Swelling? Scar tissue? ???

michdjp

Hello to everyone
Today I noticed the right side of my dads face was swollen (his jawline) a little that is the side that got the most treatment for tonsil and lymph. When I feel it on his jaw it feels like fatty tissue that moves maybe the size of a quarter. The drs told us to expect the turkey neck and some swelling in the neck area. Is this all related or something else? We go to the oncologist tomorrow (thank goodness) just have a knot in my stomach tonight!
Anyone hear or experienced this. A simple no worries answer would be great!!!!
Thanks
Hope alls well
Michelle

Hondo

Hi Michelle

Swelling is pretty much normal during and after treatment for quite a few months, but to be on the safe side have his dr check it out.

Take care
Hondo

michdjp

Hondo said:

Hi Michelle

Swelling is pretty much normal during and after treatment for quite a few months, but to be on the safe side have his dr check it out.

Take care
Hondo

Definitely
Thanks Hondo for your reply and will surely have dr check it out..it just can't come fast enough!
Hope alls well
Michelle

Skiffin16

Ditto...
Swelling, aches, pains and various things will be going on for several months if not a few years....

It's always good to be proactive versus re-active....have them check it out for piece of mind if nothing else.

Best,
John

michdjp

Skiffin16 said:

Ditto...
Swelling, aches, pains and various things will be going on for several months if not a few years....

It's always good to be proactive versus re-active....have them check it out for piece of mind if nothing else.

Best,
John

Thanks John I agree except
Thanks John I agree except when does piece of mind come! Lol (if that's possible) we go at 10 am this morning
I'll post later
Again thanks
Hope alls well
Michelle

Skiffin16

michdjp said:

Thanks John I agree except
Thanks John I agree except when does piece of mind come! Lol (if that's possible) we go at 10 am this morning
I'll post later
Again thanks
Hope alls well
Michelle

30 minutes
LOL, for the first 30 minutes right after you get scoped, poked, rammed and scanned..... After that the anxiety starts slowly creeping back in.

The closer to your next appointment, the more symptoms you start convincing yourself that you have, LOL.

Best,
John

Bigfuzzydoug

I had pretty bad fibrosis, swelling, "gobblers neck"
I also had L'Hermitte's Syndrome. The Oncologists all said it was a normal result of the radiation. The L'Hermitte's would go away within 3 years. The swelling in time as well.

Well guess what - I made the L'Hermitte's go away in 3 MONTHS! 90% of my fibrosis (scar tissue) is gone. And the swelling and thickening is gone as well! How?

My chiropractor who is also trained in physical therapy and neurological care and my sister a physical therapist! My chiro starting working on me earlier this year twice a week. The L'Hermitte's was caused by lymphatic fluid putting pressure on my upper spine. Neck adjustments and soft-tissue work to flush out that fluid. My sister taught me lymphatic massage which I do in the shower every day to push the fluid down out of my neck area.

Then my chiro starting working on my fibrosis. It looks very strange to anyone standing nearby as I'm on my back and he uses his thumbs to drive into my neck (looks like he's strangling me) as he breaks apart the scar tissue and seperates the cologen. Sometimes you can actually hear it pop and then melt away. I'm now seeing him just once a week. All the "thickening" is gone except for one last spot just above my Adam's Apple. I have full range of motion in my neck as well.

I'm not saying a chirpractor is for everyone and you have to find one who is properly trained. I was just lucky in that this chiro who is my wife's regular guy, when I described my symptoms, he knew that it was L'Hermitte's and knew what it was. It's so rare, that it told me quite a lot that he even knew the name. "Have you ever treated anyone with L'Hermitte's," I asked? "No. But I learned it in school and know how to treat it. But you gain nothing if we don't try. I'm not going to make anything worse. It's either going to work or it's not. But I would certainly like to give it a go. You're a very unique and rare case and I like that. I would like to keep track of your progress and maybe even write a paper about it afterwards. What do you say?" "Let's do it!!!" It may not be for your dad, but for me it's been a godsend.

My only point is that the Oncologists are mostly concerned with patients reaching the 5-year remission mark as a statistic. They do not talk about post-treatment care and simply accept the sife-effects with an, "at least you're alive" attitude. You don't have to accept this and feel that there's nothing that can be done. There can be post-cancer-treatment care!

Good luck!

buzz99

Swelling
Buzz has swelling under his chin and along the muscle on the left side of his neck where he received the most radiation. He finished treatment Jan 2011. So, some swelling is normal and may be due to lymphedema which is caused by damage to the lymphatic system resulting in inadequate drainage of the lymph fluid. I understand your worry tho. We spend a lot of time worrying too. Hang in there. Karen

Bigfuzzydoug

buzz99 said:

Swelling
Buzz has swelling under his chin and along the muscle on the left side of his neck where he received the most radiation. He finished treatment Jan 2011. So, some swelling is normal and may be due to lymphedema which is caused by damage to the lymphatic system resulting in inadequate drainage of the lymph fluid. I understand your worry tho. We spend a lot of time worrying too. Hang in there. Karen

You can learn do get rid of the lymphedema yourself.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2126778_get-manual-lymph-drainage.html

Most physical therapists can teach you. I do a self lymphatic massage every day in the shower (it takes about 10 minutes). I've noticed a dramatic improvement. You can get the fluid to drain away and the swelling to go down. The key is start from the bottom nodes and work your way up. If you start at the neck and haven't first flushed out the torso nodes, there's no place for the fluid to go to and it doesn't work.

michdjp

Bigfuzzydoug said:

You can learn do get rid of the lymphedema yourself.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2126778_get-manual-lymph-drainage.html

Most physical therapists can teach you. I do a self lymphatic massage every day in the shower (it takes about 10 minutes). I've noticed a dramatic improvement. You can get the fluid to drain away and the swelling to go down. The key is start from the bottom nodes and work your way up. If you start at the neck and haven't first flushed out the torso nodes, there's no place for the fluid to go to and it doesn't work.

Thanks for the info
Thanks to all..the oncologist said today because it seems to be on the jaw line maybe it's tooth related however my dad says his teeth are fine. There was another dr. That said it could be the parotid or subliinmary gland (no idea how to spell) but maybe some part of the salivary glands. I asked if we could do an MRI just to make sure but she said she was not too concerned and would just watch it. We go back on dec. 29.
We are 8 weeks out of treatment and are greatful for some better days.
Thanks again
Michelle

michdjp

Bigfuzzydoug said:

You can learn do get rid of the lymphedema yourself.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2126778_get-manual-lymph-drainage.html

Most physical therapists can teach you. I do a self lymphatic massage every day in the shower (it takes about 10 minutes). I've noticed a dramatic improvement. You can get the fluid to drain away and the swelling to go down. The key is start from the bottom nodes and work your way up. If you start at the neck and haven't first flushed out the torso nodes, there's no place for the fluid to go to and it doesn't work.

Thanks for the info
Thanks to all..the oncologist said today because it seems to be on the jaw line maybe it's tooth related however my dad says his teeth are fine. There was another dr. That said it could be the parotid or subliinmary gland (no idea how to spell) but maybe some part of the salivary glands. I asked if we could do an MRI just to make sure but she said she was not too concerned and would just watch it. We go back on dec. 29.
We are 8 weeks out of treatment and are greatful for some better days.
Thanks again
Hope alls well
Michelle

michdjp

Bigfuzzydoug said:

I had pretty bad fibrosis, swelling, "gobblers neck"
I also had L'Hermitte's Syndrome. The Oncologists all said it was a normal result of the radiation. The L'Hermitte's would go away within 3 years. The swelling in time as well.

Well guess what - I made the L'Hermitte's go away in 3 MONTHS! 90% of my fibrosis (scar tissue) is gone. And the swelling and thickening is gone as well! How?

My chiropractor who is also trained in physical therapy and neurological care and my sister a physical therapist! My chiro starting working on me earlier this year twice a week. The L'Hermitte's was caused by lymphatic fluid putting pressure on my upper spine. Neck adjustments and soft-tissue work to flush out that fluid. My sister taught me lymphatic massage which I do in the shower every day to push the fluid down out of my neck area.

Then my chiro starting working on my fibrosis. It looks very strange to anyone standing nearby as I'm on my back and he uses his thumbs to drive into my neck (looks like he's strangling me) as he breaks apart the scar tissue and seperates the cologen. Sometimes you can actually hear it pop and then melt away. I'm now seeing him just once a week. All the "thickening" is gone except for one last spot just above my Adam's Apple. I have full range of motion in my neck as well.

I'm not saying a chirpractor is for everyone and you have to find one who is properly trained. I was just lucky in that this chiro who is my wife's regular guy, when I described my symptoms, he knew that it was L'Hermitte's and knew what it was. It's so rare, that it told me quite a lot that he even knew the name. "Have you ever treated anyone with L'Hermitte's," I asked? "No. But I learned it in school and know how to treat it. But you gain nothing if we don't try. I'm not going to make anything worse. It's either going to work or it's not. But I would certainly like to give it a go. You're a very unique and rare case and I like that. I would like to keep track of your progress and maybe even write a paper about it afterwards. What do you say?" "Let's do it!!!" It may not be for your dad, but for me it's been a godsend.

My only point is that the Oncologists are mostly concerned with patients reaching the 5-year remission mark as a statistic. They do not talk about post-treatment care and simply accept the sife-effects with an, "at least you're alive" attitude. You don't have to accept this and feel that there's nothing that can be done. There can be post-cancer-treatment care!

Good luck!

I have a relative who is a
I have a relative who is a chiropractor and will certainly ask about getting some help. I would have never considered this. I agree strongly with your point about the oncologists and what they are concerened about. I have often felt during treatment that the drs know what is the best medicine to treat the cancer but very little on how to treat the patient. A reason why this forum is part of our medical team!!!!!
Thank you for taking the time to give me this information and I am glad it worked for you.
Hope alls well
Michelle

Hondo

michdjp said:

Thanks for the info
Thanks to all..the oncologist said today because it seems to be on the jaw line maybe it's tooth related however my dad says his teeth are fine. There was another dr. That said it could be the parotid or subliinmary gland (no idea how to spell) but maybe some part of the salivary glands. I asked if we could do an MRI just to make sure but she said she was not too concerned and would just watch it. We go back on dec. 29.
We are 8 weeks out of treatment and are greatful for some better days.
Thanks again
Hope alls well
Michelle

Hi Michelle
I think that is good news if the doctor thinks it is nothing. Remember his body went through quite a lot with radiation and chemo so some side affects of the treatment will start to show up now and then. Like the doctor said just keep an eye on it and if anything gets worse give the Dr a call.

God bless
Hondo