO. They're saying they approved the doctor and the hospital, not robotic surgery. We had a huge fight to get it to the teaching hospital. They KNEW we were asking for robotic surgery. It was the REASON we were able to get the referral ....…
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Just started
Just started my 35 treatments with Erbitux infusion once a week. Anyone do the same treatment for HPV neck cancer?
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Pain Meds other than Opiods
My husband and I are both concerned about opiod addiction. He called and asked for something this week because his neck and shoulder are hurting more and more, as well as a killer headache. They gave him oxycontin, which he's not wanting to take. Thus the question: ARE THERE GOOD PAIN MEDS OTHER THAN OPIODS? I figured…
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Last treatment was June 15
Hello all my last day of treatment was June 15....7 weeks of radiation to the left side five days a week and Cisplatin once a week for those 7 weeks. I faired pretty well during treatments although scared to death most of it. Doctors kept saying I’m doing well, no pain throughout just lost taste of all foods. But throat…
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Recurrent pa
I completed radiation treatment for suproglottis cancer one year ago and so far so good except the other side of my throat where the cancer was not has become painful. My oncologist scoped and didn't see anything abnormal. My ENT wants to biopsy. My question to long term survivors is: Is this from irritation? I do try to…
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Dad has Tongue Cancer - Need to understand
Hi to all, My dad was diagnosed in March with Stage 4b Tongue cancer. I don't know all of the numbers, but he had a 4.6cm x 2.7cm tumor in his tongue (OPSCC). He had the other lymph node involved on the other side. PET scan revealed something in the liver, which turned out to be the same cancer, albeit only about 2.3cm. He…
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SCC Back of Pharyngeal Wall - Break Jaw??
When we first went to oncologist (teaching hospital), the oncology intern told us that they would break my husband's jaw when they do the TORS robotic surgery. We did not think to ask the surgeon about it. My husband is concerned about it and wondering what to expect. He's hoping the intern was wrong. My husband insisted…
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Scarring of inside of throat
Wondering if anyone has had scarring inside your throat that affected your swallowing and what was done to alleviate it. Quick update...bf had Stage IV tonsil, had emergency tracheostomy and PEG, completed 3 Cisplatin and 40 rads. Passed 1st PET 6/12, had appliances removed 7/13. He's seeing PT for this issue and they gave…
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Question about newly diagnosed SSC HPV Stage II
My husbad was diagnosed with SSC HPV Stage II June 2018. We've been fighting with the insurance company since then. We are on a limited PPO -- who knew cancer was coming? We won the fight and he'll have robotic surgery August 16th to remove the cancer in his throat, as well as regular surgery to "strip" the lymph nodes,…
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Stage IV squamous Cell Carcinoma
Hello everyone. My father has stage 4 scc on his cheek and jaw bone. The doctoc at the VA gave him 18 months to live. I convinced him to get another opinion and today the can er center doctor told him. 2 months. It’s very fast progrisis cancer but how are they giving him life expectancies when it hasent spread, he had…
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Cancer in the Upper portion of the Esophagus
Hi All. I am wondering if anyone has had Cancer in the upper (cerival portion) of the esophagus? My mom was recently diagnosed with Cervical Esophageal Cancer. She is T2 or T3, N0 or N1, M0. They are not sure about the lymph because they cannot biopsy it due to location. did not light up like normal cancer would on PET.…
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Strange Symptoms
This is a difficult one to describe and will most likely not end with knowledge. Trying to keep it short is hard too but I'll try. The year before I was diagnosed with tongue cancer (BOT MEC), several times a month I'd get a low grade fever. (99-100) At the time I assumed it was due to having a sinus infection and why my…
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Adjuvant Chemo for Nasopharyngeal Cancer
Hi. New to this site. I am 4 weeks out of concurrent radiation and chemo. I’ll be starting adjuvant chemo (Cisplatin combined with 5fu) and I’m wondering how it compares to the cisplatin I got during radiation. I’m doing ok starting eating soft foods but having a hard time keeping food down. I’ve got the feeding tube but…
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Feeling itchy
I am two weeks post treatment of hpv + right tonsil cancer with metts to lymph nodes. I am feeling sore throat and itchiness exactly at the right side of tonsil where my cancer was diagnosed. It comes and goes, not permenant. Plz tell me why it happens? Should i worry about it? Plz comment did you have any feeling like…
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Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma
Hello All, I was recently diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma and will be meeting with the Radiation Oncologist on Friday. I am curious about the differernt types of radiation and if anyone has any information on the most appropiate type for this cancer. Any suggestions and information would be most appreciated.…
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Salivary Duct Carcinoma
Hello, my name is Hannah and I am newly 26. I live in CT and work as a children's outpat clinician. I was recently diagnosed with stage 1 salivary duct carcinom...I start 6 weeks of daily radiation next week and I'm feeling pretty nervous about it...I had my treatment planning session last week and left feeling pretty…
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POST CHEMO/RADIATION-sex drive in men
I'm just going to boldly throw this out there. My husband and I had a healthy sex life before 17 weeks of chemo and 35 days of radiation to the head and neck. He sees an endocronologist and is taking Clomiphine as it tells the brain to produce testestrone. It has increased his testosterone levels to the 400s, but he still…
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ROLL CALL 2018 - Updated July 14, 2018
ROLL CALL 2018 1st Update July 14, 2018 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 Enroll…
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Shaving during radiotherapy / chemotherapy
All, a dumb yet practical question. Any tips on shaving when skin gets sore. If I grow a beard it gets ginger/white bits. Its likexwearing a black suit with brown shoes! I have never used an electric razor! They seem to be the thing. Any help appreciated. Thanks.
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carotid artery damage from radiation treaments
i had throat cancer in 2008, after 35 radiation treatments and 9 chemo treatments i was declared to be in remission, but i was told the my carotid arteries were 80% blocked. this was from a c-scan. i was sent to the university hospital and had an Ultra sound done and it showed me to be barely 50% and 60%. this year my test…
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first high dose cisplatin treatment today
Had my first high dose treatment of Cisplatin today in addition to the nornal radiation. All the support staff at UC San Diego Cancer Center were wonderful. I was well taken care of. All went very well and I currently feel fine 4hours after treatment ended. I did tske 1 1/2 mg of Activin after treatment because I still had…
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Tongue burning after radiation.
Tongue burning like hell one week post treatment 33 radiations. Both sides of tongue bottom side triggers every 2 to 3 hours. Any suggestion. Plz help.
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Tongue Pain months after surgery and Radiation
Hello, So i am 11 months out of my 2nd tongue resection, 10 months out of my lymph node removal and 7 months out from finishing radiation therapy. I had a Squamos Cell Carcinoma on the right anterior portion of my tongue. After mulitple resection and radiation i was told it is gone. About 6 days ago i started to have pain…
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Interested in cutting edge research for Oropharynyx Cancer
Helo everyone! I am currently researching Oropharynx Cancer and am interested to share and interact based on medical and unbiased literature.. In my treatment, I do not blindly follow the suggestions made by "doctors": without thoroughly educating myself; embrace the information and reach my conclusions, further edited by…