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Head and Neck Cancer

Hearing loss
It has been 5 months since my last treatment (35 rad with 2 chemo) for HPV tonsil and tongue.. I cannot hear highpitched sounds and voices are muffled. Background noises seem to be louder than ever. My ENT says my hearing loss is due to my age, 62, and not my treatments. He thinks it is a coincedence that I am noticing it…
SEcond time around tonsil cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer
In 2010 I had a late stage SCC of the tonsil with mets in the neck. I was successfully treated with chemo radiation (65 grays over 6 weeks) and after had neck dissection of Right hand side. I had a second cancer diagnosed this year with SCC in the parapharyngeal space, the GPs really let me down and did nothing quickly…
Radiation
My husband has completed 19 of his 35 radiation treatments. He has completed 2 Cisplatin chemo treatments. So far he’s doing pretty good. Although his taste is pretty much gone he’s still eating most everything. At what point over the 16 treatments will things start getting really bad? Thanks!
New and ready to fight
My husband was diagnosed in September 2017 with SCC HPV+ tonsil cancer. He is 41 and otherwise very healthy. He had a neck dissection and tonsillectomy in October and will be starting seven weeks of radiation and chemo very soon (Cisplatin 1x week). Right now, he is in calorie loading mode and trying to eat as much healthy…
How soon after completing treatment did y'all get a scan?
My husband is on his F I N A L week of treatment for Stage IV BOT HPV+ SCC. He's had 30 (out of 35) radiation treatments and 7 (out of 8) Erbitux infusions. (If anyone wants more details you can click on my name and read the "about me" page. I know that, when I read other's posts, I always wish I knew more about their…
Tongue cancer
I am interested in what treatments were done and in what order? What was the outcome?
Bad Taste in Mouth
Does anyone have any tips for getting rid of the bad taste. My husband has completed 23 of 35 radiation treatments and 2 of 3 Cisplatin chemos. He had one bout of thrush but the Nystatin has cleared that up. He has a mild sore throat but right now ibuprofen seems to help. However, the awful taste in his mouth is preventing…
Peg tube build up
Got my peg tube switched out over a month ago and a week later I already started seeing food sticking to the inside of it. The first tube I got didn't have build up for several months. I always flush it with hot water but that doesn't help. I've even tried alkaseltzer but nothing seems to stop it. The tube is so tiny I…
small cell throat cancer new diagnosis help
hello,i am new here my father got diagnosed with small cell throat cancer. quick background on him he is 70 a smoker pack a day. other then that he dosnt really drink booze eats healthy ect. he was a fire-fighter for 25 years he is also a vietnam vet. this all came rather as a shock he was fine then on my birthday dec 19th…
Jaw Exercises
Trismus/TMJ is a condition that affects many of us (raising hand) who have undergone radiation and/or surgery. Just like swallowing, "use it or lose it" is the mantra. Here are some exercises given to me by my Speech/Language Pathologist at Johns Hopkins. As always, check with your doctors before doing anything. I have an…
Low Grade Fever
I am not even sure this is related to my cancer treatments or not. But ever since I had cancer, surgery, and radiation (lower dose), whenever I over exert myself I end up with a fever of 99º. Not very high but it keeps me down for the day. Today is one of those days after doing tree trimming for two days straight. Does…
Seven Years!
Hi, Just received the results from the latest PET/CT scan and it's an all clear. This puts me at 7 1/2 years post treatment for BOT stage 4, treatment was 35 rads with 3 cisplatin doses in 2010. Hoping this will give encouragement to those just starting down this pathway. Yes, treatment is rough, for sure. But it is…
To all the caregivers out there ...
How do you deal with a stubborn spouse? My husband has completed 28 of 35 radiation treatments. He’s in extreme pain but refuses to take any pain meds because he’s worried he’ll get constipated. He’s barely getting any Ensure in, maybe two a day. Not nearly enough water. When I tell him he’s being foolish and stubborn he…
Hair shaved off
Hello, I am new as of today. I have had tongue cancer. My radiation and chemo was completed the end of october. I am recovering from the side effects including hair loss. I went and had my hair cut short but now my question is should I take it to the scalp look. Will this make my hair grow back thicker and faster? Also…
Xylimelts for dry mouth
Has anyone used these and if so do they help?
Final stretch tips? Encouragement?
Here we are on the seventh week of radiation with three treatments left. Seven cisplatin treatments have been completed! My husband was doing fairly well and we have somewhat successfully managed side effects as they have emerged. Today it was like the wonder twin powers of the acculumated chemo and radiation activated in…
Radiation treatment for Tonsil Cancer ,one side or both ?
Hello , I'm new to this board and have found very good info reading through everyones posts it''s wonderful to read the positive outcomes. I'm a caregiver for my husband who was diaganosed with Squamos cell cancer. It presented as a swollen lymph node right side of neck level 2 nodes. Pet Scan and Ct scan were not clear as…
Partial glossectomy
Hello everyone, I am new to this but I can use some advice. Two years ago my mom was diagnose with stage 2 floor of the mouth cancer. She underwent surgery in September of 2015 with a flap and neck resection around April or may she found out that the cancer had returned in stage 4. She then decides not to do surgery and…
lymphedema serendipity
I have been experimenting with ways to treat my jaw and neck lymphedema, and may have stumbled on to something. I have been sporadically applying various skin moisturizers to the area of my neck skin that got toasted by the radiation, and wearing a variety of heavy scarfs to keep my whole neck warm. I happened to have an…
tongue cancer
My dad just went through tongue cancer treatment where he lost 75% of his tongue. After surgery, he was given a radiation, but no chemo theraphy. He is not gaining weight. Any suggestions?
What happens if I have Fever during treatment
Hello all, On Thursday 10/20, before the did my chemo the took all the vitals, as they usually do. My temp on 11 tries was between 99.9 and 101.4, so the NP decided to to a fever work up, which included taking blood from both arms, a chest X-ray and an EKG. They did not find anything in X-ray or EKG, so they went ahead…
Thank you to all who post!
i posted for the first time this spring when I was frantically searching for a place I could read through other people’s experiences with H and N cancer. My husband was diagnosed with stage iv HPV + Tongue-based cancer on feb 17. He had robotic surgery one week after finding out he had cancer. He did 30 treatments of…
neck muscles still very tight
I'm starting to wonder if the muscles on the side of my neck will ever become soft and relax again? I did some PT and am currently having massages done once a week to try and relax the muscles so that they will stop doing spasms all day and night. I'm so sore from the muscles being tight it's driving me crazy. Has anyone…
Newly diagnosed
Hello everyone, i am just getting diagnosed with SCC in the supraglottic area right above my vocal chords. The ENT seems to think it’s a T1 and caught early,but he also said it was benign when he cut it out. The tumor is 1 cm and the lab report said it is well differentiated. I am 40 years old and have a wife and two small…
Intentions For 2011
After a very inspiring yoga class this afternoon, I began to think about my intentions for 2011... in some ways a little more strict than resolutions, but in some ways a little more relaxed! Instead of vowing to do something all year, and then giving up when you break a rule, I think of intentions more as something you can…
Newly diagnosed
I have just been diagnosed with acinic cell carcinoma of the left parotid gland. I first noticed the lump on the left side of my neck about 2.5 years ago and it has slowly been growing and is now 3-4cm in size. I had a doctor look at it in Jan 2017 and he put me on some steroids and said that should solve the problem. In…
Hypothyroidism
Hello Survivors! Dennis is slightly past one year from the end of his powerful chemo(s) and 35 radiations to his head and neck area. He has done darn well post treatment, but there are some bothersome residuals. The thyroid seems to be increasing each time he has blood work, but he has not hit the number where the…
Zofran vs Compazine
Any opinions on which works best for nausea on the 6th day following Chemo? Thanks!
Perineural Tumor
Does anyone have any knowledge of perineural tumor in the inferior alveolar nerve? Please share treatment options. Husband is 18 months post diagnosis of Stage 4a SCC with primary in buccal mucosa. Latest scans show concern in the nerve but no lymph nodes. I know every patient is different but was hoping to get a general…
Swallowing issues, Little or no saliva, extreme dry mouth
If you have little or NO SALIVA, dry mouth, or just a VERY HARD time swallowing, loss of soft pallet, this is for you. Buy frozen bags of OKRA. ($1.00 a bag at regular groc stores). I put 4 bags into a deep covered pan and cover the okra with water. I simmer it for 8-10 minutes to speed up the process. Then I turn off the…

Head and Neck Cancer

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