Anyone get the license plate on that truck?

Laralyn
Laralyn Member Posts: 532
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
So there I was, ending week 5 and going into week 6. My throat was hurting a little bit more, but it was still manageable. I also started feeling hot and flushed around the radiation area, as my skin started to react. But all in all, I was still doing well.

Then yesterday, I got hit by a truck. I was in bed all day, literally. I was so tired and dizzy that all I could do was lay in bed and sleep. At first I thought I was catching up on sleep missed during the week, but it went way past that.

Today, I'm not doing much better. I'm so nauseous that even a sip of water makes me gag. I feel really weak and shaky even though I've been keeping my calories and hydration up. I think I may have a sinus infection because I keep having bloody noses. And, to top it all off, the lymph node that was affected by the cancer, which had shrunk to normal sized, is enlarged and hurting a lot.

So I think something's going on beyond the side effects of the radiation. If I don't feel better by this afternoon, I'll call the NP's answering service and see what she says.

Sorry it's not my usually positive update. I wish it were! Hopefully I can figure out what's up and get rid of it quickly.

Comments

  • jtl
    jtl Member Posts: 456
    #2
    Sorry to hear that but it
    Sorry to hear that but it very well may be an infection. I was reluctant to be around people much during rt for fear of coming down with something. The worst places were medical waiting rooms, people hacking all the time. Sometimes people didn't even have the brains to cover their nose and mouth, it was disgusting.

    You are also now starting to feel the effects of accumulated radiation. I thought I was on easy street until about the last week then it hit me and stayed with me for the next 6 weeks. For me it was just lack of energy and a sore throat, I was not nauseous. Take care.
    John
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    Oh Laralyn, I'm so sorry.....
    I think you have a bug like the flu....something besides sinus infection, if you're feeling this weak, and nauseous....I wouldn't wait to call your NP, really...this is no time to mess around or try to wait it out, your white count is affected by the chemo, so anything you get...you get worse. Do you have a fever???

    I'm not an alarmist, but they put the big fear in me when I first started chemo...and the word was....don't wait...call, come in, and get checked out. So do it now, sweetie!!

    p
  • Tonsil Dad
    Tonsil Dad Member Posts: 488
    #4
    jtl said:

    Sorry to hear that but it
    Sorry to hear that but it very well may be an infection. I was reluctant to be around people much during rt for fear of coming down with something. The worst places were medical waiting rooms, people hacking all the time. Sometimes people didn't even have the brains to cover their nose and mouth, it was disgusting.

    You are also now starting to feel the effects of accumulated radiation. I thought I was on easy street until about the last week then it hit me and stayed with me for the next 6 weeks. For me it was just lack of energy and a sore throat, I was not nauseous. Take care.
    John

    imune system.
    Just a quick point Laralyn, our ( your) lymph nodes
    enlarge when your body is trying to fight an infection
    or cold/flu. I have done a lot of research on the immune
    system and I'm very pro-active with the products I take
    to keep it in tip top condition.
    Consult your Dr but its proberbly nothing to get to worried about.

    God bless
    Tonsil dad,

    Dan.
  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    #5
    Tonsil Dad said:

    imune system.
    Just a quick point Laralyn, our ( your) lymph nodes
    enlarge when your body is trying to fight an infection
    or cold/flu. I have done a lot of research on the immune
    system and I'm very pro-active with the products I take
    to keep it in tip top condition.
    Consult your Dr but its proberbly nothing to get to worried about.

    God bless
    Tonsil dad,

    Dan.

    and that was a BIG truck !
    Laralynn, Tonsil Dad is absolutely right, the lymph system helps the body fight infection, so don't be too alarmed about that swelling....however, if the nausea and the general not feeling good feeling continues, tt your docs about it. your immune system is definitely compromised, so very easy to pick up a but. The sleeping and not wanting to even get out of bed part is NORMAL...you have been thru a war, now you need to rest. Your body needs rest to heal. Hope you can get a handle on the nausea....keep up the water intake, so you don't get dehydrated. Feel better soon.
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #6
    Ingrid K said:

    and that was a BIG truck !
    Laralynn, Tonsil Dad is absolutely right, the lymph system helps the body fight infection, so don't be too alarmed about that swelling....however, if the nausea and the general not feeling good feeling continues, tt your docs about it. your immune system is definitely compromised, so very easy to pick up a but. The sleeping and not wanting to even get out of bed part is NORMAL...you have been thru a war, now you need to rest. Your body needs rest to heal. Hope you can get a handle on the nausea....keep up the water intake, so you don't get dehydrated. Feel better soon.

    Hi Laralyn, so sorry to hear
    Hi Laralyn, so sorry to hear you are not feeling good. I hope you recover soon. Do agree other posters, call asap!

    You have finished a good amount of journey, stay strong, stay positive.

    Sam
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #7
    Sam999 said:

    Hi Laralyn, so sorry to hear
    Hi Laralyn, so sorry to hear you are not feeling good. I hope you recover soon. Do agree other posters, call asap!

    You have finished a good amount of journey, stay strong, stay positive.

    Sam

    Surely get checked .....but....
    ...now you are beginning to feel the effects of the radiation for sure. My the 5th - 6th week of my raidation my neck looked horrible ....severe pain....I was weak and just slept all the time ......it continued to get worse for me and the worst was a full month after all treatments had stopped (we even had to delay treatments for me 2X due to side affects) ....I wish of course I could be more encouraging ....but it's important we share our real world expereiences ....


    ....I hope you come out like jtl (John) ...what I would have given to be able to do what he did ...

    Prayers still there for you ...we are with you !!!


    Tim
  • Mrs. Sarge
    Mrs. Sarge Member Posts: 206 Member
    #8
    Tim6003 said:

    Surely get checked .....but....
    ...now you are beginning to feel the effects of the radiation for sure. My the 5th - 6th week of my raidation my neck looked horrible ....severe pain....I was weak and just slept all the time ......it continued to get worse for me and the worst was a full month after all treatments had stopped (we even had to delay treatments for me 2X due to side affects) ....I wish of course I could be more encouraging ....but it's important we share our real world expereiences ....


    ....I hope you come out like jtl (John) ...what I would have given to be able to do what he did ...

    Prayers still there for you ...we are with you !!!


    Tim

    Sorry
    Laralyn, I agree that you need to call and maybe they'll want to check things out....I'm sure your immune system is down so you could have something going around....they'll know!
    Thoughts are with you!!!
  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #9
    Mrs. Sarge said:

    Sorry
    Laralyn, I agree that you need to call and maybe they'll want to check things out....I'm sure your immune system is down so you could have something going around....they'll know!
    Thoughts are with you!!!

    Feeling a little better
    Thanks for all the positive thoughts! I'm feeling a little better--at least, I'm out of bed for a few minutes. :-)

    I've had a very low fever or none at all, so when I called the answering service for the NP, they recommended calling back Monday. There's an on call doctor I can request if it gets worse.

    I have bad allergies a couple times a year, and they affect my sinuses. I'm thinking that's what's happening here. Sorry for the yucky mental image, but I think the drainage from my sinuses is irritating my radiated throat, and making me nauseous. I usually get a sore throat from it, so I can only imagine how it affects the already sore parts.

    I also think it's the treatments finally catching up to me. I told Charlie (my spouse) that he might have to start taking me to treatments because I don't think I should drive if I'm this weirdly and suddenly tired all the time.

    I admit that I'm kind of bummed at the thought of 4-6 more weeks of this, but then I keep reminding myself that all I have to do is wait it out, right? :-)
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #10
    Hydration....
    I have to say, the first thing that caught my eye when you were describing you symptoms...

    I'm so nauseous that even a sip of water makes me gag...

    Sounds pretty classical of dehydration symptoms..., I know, I was there....

    All I wanted to do was sleep because I was so sick... The more I slept, the less I drank, the worse I felt.

    I'll tell you like my nurses told me... when I said I was trying to drink enough water...

    "If you are trying to drink enough water, you aren't..."

    They told my wife to check my fluids by a technique the called "tenting".

    Gently lift (pull) the skin on the back of the hand... If it tents up taking a while to return to normal you aren't getting enough fluids, if it returns shape rather quickly, more than likely you are.

    She use to aggravate the crap out of me..., I'd finally get to sleep or a good rest, and BAM, she'd pinch up the skin on the back of my hand.

    Anyways, just food (you can't taste) for thought....

    JG
  • Laralyn
    Laralyn Member Posts: 532
    #11
    Skiffin16 said:

    Hydration....
    I have to say, the first thing that caught my eye when you were describing you symptoms...

    I'm so nauseous that even a sip of water makes me gag...

    Sounds pretty classical of dehydration symptoms..., I know, I was there....

    All I wanted to do was sleep because I was so sick... The more I slept, the less I drank, the worse I felt.

    I'll tell you like my nurses told me... when I said I was trying to drink enough water...

    "If you are trying to drink enough water, you aren't..."

    They told my wife to check my fluids by a technique the called "tenting".

    Gently lift (pull) the skin on the back of the hand... If it tents up taking a while to return to normal you aren't getting enough fluids, if it returns shape rather quickly, more than likely you are.

    She use to aggravate the crap out of me..., I'd finally get to sleep or a good rest, and BAM, she'd pinch up the skin on the back of my hand.

    Anyways, just food (you can't taste) for thought....

    JG

    I was worried about that too...
    I've had a couple bags of water during the day (via tube) and I'm keeping my calorie intake steady... But I bet I haven't had enough water, even with those bags. I'll step it up. Thanks for the reminder! :-)

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