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Three Month PET, NED!
Had my three month post treatment PET this morning and was shocked when a Doctor on my team called and told me she had a chance to review my scan. I wasn't anticipating results until next Monday during an appointment I had scheduled. Doc said she didn't want me worrying through the holiday unnecessarily. Doc excitedly told…
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Gagging reflex
Hi all, I'm only one week into treatment and am having some issues with my gagging reflex. When healthy it's normally really sensitive anyway; just last night it was triggered by me trying to brush my tongue because my tongue feels gross. I already feel the swelling in tonsil/back of throat area but not sure how to avoid…
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Treatment completed heading home
That’s me done finished heading home in the morning. 3 lots of Cisplatin and 35 IMRT Rads done, I’m not sure if this sounds strange but the time has flown by. Thanks for the information on here easing my journey. Andy
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Dysautonomia
Sitting here in Jim's hospital room as he begins to fall asleep. We've been here 3 days. With symptoms including dizziness, wildly erratic blood pressure, tachycardia, night sweats and fever of unknown origin the diagnosis, after many tests, is dysautonomia. The doctors suspect this may be a late effect of his cisplatin…
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Scared Wife - Tonsil and tongue
My husband received the results from his CT scan from the oral surgeon yesterday showing a 3-5cm tumor in his right tonsil and part of the tongue. He is 41 years old. He had difficulty opening his mouth which we attributed to TMJ. Turns out the tumor was growing into the muscle causing his jaw not to work properly.…
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First time posting!
Hi all, just wanted to say I've recentry started my 7 week treatment plan - 7 weeks radiation plus three cycles of cysplatin....one infusion given and it's not pleasant! Fatigue, headache, nausea, ringing in ears....seems to be typical side effects? Throat starting to feel a little "thick" from the radiation already but no…
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Just started treatment - NEED ADVICE
My husband was diagnosed a year ago with unknown primary SCC. He waited until about 6 weeks ago to do another exploritory surgery for the primary. FOUND IT at the base of the tongue!! They were able to remove it with clear margines. He is taking weekly cesplatin and daily rad for 6 weeks. First dose of chemo was on Monday…
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Alternative Treatment
Hello. I was diagnosed with Esthesioneuroblastoma (skull base cancer) I was wondering if anyone here has done alternative treatments at all?
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Esthesioneuroblastoma
Has anyone been to a good ENT or neurosurgeon in Southern California that treated you?
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Radiation Therapy Begins
I'm keeping a blog of my cancer treatment. If interested, here is the link. http://mythroatcancerdiary.blogspot.com/2017/06/second-radiation-treatment-today.html
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Can your pets tell that you are sick?
I think my little black Chiwawa knows I am sick. She wont leave my side lately. Follows me everywhere, even sits at the bathroom door whining till I come out. She trys to sniff around my head sometimes and whines also. Her behavior was not like this until I got sick. I have heard that dogs can smell cancer, I wonder if it…
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Ding, ding, ding!
My husband just rang the bell! 7 chemos and 36 rads. Here's to healing! :-). (I posted the video on Facebook)
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One down - 34 to go
One down, 34 to go. I was very surprised when then told me it was over. I was expecting for it to last longer. For what I have read, the treatments last about 15 minutes. I was done in 10. Just when I was beginning to relax it was over. Not sure if all my treatments will last that long but I sure hope they do. Still had…
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Lotion for intense itching due to Erbitux
My Dad is going into his fourth week of immunotherapy (Erbitux) & 3rd week of radiation and has broken out in a TERRIBLE acne like rash.(likely due to the Erbitux). We were informed this rash would likely happen. But what they failed to mention is that it itches like crazy! He said he feels like he has about 60 mosquito…
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Done!
Today was my final radiation treatment. In total... 6 chemo and 30 rads - thank the good lord it's over. Now on to recovery. I'll be extremely happy when this mucusitis goes away. I'm tired of puking-up bile in the morning while clearing my airway. Good luck to all. There is an end to all this pain and suffering. Here's to…
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eating problems
good morning, i am my husbands caregiver. he was diag. in sept. had rad & chemo in oct. surg. in dec. chemo & rad in feb. he has had his j-tube in since dec.10. and they are talking of removing it in april. he still cannot eat well. nothing wants to go down he has alot of phelm still coming up. he carries his spitty cup…
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Advice please.
Having issues opening my mouth wide. Can only open 3 fingers wide. Is there something that can be done? I'm a soon to be 8 year survivor NPC Stage 3. Any advice will greatly appreciated.
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How do I respond
When hubby announces that if his July PET scan shows there is still cancer, he will not seek further treatment? He says he's just now starting to feel human again and refuses to go back to the way he felt during radiation and chemotherapy. I wanted to cry and scream but instead decided there was urgent flower pit watering…
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ELEKTA LINEAR ACCELERATOR
FIRST OF 35 RADIATION TREATMENTS SCHEDULED TO START TOMORROW Received a call from the Cancer Center. I was set up for a practice run-through and a Verification of measurements today at 3:30. I finally got to meet Elekta, the Linear Accelerator. When I entered the Mother Ship - LOL, there it was in all its glory. It is…
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Advice please
Last week, monday, I was released on "surveillance" I get to see a Dr once a month. (YAY) Tuesday, I got a stomach bug thing, the kind where you are starving but you cant eat kinda thing. I thought, "its a 24 hr thing" so I've been ignoring it. except here we are the following monday, and I am nauseus as all hell, anti…
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Any info on Stage IV base of tongue/lymph nodes and PROTON THERAPY?
Hello, My husband recently was diagnosed with base of tongue invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Traditional 7weeks of radiation and chemo have been recommended at this point. We have also reached out to the University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute and they are setting up a consult. The Oncologists recommending the…
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Finish line in sight
Well. Here I am on my last week of treatment. I finished chemo last week and I have 4 rads to go this week. Its not been without many ups and downs. Almost to the point where I didn't think I had it in me to finish. I want to thank everyone that replied to my posts with words of encouragement. I don't think that I could…
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Ear ringing from cisplatin
Greetings, My dad has nasopharyngeal cancer and is on cisplantin. He's been having really bad ear ringing that's not going away. I was wondering if anyone on this medication has experience that before and whether this is really permanent. Also, what can help relieve that (besides corticosteroids injections)? Thank you!
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My father has oral cancer.. Please advice what to do
I recently came to know, that my father has oral cancer. We took consultant from some oncologists and according to the biopsy results one of them said its in the INITIAL STAGE and and can be cured with chemotherapy, while the other one suggested to go for a surgery and then for the chemotherapy. It is covered in 5 mmx 5mm…
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Worried Daughter
Hi I am new to all this and worried about my dad. My dad has a very large tumor 7.8 cm( squamous cell carcinoma) in his sinuses and it has spread to around his optic nerve and in some of the bone in his face. Since being diagnosed 4 weeks ago he has lost his vision and his teeth. We have had to go in several times for…
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Yes, chemo causes double vision
I write this as a six month post H&N patient, for posterity. As I have gotten healthier I have gotten more active outside. Doing that I thought I was experiencing odd things going on with my vision, but it wasn't consistent, and if I looked at things close by, everything appeared normally. Yesterday, I sat down with a pair…
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Treatment update
Been about 2 weeks since last update. I have been having a hard time and think I have every side effect to the extreme. Tomorrow is my last of 7 cisplatin treatments. Hydration is still an issue for me. Been on peg tube for about a month now. Blood pressure stays super low. Peg tube hole never healed, still oozes funky…
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I have a new weird problem.
Something new popped up today. I cant make much sense of it and I havent seen others with this symptom post anything. I am currently awaiting pet scan. Bright red blood in stools. How does this connect with with head and neck cancer? Any insight would be helpful.
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Making Of The Dreaded Mask
My friend Carolyn transported me to the Cancer Center and went to all the appointments I had prior to the procedure. Lots of paperwork and information given by many staff members. I was pleased to learn that I may qualify for financial assistance. Completed the forms and will know something in a week or so. The cost for…
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where did my voice go?
I finished radiation treatment four days ago. I managed well throughout the treatments - worked daily through week five; have throat pain and pain with swallowing, but ate normal soft foods with Boost as a supplement; burns on skin are not severe. Yesterday, my voice was cracking and this morning, I can only squeak. There…