My voice wants to come back!

be4man
be4man Member Posts: 18
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum and fairly new to throat cancer. I was diagnosed in Sept. 07 and now am out about 8 weeks from last treatment. My radiation and chemo were given simultaneously
I had 38 radiation sessions and 4 chemo's. 2 cisplatin and 2 carboplatin. The cisplatin made me so sick that my Oncologist changed the poison for me.
I can eat anything I'm willing to spend time chewing over and over. My taste buds can't take sour but all else seems to taste OK. I have to drink something all the time to keep my throat from killing me when I swallow, still.
I lost my voice about three weeks into radiation and it hasn't returned yet. I would like to hear what some of you have experienced with voice function.

Comments

  • MLC53
    MLC53 Member Posts: 109
    #2
    I am 6 mos out of treatments. I lost my voice too. Mine came back after a while but is still froggy. Your voice should come back as well. Hang in there. Welcome to the forum!
  • BugHunter
    BugHunter Member Posts: 152
    #3
    They say mine went a bit higher after radiation but I could never tell it myself.
    38 radiation days? I was about to go up the wall after my 33, not sure I could have done 38! Guess I would have had too.
    Welcome to the forum, and happy healing!

    BILL
  • be4man
    be4man Member Posts: 18
    #4
    BugHunter said:

    They say mine went a bit higher after radiation but I could never tell it myself.
    38 radiation days? I was about to go up the wall after my 33, not sure I could have done 38! Guess I would have had too.
    Welcome to the forum, and happy healing!

    BILL

    Thanks MLC and Bill for the replies. I realize how fortunate I am to be able to eat. I also realize how lucky my husband feels that I'can't talk :)
  • BugHunter
    BugHunter Member Posts: 152
    #5
    be4man said:

    Thanks MLC and Bill for the replies. I realize how fortunate I am to be able to eat. I also realize how lucky my husband feels that I'can't talk :)

    I bet your hubby knows you will make up for lost time soon and talk his ear off! LOL
    Just wondering, what type of cancer did you have and at what stage? Mine was stage IV tonsilar with some into the lymphnodes. I had 8 weeks chemo (taxol/carboplatin) then 33 IMRT with 6 weeks more chemo (same drugs)

    BILL
  • be4man
    be4man Member Posts: 18
    #6
    BugHunter said:

    I bet your hubby knows you will make up for lost time soon and talk his ear off! LOL
    Just wondering, what type of cancer did you have and at what stage? Mine was stage IV tonsilar with some into the lymphnodes. I had 8 weeks chemo (taxol/carboplatin) then 33 IMRT with 6 weeks more chemo (same drugs)

    BILL

    I was diagnosed w/ stage III squamous cell located supra glottis, just above my larynx. It began with a lump the size of a grape on the left mid area of my neck. An ENT first had me have a Doppler, saw that it was a lymph node, then a needle biopsy and finally surgical removal for pathology. During surgery he found the primary source.
    IMRT was discussed but not used for some reason I can't remember.
    Originally I was to have cisplatin and FU5. I don't know why the FU5 was canceled. After 2 cisplatin rounds they changed me to carboplatin because I was so sick from the first poison.
    One other requisite was the simultaneous administering of radiation and chemo.
    Another issue I want to address is the feeding tube option. It was up to me and I chose not to have one. Big mistake. I suffered a lot more trying to maintain my weight by swallowing food with pain never to be duplicated. I highly recommend getting one if the choice is yours.
    Have I left anything out?
    This forum has already been a comfort for me. I hope to learn a lot more and maybe help someone else along the way.
    Barbara

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