My throat cancer

okey2

I was diagnosed in Jan 2009 with throat cancer.
My drs advised me to have chemo once a week and radiation 5 days a week.
The chemo was for 7 weeks and the radiation was for 8 weeks.
The 37th day of radiation was the end because my neck on the outside looked like someone used a blowtorch on me. It was red, then black and I cured it by using Aloe Vera.

I had already had a full upper plate and a partial lower plate before treatment started and they told me to get all my lower teeth pulled and the gum healed before treatment could begin.Which I did. I also had a feeding tube and a power port put in.
I saw the dr two months after the treatment stopped and he told me the cancer tumor was gone and he would see me in another 2 months for a fusion scan: a pet and cat scan combined.

Here are my problems: My mouth is super dry and caphosol didn't help at all. The only thing that helped was Biotene PBF mouthwash which I used twice a day; when rinsing my mouth, once upon arising and before going to bed. I also spit up a brown substance in my "oyster" when rinsing and I don't know what that is from.

soccerfreaks

Dry mouth
Congratulations, first, as it appears you have weathered the bulk of the storm with great success!

As for the dry mouth, the Biatene mouthwash is always a good idea, but you should know they also make a toothpaste that can also help.

After that, the people working with me recommended lemon drops, but they must have been trying to kill me . To begin with, they were large enough that if I accidentally swallowed them, it is likely that only the Heimlich manuever would save me. More important to me at the time, they were so tart that my entire face scrunched up into a weathered, wrinkled ball (it felt like that, anyway). WAY to much.

I went with Tic Tacs, although others will remind you that they are not good for your teeth. They worked, nonetheless. Eventually I switched to Altoids and have found them very effective in a number of ways.

I do not recommend gum, depending on your ability to chew and swallow.

And, of course, you probably need to get used to carrying a bottle of water with you wherever you go, at least until you get over the dry mouth. Do not think of it as a stigma: in Europe people carry bottled water with them everywhere they go, since it is more expensive than gasoline. What I am saying here is that you can use tap water, and just refill a bottle when it empties. But always have water with you. It is your friend.

As for the brown stuff in your 'oyster', that is probably blood, but I would not be too alarmed. I WOULD bring it to the attention of my doctor the next time I see him or her.

It happens to me, but only after brushing my teeth.

If it happens all of the time, you may want to ask for an endoscopy to check for leaks in the gastrointestinal system. You've probably already had at least one, even if you don't know it. Another will not hurt if it alleviates worries.

Best wishes for continued success with your survivorship!

Take care,

Joe
Hope this helps.

Take care,

Joe

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