2 weeks to go-tonsil cancer

worried daughter28

In a lot of pain from radiation and sick a lot! How much worse will it get and how long for recovery? 2 weeks left of radiation.

jcortney

Everyone is different

You have to remember that the radiation is cumulative, meaning that each treatment builds on the one before it and it continues for some time even after treatment ends.  For me, the hardest time was one week before to two weeks after the end of treatment.  Things slowly improve (almost everyday) after that.

Joe

Skiffin16

More Than Likely

A good month or more..., like Joe said. You're still basically cooking for a few weeks post rads. And it's a slow recovery... You'll notice good improvement from the severe pain within a month or so (more than likely). But any real improvement over all is mesaured in weeks and months.

BTW, welcome to the board... Sorry I can't offer a little better news, but unfortunately it is what it is...

Best,

John

NJShore

Worried One...

Dear Worried Daughter,

The hardest thing you will ever do in your life, you are doing... I think you are taking care of someone with cancer in a very rough treatment. The next two weeks will be rough, and then after it might get worse. Thats honesty, I am not trying to ruin your day. The good news is, when they say these cancers are curable, they are, but you have to make through the treatment... but it does get better, slowly, very slowly. Before you know it, in about a month, you will start to see improvements, small, and the after a month of very slow, you start to see things improve a bit more every week. Everyone here told me to think weekly, not daily, and wow was that tough to learn, but they were spot on.

My husbands treatment ended on January 15th, and today, he still has some eating problems, but he's almost looking normal again. He's feeling almost normal again. Yet, it's a new normal, but acceptable.

You are in the home stretch, single digits of treatments... it will go fast. Hang in there! It does get better, and don't forget to take care of yourself too. The more you do, the more you are helpful you can be.

and welcome.. there's a lot of good people willing to share when you have questions... we would not be so fortunate without their help.

Kari

 

CivilMatt

2-weeks, no problem

Worried Daughter,

 

Welcome to the H&N forum.

 

If your Father does not get neck burn from the rads then I imagine it will be more of what he currently is feeling, but a tiny bit worse.  If he gets neck burn then he will have to deal with that. 

 

At about 1 to 2 weeks after the end of rads he should start to feel better.  Improvements are exceedingly slow, but they do happen.

 

Good luck and remember to ask if other side effects come up.

 

Matt

Billie67

CivilMatt said:

2-weeks, no problem

Worried Daughter,

 

Welcome to the H&N forum.

 

If your Father does not get neck burn from the rads then I imagine it will be more of what he currently is feeling, but a tiny bit worse.  If he gets neck burn then he will have to deal with that. 

 

At about 1 to 2 weeks after the end of rads he should start to feel better.  Improvements are exceedingly slow, but they do happen.

 

Good luck and remember to ask if other side effects come up.

 

Matt

Worried Daughter
Gosh, I wish I had something better to tell you than what the others have already said but unfortunately I do not. I will say for me the last 2 weeks of radiation and the 3 weeks after were my worst. I did use my fentanyl patches and dilaudid for pain and nausea meds and it helped. Make sure your dad is not trying to tough it out by not taking pain meds.
Make sure he is keeping his neck lubed up each day after treatment and stay hydrated!! The last thing you need right now is to become dehydrated because trust me, it will make him feel much much worse and more than likely land him in the hospital....been there done that!
Lastly, I know he feels like crap but any bit of exercise helps. I just mean a short little walk like even to the end of the driveway and back. It will help him feel better afterwards and he will sleep better at night. I remember being less than happy when my friends would come and "make me" walk but in was always grateful afterwards.
I promise you he will feel better in time. It's a slow process but it does happen. My dr told me to measure improvements in weeks not days. For some reason Wednesday was my day. Each Wednesday I would reflect back and note the improvements.
Please let us know if you have any more questions and visits us often, we're here for you.
Billie

phrannie51

I don't know if his pain

from the rads is on the inside or the outside of his neck.  If it's the outside, you can get presciption creams for that....or maybe try Calendula cream from the health food store.  If his throat and mouth are very sore....he can ask his Dr. for a script of Magic Mouth wash...it numbs everything for 30 minutes or so, so he can drink water or get an Ensure down.  He can also keep taking his anit-nausea pills long after he's had his chemo (if he is getting chemo).  If not, tell the Rad doc that he needs something for nausea. 

He's knocking on the door of single digit time....that was a REAL milestone for me....once there, it is a countdown and voila...  finished! 

p

fishmanpa

phrannie51 said:

I don't know if his pain

from the rads is on the inside or the outside of his neck.  If it's the outside, you can get presciption creams for that....or maybe try Calendula cream from the health food store.  If his throat and mouth are very sore....he can ask his Dr. for a script of Magic Mouth wash...it numbs everything for 30 minutes or so, so he can drink water or get an Ensure down.  He can also keep taking his anit-nausea pills long after he's had his chemo (if he is getting chemo).  If not, tell the Rad doc that he needs something for nausea. 

He's knocking on the door of single digit time....that was a REAL milestone for me....once there, it is a countdown and voila...  finished! 

p

Magic Mouthwash Tip

Magic Mouthwash is wonderful and it really helps with mouth pain and eating fo that 20 niute or so window. 

I personally found it to be quite effective. HOWEVER! ... do not use it and then take pills. You cannot feel where they are in your mouth which makes swallowing difficult. My RO recommended I take my pain meds (liquid oxy) about 20 minutes prior, take my pills, use the mouthwash and then eat. Another thing I picked up is taking my pills with an Ensure. The milky texture is easier to swallow and I'm getting calories at the same time

"T"

 

phrannie51

fishmanpa said:

Magic Mouthwash Tip

Magic Mouthwash is wonderful and it really helps with mouth pain and eating fo that 20 niute or so window. 

I personally found it to be quite effective. HOWEVER! ... do not use it and then take pills. You cannot feel where they are in your mouth which makes swallowing difficult. My RO recommended I take my pain meds (liquid oxy) about 20 minutes prior, take my pills, use the mouthwash and then eat. Another thing I picked up is taking my pills with an Ensure. The milky texture is easier to swallow and I'm getting calories at the same time

"T"

 

LOL...the first time I did

MM I thought my throat was paralized.....I couldn't feel anything....I couldn't even tell if I was swallowing.  First time around it is very weird.

p

Liliallen

Everyone is different

my husband was in a lot of pain 2 weeks after he finished his treatment , suddenly he had a miracle recovery started to eat solid food even steak  the 3 week out we even went for vacation to Argentina ,and he did great, he was able to eat everything.

Now he is 3 months out and he has severe throat sore and ear pain but he still is able to eat solid food.

My prayers for your dad.

Liliallen

Everyone is different

my husband was in a lot of pain 2 weeks after he finished his treatment , suddenly he had a miracle recovery started to eat solid food even steak  the 3 week out we even went for vacation to Argentina ,and he did great, he was able to eat everything.

Now he is 3 months out and he has severe throat sore and ear pain but he still is able to eat solid food.

My prayers for your dad.

fishmanpa

How much worse?

Hi Worried,

I have 8 rads and 2 chemos left (a week and a half). Quite frankly I'm one hurtin' puppy! My RO feels I've reached the pinnacle of pain (I beg to differ!).  I won't know how much worse until I experience it. I expect to be pummeled pretty hard well into the first few weeks recovery.  Treatment is brutal but survivable.

"T"

phrannie51

fishmanpa said:

How much worse?

Hi Worried,

I have 8 rads and 2 chemos left (a week and a half). Quite frankly I'm one hurtin' puppy! My RO feels I've reached the pinnacle of pain (I beg to differ!).  I won't know how much worse until I experience it. I expect to be pummeled pretty hard well into the first few weeks recovery.  Treatment is brutal but survivable.

"T"

Makes you wonder about these

Dr.'s, doesn't it, T?  They're the first to tell you everybody is different, so they can't be basing their opinion on other people....and they've never been thru the treatment they are offering up....so the knowledge of "pinnacles of pain" might just as well be received from a 10 year old kid playing baseball with his friends....LOL.

p

Duggie88

Hi Worried

I agree with all the above. I hope on board this ship whenever I get the chance and all the folks on this thread are great and will help get you through anything. Unless you didn't file your tax return, you still have until tomorrow and to my knowledge, nobody here can help ya there.

You have to look at it from an artists point of view. Right now it's not a pretty picture but trust me, months down the road into recovery and after you meet NED for the first time you can sit back and enjoy the pretty picture. I hope it makes sense.

 

Welcome aboard............................enjoy the day

      Jeff