Scar tissue surgery :(

CathyHorner
CathyHorner Member Posts: 29
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello!

For months I've wanted my trache removed. I HATE IT! so much! I got it this past June when cancer on my larynx was restricting my breathing. Went through chemo/rad and by November 2013 got a clean pet scan. Thank goodness, time to focus on healing. But here it is February and still having a difficult time talking and breathing and continue to have a trache.

Today I had a cat scan done at the ENT. It appears my airway is about the size of a McDonald's straw and should be 3X that. My ENT believes this is causec by scar tissue in my airway. No one in the city can perform this surgery of removing it so now I have to find a way to travel hours away to go to a specialist that can do it. Scar tissue could have been caused by the radiation.

Pretty bummed out. Any experiece with this?

Thanks

 

Comments

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #2
    Scar tissue

    When my husband was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2010 he underwent radiation and chemo.  Then in March 2011 he had to have a complete laryngectomy due to a reoccurrence of the tumor.  Our ENT referred us to a head and neck specialist because he said they would be able to handle anything they found during surgery.  Well they found out that the radiation had closed off the back of his throat and they had to reconstruct his throat which they were able to do without any problems.  Radiation can and does cause many different problems for people just like chemo does.

    Sharon

     

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #3
    Ladylacy said:

    Scar tissue

    When my husband was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2010 he underwent radiation and chemo.  Then in March 2011 he had to have a complete laryngectomy due to a reoccurrence of the tumor.  Our ENT referred us to a head and neck specialist because he said they would be able to handle anything they found during surgery.  Well they found out that the radiation had closed off the back of his throat and they had to reconstruct his throat which they were able to do without any problems.  Radiation can and does cause many different problems for people just like chemo does.

    Sharon

     

    Cathy

    Happy for you that there is a resolution, even if it isn't close to home. 

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    throat

    Cathy,

    Good luck with finding the right doctor to help with your condition.  Reaching an enjoyable “new normal” is a goal for each of us.

    Matt

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #5
    No experience but praying all

    No experience but praying all goes well

    Debbie

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #6
    cathy, sorry to hear you will

    cathy, sorry to hear you will need surgery but also glad there is a solution to the breathing problem and you can eventually get rid of that da... trache!  that alone would be worth the extra drive and surgery.  praying all goes well for you, let us know.

    God bless,

    dj

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