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Done and done
Last treatment was today. I rang the bell. I never thought this day would come. They didn't give me my mask though.I didn't care. Thank you all for being there with me. I will report on my post tx. Not looking forward to post effects but I am so glad for no more zappings. Journey forth.
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NED -- Three Year Checkup
Friends, Wanted to add another NED Report!!! Scan went great this week and my lead MD at MDA Houston gave me the thumbs up and actually even said that the area that recieved radiation looks incredibly good. So one more trip down to Houston to recived the good news and dont need to return till 2017!!! All is great with the…
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7 weeks down and finished - some thoughts on what worked for me....
Just finished 33 radiation and 7 weekly chemo (cisplatin) today and am the proud new owner of a radiation mask, a lei and diploma given to me by the radiation staff. I wanted to share some of my prep work as the doctors both said that I was lucky enough to be in the top 1% for how well I have held up during the treatments.…
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Movement of head & neck cancers
Hi All Have a question about our particular type of cancer hoping all you experts can answer! Is it right to say head and neck in general doesn't tend to move around the body all that easily (mine is low to intermediate grade but officially the latter)? I know obviously every case is different but generally? Lots of things…
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5 more and done!
Next Tuesday I'll be ringing that bell loud and clear after 7 weeks of rads. I have totally lost my voice and now using liquid pain medication in addition to the magic mouthwash and gabapetin. A lot of mucus...have vomited a few times because of it. I am still swallowing and haven't had to use my peg tube yet. The skin…
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Chemo starts tomorrow...Any tips or tricks to share?
Hello, My husband's chemo starts tomorrow. Cispaltin is the drug being used. Any tips, tricks, ideas to make the day easier? Thank you! MJG1
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Hi Everyone!
Just checking in with a little update. (Tongue SCC Stage I). Almost 5 months post surgery. I have moved to New Hampshire and no receive care at Dartmouth. I love that everything is there. Lab, pharmacy. all doctors. I quit smoking three months ago. I had a follow up with the surgeon recommended by my surgeon at Yale. They…
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checking in
Hello everyone, So many new names on site. For those of you that I haven't met yet, keep the word BELIEVE in your vocab. from here out. And know that everyone's walk with the beast isn't the same....tx's maybe, surgeries maybe...but not outcomes. I am almost 5 yrs. out. Dx was adenoid cystic carcinoma of the large saliva…
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Five days post rads
Fatigue is draining, but that's not a big deal. Sores in mouth actually worsened the last few days, and there is some tongue and gum bleeding when I rinse with soda rinse. Normal? Still eating solids, but takes forever to get through a saucer or bread plate size portion. Thankful I can still do it. Ear pain comes and goes.…
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Base of tongue, tonsil, 4 lymph nodes P16 squamous cell carcinoma
Hi all, We finally got the news that my husband's H&N cancer is P16. We're grateful because it responds better to chemo and radiation. We met with the Radiation Oncologist today and now we're scared of all the awful side effects...ESPECIALLY the possibility of loss of the ability to swallow. Anyone willing to share…
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Lymphedema
My husband is 3 months post treatment. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with lymphedema in the neck under the chin? He is having a hard time sleeping and tries to clear his throat a lot. He received a NED report after his 60 day checkup. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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4 weeks down!
I have 3 weeks radiation and 1 chemo (cisplatin) left. I can't eat solids anymore. I am drinking 4 shakes a day, 2 made with ensure enlive and 2 with a protein powder, milk and a banana. I can eat watermelon and vanilla ice cream, and of course drinking water inbetween. I am on gabapetin and I think that is helping, but…
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Blood tinged mucus?
End of my sixth week of rads and my throat is definitely more raw. This morning, after a painful coughing session, I hacked up mucus that had a small amount of blood in it. Is this normal? Kari
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Vomiting from Mucus?
I'm almost through my fifth week of rads and have been experiencing an increase in mucus production. I've also been throwing up about once a day and I'm wondering if it's from all the mucus settling into my stomach and causing it to get upset. Sometimes trying to hack up the mucus will also set off a round of vomiting.…
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these teeth!!!!
Very frustrated! I had mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the lower left jaw. I lost 1/4 of my jaw and 1/4 of my teeth in order to remove the tumor and 21 nodes. Implants aren't an option as I have a titanium metal jaw now. I have a partial that "fills in" the missing teeth for looks only as I can not eat with the partial in. It…
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Surgery, chemoradiation or Chemoradiation
I would be interested to know how decisions were made regarding surgery then chemo/radiaion or the decision to try to avoid surgery with chemo/radiation. My husband and I have been trying to decide what we think is in his best interests before we hear from the Drs. They met today about him. if he has surgery he faces, 4…
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7 radiation treatments left!
Sorry I haven't posted or commented in awhile. I've been struggling with nausea. Pain is pretty much under control with gabapetin, liquid hydrocodone, and magic mouthwash. I can deal with the fatigue too. It is just this nausea - and having to cough up mucus because of the radiation treatments doesn’t help. I had my last…
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Gout... SOAB!
So... one of the side effects I've had since treatment is gout. I had it happen several times in my feet (big toe) and let me tell ya... it hurts like a MOFO! I'm coming up on 3.5 years post treatment and all in all I'm doing great! I see my Radiation Oncologist this coming Tuesday for a scope, poke and prod and I expect…
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recurrence article
After posting my 6th month NED earlier this week, a fellow warrior snt me an article on a recent study which tends to indicate the great majority of recurrences occur within the first 6 months. Always, a concern particularly when the battle is so fresh in my mind and still recovering, but this article was comforting having…
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recovery after squamous cell carcinoma stage 4
35 year old male. I had my surgery on 4/20/16. They removed most of my visible tongue and 2 of my lymph nodes. I developed an infection in my neck after the surgery so I was in the hospital for a month. I came out feeling ok for a while. But I needed to have a wound vac on my my neck for about a month and a half. They…
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What to do if you get different treatment plans to consider?
Sorry for the long post. I need some feedback from you good folks on the forum. I had surgery on June 30 at JH. The surgeon has scheduled me for follow-up with him and a rad oncologist on August 23. It is 7 weeks post-op, which worries me, since they recommend you start rads at 6 weeks post-op. He mentioned on the phone…
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my husband was just diagnosed with stage 4A squamous cell - tonsils and left lymph node
hello everyone. my husband was recently diagnosed with metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. it is in his tonsils and left lymph node. the PET scan showed that the cancer has not spread. We live in the Boston, MA area and are going thru the Dana Farber Cancer Center. My husband is going to have surgery, chemo and radiation.…
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3 Weeks Post Treatment
Today marks my 3rd week post treatment. Things are progressing well. I credit both my intial good health and this site to my overall successes in handling my treatments. All 3 of my docs (ENT surgeon, radiology oncologist and medical oncologist) are amazed at how well I came through the treatments considering the total of…
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Waking up each morning , extremely dehydrated
Hi there , Its beem a very long while since I was here last. Been moving forward with my life It will be 2 years on monday since I finished my treatment. I initially lost 43 kgs and have put a fair bit back on now. My appetite is most certainly back and can eat most things now, I struggle a bit with chicken , some meats…
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Cisplatin and 5FU as preventive doses
After going through all the radiation treatments and 3 chemo treatments the tumor was gone. My husband who is 69 years old and had been in good health until now was just starting to get back to himself after what the doctors called "a traumatic course" that included complications of acute kidney failure and depression. He…
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My radiation recovery - 1 month
Well, I'm happy to report it's been a whole month and 2 days since I completed treatment. It's gone quick but it hasn't been easy. The first 3 weeks were pretty tough. Vomiting issues due to mucositis and those Boost/Ensure shakes I was drinking to maintain my weight. I've lost maybe 5 lbs and still look and feel the same.…
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FOUR YEARS GONE BY
July 30 marks exactly 4 years since my last radiation treatment and I’m cancer free. I decided to mark the day by doing three things. I went for a century bicycle ride (100 miles) just to remind myself that I’m 100% back to doing everything that I used to do prior to treatment. I updated my profile which now shares more of…
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6 month NED
Fellow warriors, Good news today. My 6 month CT scan came back NED. Whew, 3 more months down. So relieved. Feeling good, back to recovery mode. Good luck to all those in the middle of it....you will soon be on the other end. I am very thankful today. Cheers, Tony
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NED Times 3
Received Fantastic news today. Need to start at the beginning. The PET scan done at the end of January showed Lt tonsil/base of tongue w/ few flickers in Rt upper lung. 2 1/2 months out from HN SCC HPV+ treatment I starting to improve except for burning pain at the back and right side of tongue when eating. Went to my ENT…
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biopsy
hello to all i am a little confused , maybe you can help i have been told i have SCC . i have a lump at BOT 3.2 x 3.5 , the pain can get intense , after 2 biopsies nothing found, next was a FNA of lymph nodes in the neck . still nothing . i am scheduled for another biopsy this week , i started seeing a ENT 2 i/2 months ago…