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What would you have wanted to know
I'm volunteeering in a support group for H&N cancer patients at my HMO. One of the things we are looking at doing is developing some sort of booklet giving people in, or headed in to, treatment a guide book for how to cope, what to expect. I have my own experience to draw on, but there are a significant number here that…
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10 weeks out of treatment
Had my first appointment with my ENT Consultant today 10 weeks out of treatment scope shows no tumour. Re tested hearing and the Cisplatin has caused some hearing loss. I will be getting checked every 8 weeks for the first year and they want a baseline scan in a few weeks but other than that Im done I think.
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Third time around the block....BUT --- Update...
I start Keytruda treatments next Monday....Got my baseline scan last Thrusday...the nodule in my lung has shrunk by half....hmmm...guessing that the antibiotic they gave me after they biopsied the node in the middle of my chest has something to do with that. Anyway, I'm excited and nervous....nerves only because I want…
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Water coming out the nose while swallowing
Can it be fixes? What ever I drink comes out my nose while trying to swallow again after throat cancer. Will this also happen with food?
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On the flip side
Surgery was Thursday, came home friday. Not much pain, sore really is all (Tylenol) I look like something out of a slasher movie... AGHH.. lets cut her head off! 2 - 3 weeks on Pathology report. So fingers crossed!
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And the results are in ...
Everything looks great! Scan was good ... all lymph nodes shrunk back down and the one that was the biggest is now only 1cm. The doctors can't even feel it. They said it's likely scar tissue. So, we got the "see you in three months for a scope and six months for a scan" ... they didn't actually say the words "NED", but…
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Friday
Will be my last 6 month pet assuming all goes well. I'm 3 years out. For 2 months, constant mouth sores, and the side of my neck is always sore along with my throat, I'm not feeling optimistic. I have chills, fatigue, constantly sick. I can't go through this again and I have no support system, just my 11 year old son. Ssc…
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Thanks from a new member
I came across this site a few days ago researching problems with your teeth after radiation. I wish I would have found it sooner. I found out I had tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma stage 1V in Jan. if 2016. I had a tumor at the base of my tongue and it had spread to one of my lymph nodes. I had no signs other than my…
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Post Cancer treatment Problems
Hi Everyone, I'm writing this as a son of my mother that had cancers throat, she been cancer free for about 6 years now. The problem is that more and more my mom are more angry and unreasonable out of no where. she don't trust anyone, paranoid and angry around me and the familes members. She seems to ack normal around…
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SCARED TO SWALLOW
Did a load of laundry today. Also walked the dogs. Other than that, I slept on the sofa. Ten days out of treatment. Trying to take more sips of water but did choke a couple of times. Read somewhere that I should swallow sips of water at least 8 to 10 times a day as exercise for my throat. I had been doing only 2 or 3 times…
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Facial artery musculomucosal flap to oropharyngeal defect
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2013 Oct;66(10):1365-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bjps.2013.05.029. Epub 2013 Jun 10.A novel use of the facial artery based buccinator musculo-mucosal island flap for reconstruction of the oropharynx. Khan K, Hinckley V, Cassell O, Silva P, Winter S, Potter M. Source Head & Neck Unit, Oxford University…
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Boost and more Boost
Hi everyone,Im going in today and have my feeding tube removed.It has a fungus or bacteria build up in it.Im still not eating much but we bought some Boost high calorie on line.I should mention that im 7 months post.What im wondering is can i maintain weight if im able to get enough calories with it.
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Week Five Update
SCC Stage III Base of Tongue HPV+, 47yr old male. No port, no PEG. Well, I've made it to week 5. I have 7 weeks of radiation and one more chemo to go. To date, I've lost 9 lbs (but I put on 20 extra, so I'm still 11 ahead of normal). I've yet to throw-up, but I do feel nauseas frequently. A week ago I thought I'd hit a…
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Pain gone and now returning
Sorry for any mistakes made, but my english is not very good...My husband ended radiation and chemo treatment 3 months ago. He has been fine, with no pain since more or less 2 weeks after that. Now, when he swallows his throat hurts. Doctor says there his no visible reason for the pain. Is it normal?
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Maintaining Weight on 500 Calories a Day
I'm ingesting through PEG tube between 500 and 800 calories a day and I'm maintaining my weight. Doctor doesn't know why. How can anyone not continue to lose weight on 500 calories a day? This has been going on for weeks. I have very small stool that I pass every other day. Don't know what to make of this.
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Sudden Tumor Increase During Treatment
My brother-in-law is undergoing chemo/radiation treatments for HPV-related throat cancer. He just reached the halfway mark on Friday and his tumor had shrunk considerably and he was feeling pretty good considering. He woke up Monday am and the tumor had suddenly appeared to be larger than ever! Dr is going to increase both…
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Bone damage due to radiation,second tumor,end stage cancer
Hello everyone. My sister underwent a partial glossectomy 9 months ago followed by 6 weeks of oral radiation, 4 months ago. None of her doctors believed her when she complained of ongoing,unusual pain and severe swallowing problems 3 months following radiation.Not one x-ray,CT or manual exam was peformed. 4 doctors told…
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ear pain & mucus
Just had my 1st radiation treatment. About one hour later started to have extreme ear pain & lots more mucus then usual - thought this might happen after more treatments. Anyone else have this happen with only one treatment?
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Precancerous lesion
I hope someone can give me some hope. I October of 2016 I had two surgeries to remove precancerous lesion from my tongue. (did not get clear margins first time) i don't know (nor do doctors) why it still hurts. All the time. I have been to a dental surgeon and to an ENT. It has now been almost 11 months and everyday is…
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how to help my husband through this ?
hi everyone, i have been reading a lot of the posts. IT sure does help hearing how others are dealing with this ugly thing Cancer!!! My husband was diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma HPV positive N16 i think, its all so confusing. Anyways they said no surgery and 7 weeks radiaition and 3 big bad boy doses of…
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TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS) & Radiation VS Radiation & Chemo
Hello everyone, What a great place to gain information and support! My story is I am a 48 year old male, at peace with where I am going if my life is shortened, but not really ready to move on to heaven! I went to my primary care physician for my yearly physical 4 weeks ago and he found a lump in my neck (left lymph node).…
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Hernia
Has anyone had a Hernia where feeding tube was I now have one after the tube was removed the Doctor said it was not because of the tube but I find that hard to belive.
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In treatment looking for help
first time posting 2 weeks left. between the radiation and chemo I can't keep food down. I'm on meds but not helping. Anyone can recommend a food that taste normal? I can eat oat meal and some boost drinks. losing weight fast. anyone with ideas to get through last two weeks. And when will I start feeling better.
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Ultimate Smoothie
Hi all, I'm just about 5 years post chemo/radiation treamtent for tonsil cancer. Going to get another PET scan soon just to put my mind at ease (I hope :-) ). Like many, I had a very hard time during treatment. I tried to be a "tough guy" and not get a feeding tube. That didn't go well and ended up getting one installed…
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Question for long term PEG users
Do you do anything special to prevent aspiration ? I'm always sitting or standing when I do a feeding and/or flush. I'm also sure not to lay down for at least an hour after a feeding and/or flush. Is there anything else I should or not be doing to avoid aspiration ? I had a g-tube for about a year with no problems. After…
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How long does the pain last from treatment?
My husband is 2 weeks post treatment. What are your personal experiences with how long the pain lasted? One of his nurses seemed to think he might need pain meds for maybe another 2 weeks.
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Insurance won't cover suction machine - anyone recommend one?
Well, my insurance claims they will not cover a suction machine unless it's a part of in-home health care. Very few places around me carry them and one that would rent to me said I have to provide my medical information and diagnosis to them - no thank you. So, I'm going to just buy one. The medical supply places want…
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post treatment nerve pain knee/leg
Hello All, My husband is almost 9 months post treatment for Stage 4A Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the head and neck, specifically right base of tongue, right tonsil, and 4 lymph nodes. He has had a clean PET and 2 clean CT scans and we're VERY thankful. He was a part of a Study at Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis, MO. Our…
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Am I A Wimp?
Ok fellow H&N folks, I am 8-9 months out of T1/N3/M0 stage 3/4 Tonsil SSC, +HPV Treatment. The standard 36 rads and 7 weeks of Cisplastin. My question is do any of you all feel wiped out still? Its seems like after a work week and then 2 days of race chasing on the weekends that I must sleep and recover for at minimium of…
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Well..
Not NED. The Tumor has gone (yay) but the lymph nodes still light up like a christmas tree, so I'm looking at surgery. 2 options, - wait and see, or cut them out. I'm not fond of wandering around with an axe over my head, so if the Tumor board agrees on monday, we'll be removing them.