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Neck dissection discomfort - Found some help
I am only a couple of weeks out from a Supgraomohyoid Neck Dissection. I have numbness, weird twinges, nerves jumping around, and a sensation that I have a tight noose around my neck. I read the comments regarding massage being helpful. So I had an idea given that I didn't have a masseuse handy. I took a vibrator, and I…
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Olfactory NB - No Taste/Smell
Hi - just found this blog. I was diagnosed last December after a routine polyp surgery. Have gone through 5 weeks of radiation and now have monthly endoscopies with either my oncologist or ENT. Have lost sense of smell/taste and wondering if anyone has experienced the same and regained the senses. If so, how long did it…
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neutrophils
My husband has Squamous cell carcinoma, base of tongue, 4 lymph nodes, right tonsil, he has gone through 9 weeks of Two types chemo (Abraxine and Cisplatin) and then he has completed 29 of 35 radiation treatments and 2 of three more planned cisplatins. On Thanksgiving Day he was to go to the Cancer Care Clinic for fluids.…
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Another Newbie to group
Just diagnosed with SCC in a lymph node on the left side of the neck about two weeks ago. PET scan confirmed mass but found nothing else anywhere. ENT surgeon has removed tonsils (not so fun for a 63 yr old but am recovering ok). He also biopsied a couple of other places at the base of tounge and in the throat. No results…
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Been a while.............Happy Thanksgiving
Hi Friends Fighters and Survivors It has been a while since I visited and I could sit here and make excuses but they are a dime a dozen and I have 20 cents worth. It has been 8 years since I was diagnosed with throat cancer and it pissed me off that I had to deal with the nightmare during my favorite holiday. (Turkey…
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Optivo
I'm sure some, if not all of you know that the FDA approved Optivo for H&N. I didn't see an article on the board so i thought I'd post. They are in the process of commercializing it (pricing it out) and should be available in early December. Here's one article on it.…
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Double tonsillectomy for single enlarged tonsil waiting for results! Help please!
Hi all, not been diagnosed with anything. Waiting on biopsy results post tonsillectomy a week ago today. Presented at my gp in early October with flu like symptoms and severe sore throat which i thought was something I picked up from my wife who has the same and lost her voice for a week. i was sent away with cold…
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I'm new here
I'm new here. Was diagnosed with SCC in March of this year. Tumor was on the right side of my tongue. In May I went through a partial glossectomy (partial tongue replacement), right neck disection, tracheostomy, feeding tube placement and a skin graft of my right forearm with removal of the radial artery for the tongue…
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Hang in there
A year ago today I got a call from my Dr. w/ the biopsy results telling me I had stage 4 tonsil cancer at age 44. I have a family which included three children ages 13, 6 & 4 (at the time). It ruined our Thanksgiving to say the least. As all of you know, many horrible thoughts and concerns consumed our live when you were…
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obturator
Hello everyone! I am brand new to this site and this is my first post so bear with me. I was diagnosed in June/2015 with cancerr of the soft palate and also had a tumor on my luymph node. After weighing the pros and cons of surgery versus radiation and chemo, I decided on the latter. 60 radiation treatments, and 8 chemo…
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New primary or ulcer after radiation?
I finished radiation early June and things were healing quite smoothly. A little over week ago I noticed something new and it wasn't like the blistery ulcers from food that I had been getting several weeks ago. This only slightly hurts if I push on it with my finger. I called my surgeon immediately and she recommended that…
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ROLLCALL 2016- UPDATED OCTOBER 25, 2016"CLOSED"
ROLL CALL 2016 Updated October 25, 2016 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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New to the group!
Nov 18, 2016 - 4:16 pm Orburator during chemo and radiation hi everyone, I'm new here but have been trying to do research about how likely it will be that I can wear my orburator during the time frame I'm having the dual chemo and radiation over the next few months. I had my surgery about a month ago and obviously like…
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Great news today!
My husband has his 4th set of scans on Monday (his 42nd birthday!) since finishing treatment for stage 1 tongue cancer back in January. We got the results today, and NED again! His ENT wants to see him back in February, but we aren't going to scan again until next summer! He said the risk of more radiation from more scans…
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Warm place to spend winter
G’day too all of you, well it looks like old man Winter is on his way to Louisiana early as Monday will be around 49 degrees here in Lafayette. Is there anyone here who lives down in Miami Florida or Brownsville Texas that has an extra room in their home. I am not sure what I will do this winter as I cannot stand the cold…
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3 month check up - good news - I think??
Went in for my three month PET today and all my docs were thrilled. The tumor at the back of my throat is gone and two of the lymph nodes aren't showing any evidence of disease, either. There is one node (that I didn't know was affected) that has shrunk quite a bit, but only showing a partial treatment response. There was…
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Interesting Article in Washington Post
Interesting information for new comers https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/shavi
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Chefdaddy ?
Hondo Have you heard from or talked to Mike lately. Just wondering Dave
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Finished week #3 on Friday. Tastebuds about 95% gone.
It started happening on Friday, but not badly. By Saturday afternoon, the tastebuds were pretty much gone. I knew it was going to happen, but it still took me aback. I can smell things, but I can't taste them. The only thing I can taste slightly is my coffee in the morning. I use agave nectar as a sweetner, and I can still…
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Jaw Pain
Has anyone experienced jaw and ear pain post treatments? I had stage 4 tonsil cancer with chemo and radiation as the treatment. Last treatment was April 5. This pain develvoped several months ago in my ear area and jaw. It is a radiating, throbbing type of pain with constant pain to the touch on the outside of my jaw. The…
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3 month post PET inconclusive / biopsy conclusive
For those of you who know my story, radiation and chemo treatments for Stage IV tonsil cancer ended on 7/15/16. My 3 month post treatment PET was performed on 10/14/16. The results showed a 4.6 SUV in an area where part of my tongue was removed. The docs could not conclusively determine whether this was radiated tissue or…
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I hate to complain
But the fatigue is overwhelming at times. I'll be four months post radiation on the 12th, and thought by now the fatigue wouldn't be as bad. I do exercise (walk 3 miles) or go to the gym about 5 days per week to see if it would help. I get a bit of a burst of energy after exercising, and then the plunge into a suffocating…
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Throat went south fast! Almost everything I try to eat burns ...
Overall still feeling good, but in the last 5 days, my throat has gone from tolerable with no meds, to needing some Advil, to the magic mouthwash, and now I tried my first meal with Oxy/MM, and almost everything still burns. The senstive spot is the very back of my throat which is hard to target with the MM. A little worse…
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Insomnia
I am almost 2 months post surgery and I am having a very difficult time sleeping at night. I have prescription sleeping pills, they work but, I find myself waking up 30 minutes -1 hour later. I can be exhausted when I go to sleep. The same thing happens. Either wake up or have insomnia. Can anyone make a suggestion? i was…
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Three months out - hoarse and pressure on windpipe
I'm my husband John's caretaker and haven't posted in awhile. He was diagnosed with HPV+ oropharyngeal cancer in May. Primary tumor in lingual tonsil at BOT and one lymph node on side of neck 4cm. He had 35 proton therapy sessions at Scripps with 7 concurrent cisplatin. No PEG. Lost 30 pounds. Has regained some appetite…
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Question for olfactory neuroblastoma folks
Hi I would like to get a second opinion for my treatment of ONB and wondered the name of the doctor and the hospital that you were treated at. I called my health insurance company and they said they needed the name of the doctor to see if it would be covered. Also, do you seek a head and neck specialist or a neurosurgeon…
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2 months post radiation return of major pain
Good evening everyone, My husband is 2 months post radiation. After his pain went away at about 3 weeks after treatment, he was totally pain free for 4 weeks, didn't even have to take a tylenol or advil. Last week, he started having major pain again, unlike treatment pain. This is near the surgery area. More muscular or…
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Newbie
Hi everyone! I'm Shannon from the Tampa area. I was diagnosed with SCC, lateral tongue, on Wednesday. I haven't had scans or been staged yet. It is all so new. My consultation at Moffitt is Nov. 9th. Until then, I am trying to read as much as I can. I have a fabulous support system. My boyfriend and Mom are going to be…
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What can I expect this time?
Some of you know my story. I am really worried about second round rads with chemo. Especially when I will be alone in a hotel for a number of weeks. I had rads over the summer without chemo and it was pretty debilitating. Can I do this alone? I know the answer is subjective but I want to know what to expect.
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New to site vocal cord cancer and partial laryngectomy Help
New to site Have many questions Help My husband was diagnosed 8 yrs ago with left vocal cord cancer he had 8 weeks of Radiation and 6 weeks of Chemo. He faithfully followe up with his ENT all of those years and was considered cured. About a year ago his voice start going out on him we thought it might be his job he's…