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Surgery after radiation
I finished my radiation treatments about five years ago and have been dealing with the side effects just fine; however, a months ago the lump in my neck began growing back. Because of where the lump is, it is causing me alot of pain. I will be going in soon for a biopsy of the lump to ensure it is benign, but my doctor is…
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At MDA FOR MY FIRST 3 Month checkup!
Lots of tests scheduled from today through Thursday. Hoping I get good news.
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New and seeking advice
I was recently diagnosed with cancer this summer for the first time. It is localized in my neck and was told it originated on the back right side of tongue. A few weeks ago I had surgery and they removed 16 lymph nodes on the right side of my neck. Going into surgery I was told I will have lots of pain when I come out.…
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positive PET scan but negative MRI--TWICE
Following surgery and radiation for throat cancer, I had a PET with a bright spot (4.6 SUV) but the MRI did not pick up any mass. Now, 4 months later, the PET is showing the bright spot at 6.1 SUV but the MRI still shows nothing. What is going on? What should my plan be to find out if this is a cancer spot? The spot is…
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What type of surgeon should do the biopsy?
My husband recently had an aspiration of his lymph nodes on the left side if his neck. The pathology report came back with carcinoma. A biopsy of the back tongue and sinus area etc needs to be performed. The surgical oncologist that was recommended has great qualifications but only 1 -1/2 years experience. A general…
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Tooth Issue Bone & Gum Pocket
I'm looking for some advice and wonder if anyone can help? I am 2 years post treatment. Prior to treatment, I was advised to have a wisdom tooth removed on the radiation side which I did. About a month ago, my dentist advised me that I needed a crown on the last, back molar just in front of where I had the wisdom tooth…
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1st PET Scan Post Treatment - not NED
Well, 75 days post treatment and my first PET scan shows activity in a lymph node on the opposite side of my neck, where I had my first surgery to remove a cancerous node. I also have Sarcoidosis. Doc says it's possible to be related to that. Either way, a biopsy tomorrow is in order. If it's cancer, back under the knife…
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Hyperbaric treatments and insurance
Hi all, On recommendation from my dentist and treatment team I had all my teeth extracted back in February before commencing treatment. I am now almost six months out of treatment and doing well. My new normal is not here yet, taste buds are still out of wack, dry mouth is still almost 100% and the no teeth thing is…
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Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment
I started on a new journey today. I need to have two molars removed on my lower right. My doctor recommened 20 sessions before teeth extraction and 10 sessions after. There should be no gap between day 20 of treatment and teeth extraction and session number 21. Even though my radiation was completed in December 2003, I had…
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ROLLCALL 2016 - UPDATED SEPTEMBER 18, 2016 CLOSED
ROLL CALL 2016 Updated September 18, 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…
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Chronic Headache Post NPC treatment
Hi CSN, Has anyone experience chronic daily headaches after treatment? It's NOT painful that I need meds. Just slight/mild pain one of side of my head (temple). The strange ting is I've never had this before. It started occuring about 3 weeks ago. My last scan was before the headaches started, it was NED then. I'm about 12…
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Calories and body temperature
My husband is one week post treatment (35 rads and 6 chemo's/cisplatin). He is doing about 2000-2500 calories of VHC Boost a day but continues to lose weight. How many calories did any of you need to consume to maintain weight. He isn't feeling any relief yet and also spikes fevers then they come back down. He presented…
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3.5 years and counting...
Fellow warriors, its been awhile as the days and months roll by and I get caught up in my kids activities and the seeming normal activities of life. Then you look at the calendar and realize another milestone is upon you on this never ending journey. Not really brought about by another scan, another doctors visit or…
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First rad appoint next Tuesday
In late May I was diagnosed with squamous cell cancer below my left eat behind jaw bone. I've had 2 surgeries one for tumor removal the second to repair tissue damage. My shoulder and chest still hurt from the tissue grafts. I have an ear wick in my left ear to prevent the ear canal from closing up. Pain is an everyday…
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Still not eating enough 6 months post last treatment
My husband had last radiation/chemo in April and an adjuvant chemo in July for nasopharyngeal cancer. He still is struggling eating. Eats very small amounts maybe twice a day and relying on shakes made of protein, Boost Plus and ice cream twice a day and plain Boost Plus once a day. He still has peg in but not using as…
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Going down that road again
Just got my stitches out after a second neck dissection nearly 2 weeks ago. Cancer was contained to the one lymph node that lit up the PET scan. Doc says radiation, this time with chemo, may be recommended by the board. I know how tough rads are. But how much more difficult are they with chemo? I will most likely have…
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What did you use for the skin and neck burn during radiation?
Any suggestions of what did and did not work? Thanks, Margi Greene St. Charles, MO
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Fluoride trays & gel
Hi all. I was using colgate gel Kam but it stained my teeth very badly, so now I need some ideas for a non staining gel. Has anyone tried the Ionite gel? my dentist said it's non staining.
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Transfer of care to MDA
Hi, has anyone who is in remission (surveillance) time and tried to transfer care to MDA? I also had a few second opinions I wanted to get on the imaging and surveillance. So far I have been so far, unsuccessful. i'm not sure why. Have done a number of phone calls, many emails, etc - they don't seem to want to accept me.…
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First scan on clinical trial
I had HPV+ SCC in my left tonsil and soft palate in 2012 and got the all clear after chemo-radiation. In 2015, they found a mass in my right lung. I went through chemo-radiation again. They weren't sure if it was a new primary lung cancer or a metastasis of the head and neck cancer--especially since it was HPV+ SCC again.…
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I am so meesed up. need help
I have H&N cancer stage 4b, primary BOT. my treatment is Erbitux & Radiation. Things were going OK, that is I only had some side effects of Erbitux all of which were contolled by a Onco-Derm, giving me 2 types of cream. I got thae rash & itching no other symptom from erbitux. However strarting with my 7th radaion I started…
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Post Treatment Mouth Swish/Gargle
Good afternoon, husband is 4 weeks post treatment. All mouth sores are gone. Taste buds are slowly waking up. How long should he continue the salt/baking soda/water rinse? He's also still taking Glutamine to finish out this bottle of powder. Thanks as always.
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Diagnosis was 1 year ago today
1 year ago today, we heard the word cancer, and our lives changed forever. We totally did not expect it at all. One little spot on my husband's tongue changed everything. But one year later and here we are. Today, my husband went to "Donuts with Dad" at our daughter's elementary school where he will happily have a donut…
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Work during and after treatment
Worked thru treatment, but cut hours down 3 to start. I'm now 4 months post treatment and up to 5 hours a day. I'm still having problems with mucus and sore throat and a mouth sore returned. Started back with the salt and baking soda rinse.
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Mary's Magic Mouthwash
My radiation doctor wrote a prescription for me for Mary's Magic Mouthwash. When I went to the pharmacy to pick it up, I was informed that it was not covered under my health insurance plan. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance. We have a great plan. Has anyone else ran into this problem? One would think that as…
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Opinions about weekly chemo. Yikes!
Does adding weekly 40 mg. Cisplatin to rads just enhance the radiation side effects, or does it add some side effects of its own? I'm post-surgery (June 30) and waiting to start rads in the beginning of September. Here's the thing. The major cancer center in Baltimore where I had my surgery allegedly presented my case to…
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Don't care for my doctor
I had a malignant tumor removed from my tongue March of this year. I had the surgery done at Yale and I really liked the surgeon. At my three month visit with him, I complained about my tongue being misformed and he said that it would be simple to fix in a one day surgery. I decline at that point because I really wasn't up…
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US/MRI findings - thyroid cancer?
Hey everyone.. I noticed a palpable lump on my neck about a month ago and decided to get it looked at. The first doctor I went to said that I was probably gettign sick and to wait it out. I did that for a couple weeks but then went to another doctor who referred me to an ENT. The ENT ordered an ultrasound which the results…
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Help for burning tongue, thoat ache and stuck thoat
I have all the above. In cancer.net they say an injection of amifostine (Ethyol) before radiation helps a lot. I want to ask my doc. to order that injection before my radiation tomorrow vand going forward. Anyone knows anything about its side effects? Thanks for all the help Mehrdad
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Cigarrte Smoking question
Hello, This question is intended for people who are currently smoking or were smoking until they were diagnosed with H&N Cancer. I am a smoker who used to smoke 10 cigarretes per day until mid August when my diagnosis of H&N cancer. Since then I have cut 1 cigarrete every week, now I am down to 5 cigarretes per day and I…