treatment day 8 - taste beginning to leave

dennis318

lfjeep said:

know there is others out there that have been there
I thought we were the only ones out there with this crappy throat cancer . We got told in Dec.09 and just finished up Feb.26th/10 with 30 rad & 2 chemo w/cisplatiumn given. We have been thru hell. My husband has the same cold & hot flashes - why we say? No one will tell us why. We waited to long on getting the peg tube in and are having extreme problems with finding a formula that will not upset his stomach , and not come back up in the throat that makes extreme flem! We have had to get dehyrated several times now as he can not keep alot down due to a severe sensitive stomach. We have just been given a pump for contanst feeding due to lack of nutrition. But again untill we can find something he can tolerate we are not yet doing so well. We lost over 35 lbs that we had to get a 2nd mask made.They recalculated the treatments, seemed more intense as we got closer to the end. Yes you will lose your voice but only temporary. The burning from the radiation was not so bad as we thought - use the sav inside of the leaf of a aloe plant. We cut off a piece daily & rub it on. Our nausea was so bad we had to go with a patch that I found on the internet. Also we went with a pain patch. Constipation is horrible for us due to the amount of pain medicine given. Watch how much meds you take. Advanti has helped keep him calm so he doesn't cough his brains out. We are so thankfull to finally have a break from driving 45 minutes just to get to out cancer center. You will have good days and bad. Let yourself reach out and get to know others as it will help you form a bond. Trust me it will happen and you will be a different person for it. Yes we were scared and still are as we hope they got it, but it will be allmost a month before we can test to see were we are. So be brave, I am so glad this is out there so we also do not feel alone. I hope we also will get help with issues were having. Hang in there - remember also everyone does not know what to say or do as untill they & ourselves get use to hearing the word cancer, it is very hard to talk about. Some people act as if you have something catching, others don't know what to say, some say prayers for us, others make food, others offer help, some call and some stop by or send a card or call. Even though sometimes you think you have no one in your corner, you will find out they are all in different ways.

Up again
Well, Throat is sore and time to get the phlem up, this is becoming a regular thing, I go to the new oncolgist to have him take alook to see, what the radiation and chemo did.Be on 6th week on recoup from radiation next week, been able to get food down easier, but some foods seem to feel like it stretches my throat which hurts, the pain seems in the back, and not as much as it was in the throat where the tumor was,my ears are burning as well when swallowing don't know if this is good or bad. I know I have to work and talk daily, so I think this has caused a slower recovery, my voice has gotten better, but tires and harder to understand at the end of the day. The pain pills have helped alot to eat. Any related stories would be appreciated so iI feel I am on the right way to recovery, Thanks Dennis

Skiffin16

dennis318 said:

Up again
Well, Throat is sore and time to get the phlem up, this is becoming a regular thing, I go to the new oncolgist to have him take alook to see, what the radiation and chemo did.Be on 6th week on recoup from radiation next week, been able to get food down easier, but some foods seem to feel like it stretches my throat which hurts, the pain seems in the back, and not as much as it was in the throat where the tumor was,my ears are burning as well when swallowing don't know if this is good or bad. I know I have to work and talk daily, so I think this has caused a slower recovery, my voice has gotten better, but tires and harder to understand at the end of the day. The pain pills have helped alot to eat. Any related stories would be appreciated so iI feel I am on the right way to recovery, Thanks Dennis

Long & Slow
Hi Dennis,

Sounds like you are on the right road, it's just a long slow one unfortunately. I have not experienced the burning ears sensation, but much of the rest I have and still do at times.

I'm about eight months post treatment and I still tend to get hoarse and dry after and during long conversations or days of a lot of talking.

Take the meds as needed and just hang in there, I believe that most of what you are encountering will subside significantly in another few weeks or months.

It seems most of my changes and improvements are measured more long term (weeks and months) versus days and weeks...

Take Care,
John

denistd

Skiffin16 said:

Long & Slow
Hi Dennis,

Sounds like you are on the right road, it's just a long slow one unfortunately. I have not experienced the burning ears sensation, but much of the rest I have and still do at times.

I'm about eight months post treatment and I still tend to get hoarse and dry after and during long conversations or days of a lot of talking.

Take the meds as needed and just hang in there, I believe that most of what you are encountering will subside significantly in another few weeks or months.

It seems most of my changes and improvements are measured more long term (weeks and months) versus days and weeks...

Take Care,
John

Guitar
What you got there Mick, looks like a fender. I still have my original 1963 fender precision bass, fender customized it for me to look like a telecaster. Also had one of the first bass amps made by Jim Marshall when he had a small guitar and amp shop in Soho, London. We all knew that Marshall amps would be popular, he designed all of his amps to complement Fenders, I moved here from England in 1974 and finally gave up playing in 1990. Denis

micktissue

denistd said:

Guitar
What you got there Mick, looks like a fender. I still have my original 1963 fender precision bass, fender customized it for me to look like a telecaster. Also had one of the first bass amps made by Jim Marshall when he had a small guitar and amp shop in Soho, London. We all knew that Marshall amps would be popular, he designed all of his amps to complement Fenders, I moved here from England in 1974 and finally gave up playing in 1990. Denis

Denis
Hi Denis. That's a made in Mexico Fender Telecaster I got new last October. I sold my 1986 '52 reissue Tele a few years ago and have missed that Tele sound since. Wow you were in London during a pretty amazing period for rock music over there. Did you gig?

denistd

micktissue said:

Denis
Hi Denis. That's a made in Mexico Fender Telecaster I got new last October. I sold my 1986 '52 reissue Tele a few years ago and have missed that Tele sound since. Wow you were in London during a pretty amazing period for rock music over there. Did you gig?

Gig
Sure did, had a couple of hits in England and Europe, did a lot of travelling throughout England and Europe from 62 onwards, had a great time. Did a lot of recording and session work for those bands that really could not play that well as well as for my own bands. Denis

bluesguy

denistd said:

Gig
Sure did, had a couple of hits in England and Europe, did a lot of travelling throughout England and Europe from 62 onwards, had a great time. Did a lot of recording and session work for those bands that really could not play that well as well as for my own bands. Denis

It will get better
Hi I'm a newbie here. Just reading the stories and its bringing back some memories. I've been done with the radiation now for 3 1/2 weeks, and just had my first follow up appointment. The doctor said I was doing great so far.

I still have some side effects, minor ones, my mouth usually gets dry during my 2nd helping, but heck I overeat anyway. The food still tastes funny, but my mouth is no longer sore, my tongue is almost back to normal.

The good news is I can eat whatever I want. I love cajun and Mexican food. Last week I treated myself to some homemade shrimp creole.


My keys to the treatment I guess were to have a good sense of humor, good spirits, heck I live in Nebraska and was going through the treatments in the worst winter we've had in ages.
They beat me up pretty good. I had a tough time eating, drinking and even talking.
Just stay strong and optimistic. It will get better.

And to those musicians. I bought myself a resonator guitar, learning some Delta Blues. Music is great therapy.

Hondo

bluesguy said:

It will get better
Hi I'm a newbie here. Just reading the stories and its bringing back some memories. I've been done with the radiation now for 3 1/2 weeks, and just had my first follow up appointment. The doctor said I was doing great so far.

I still have some side effects, minor ones, my mouth usually gets dry during my 2nd helping, but heck I overeat anyway. The food still tastes funny, but my mouth is no longer sore, my tongue is almost back to normal.

The good news is I can eat whatever I want. I love cajun and Mexican food. Last week I treated myself to some homemade shrimp creole.


My keys to the treatment I guess were to have a good sense of humor, good spirits, heck I live in Nebraska and was going through the treatments in the worst winter we've had in ages.
They beat me up pretty good. I had a tough time eating, drinking and even talking.
Just stay strong and optimistic. It will get better.

And to those musicians. I bought myself a resonator guitar, learning some Delta Blues. Music is great therapy.

Hi bluesguy

Welcome to CSN, and glad to hear t you are a survivor, Take care and keep posting