Throat infection during radiation

asiaamy
asiaamy Member Posts: 14
edited August 2011 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Helllo everyone,

The last three days I had a sore throat etc and put it down to normal side effect of radiation....when I turned up at radiation this morning they told me I had a mild fever. But retook it 20 min later and it was fine.

I stopped by my oncologists office this afternoon bc I needed to pick up my iron tablets and mentioned my fever to the nurse. Next thing I know they are taking my temp and then insisting that I needed to see the doctor. I didn't want to as my kids were waiting downstairs.

Doctor looks in my throat and says doesn't it hurt? Haven't you been unwell last few days? I told him I thought that this is normal for those having radiation for ncp to have a sore throt, difficulty in eating, poor appetite and headaches that since it was going to get much worse I should save my visits and meds for when it is really bad. I also went out with my kids yesterday thinking that maybe I had just overdone it and needed to rest more...

Anyways I am now on full antibiotics and a couple of rinses to bring down inflammation. Hopefully will feel better in time for my real side effects! I will finish week 3 tomorrow.

How do you know when to go in and see the doctor or when it is just something you should just live with? in this case I was just lucky that it was caught in time but should I go in for any change in condition? I have been doing salt and soda rinses but dr wants me to use biotiine as well.

Thank you so much for your thoughts and comments.

Ps he thinks still ok to do radiation tomorrow....

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi asiaamy
    While you are doing treatment anytime you start to feel sick go right away and see you doctor, Remember that your bodies immune system is weak and so infection is always possible.

    All the best
    Hondo
  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #3
    My husband had similar
    My husband had similar experience last weekend. In his case he did not hsve a fever but his jaw swelled up. The nurse and the doctor who was subing for our radiation doctor said it was normal. Over the weekend it swelled to the size of a baseball. I almost called the doctor but didn't. I decided to wait until Monday. Soon as our doctor saw him he sent to emergency room where admitted for interveneous antibiodics. I learned the hard way to take to emergency or doctor. Better to be sure than sorry. Two weeks before that he was hospitalized because the on call doctor I called the night before said he was OK but he in fact had severe dehydration. Two weeks in the hospital, no thanks, err on the side of caution.

    In my prayers
    Debbie
  • Jason1111
    Jason1111 Member Posts: 64
    #4
    jim and i said:

    My husband had similar
    My husband had similar experience last weekend. In his case he did not hsve a fever but his jaw swelled up. The nurse and the doctor who was subing for our radiation doctor said it was normal. Over the weekend it swelled to the size of a baseball. I almost called the doctor but didn't. I decided to wait until Monday. Soon as our doctor saw him he sent to emergency room where admitted for interveneous antibiodics. I learned the hard way to take to emergency or doctor. Better to be sure than sorry. Two weeks before that he was hospitalized because the on call doctor I called the night before said he was OK but he in fact had severe dehydration. Two weeks in the hospital, no thanks, err on the side of caution.

    In my prayers
    Debbie

    My father had these same
    My father had these same symptoms about a week into radiation. i though that was a little too soon after all of my reading about and reading what others have went throgh on this sight. So, my Father stuck it out for about another week to 10 days till it got so severe he couldn't even open his mouth. I told his that my thoughts were that something isn't quite right. Took him to the Doctor and come to find out, he had a very severe case of Thrush! It was not just the radiation making his throat and mouth sore after all. So if you start getting these very small little white spots in your mouth, it may be thrush. My father has been on antibiotics for it for 5 weeks now. They wanted to make sure that it didn't come back at all while he was in treatments.
    Hope this helps
    Jason
  • asiaamy
    asiaamy Member Posts: 14
    #5
    Jason1111 said:

    My father had these same
    My father had these same symptoms about a week into radiation. i though that was a little too soon after all of my reading about and reading what others have went throgh on this sight. So, my Father stuck it out for about another week to 10 days till it got so severe he couldn't even open his mouth. I told his that my thoughts were that something isn't quite right. Took him to the Doctor and come to find out, he had a very severe case of Thrush! It was not just the radiation making his throat and mouth sore after all. So if you start getting these very small little white spots in your mouth, it may be thrush. My father has been on antibiotics for it for 5 weeks now. They wanted to make sure that it didn't come back at all while he was in treatments.
    Hope this helps
    Jason

    Thanks for everyone's advice
    I guess that part of my problem is that I just tend to put up with stuff and not say anything, so I need to l earn that when there are any changes particularly now I should say something.

    My jaw did stiffen as well and I just thought that it was the radiation side effect but now I know it was probably both the infection ad radiation.

    Forgot to ask doctor about thick mucous. Is there anything I can take for that?

    Finished 15th treatment today. From what I have read on this board the easy days are over. Not looking forward to the next four weeks of treatment. Thank you all for your kind support.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    asiaamy said:

    Thanks for everyone's advice
    I guess that part of my problem is that I just tend to put up with stuff and not say anything, so I need to l earn that when there are any changes particularly now I should say something.

    My jaw did stiffen as well and I just thought that it was the radiation side effect but now I know it was probably both the infection ad radiation.

    Forgot to ask doctor about thick mucous. Is there anything I can take for that?

    Finished 15th treatment today. From what I have read on this board the easy days are over. Not looking forward to the next four weeks of treatment. Thank you all for your kind support.

    Rinses
    Ror me,I rinsed with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide both mixed in about 1/3 glass of water. I did these rinses several times a day....

    But I never really got the thick mucous. I think ths was mainly as a result of the Amifostine Injections everyday before chemo.

    I did have the thick pasty white saliva though.

    Congrats on the fifteen down...you'll d fine these next 6 weeks or so.

    Like you mentioned, now and in the future, make sure your MD's are aware of any changes, whether you think they are related or not.

    Best,
    John

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