Bleeding?

ac_scott
ac_scott Member Posts: 9
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I haven't seen this addressed on here just wondering if it's abnormal. Just finished Tx #12 of 35. Occasionally at night I'll wake up with a blood soaked pillow or hack up some blood during the evening. Discussed it with my Rad Dr and she says it's normal. I just haven't seen any one address that on here and was curious to hear others experiences with it.

Lost my taste buds after Tx 9, it was like a light switch. Breakfast was great, the Tx, then lunch, "Hey Miss" this burger taste like cardboard. Oh well, now just building up the will to eat. Kind of cruel really, they want us to up our calorie count and then all the sudden, they take away our sense of taste. No fun in that.

Another thing I don't understand, the "Thick Saliva", I mean dry mouth all day and then all the sudden your choking on this thick syrupy crap......ugh,,,could nature just spread this stuff out so I could feel somewhat normal. It can get embarrassing for me at times because I do a lot of public speaking. Guess I'm going to have to take a break for a while, thought I could get through it with just a sore tongue, but I guess not. Sorry if this sounds like a rant, just needed to get some things off my chest, and don't want to worry my significant other with the little things.

Scott

Comments

  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #2
    Little Things?
    For me, depends on the day - one day, it's a slight annoyance - another day, it's horrible. Also hard to rant to your significant other when you know they really can't relate.

    I had some throat/nose bleeding, too, but mine was nothing like yours.

    I recall how the altered or lack of sense of taste ruined eating. For me, my ability to eat was declining, too, so it kind of worked for me to switch to smoothies. I could amp up the calories, and get them down relatively quickly - less pain, less to taste (or not).

    As for the saliva - ugh. We seemed to have two camps when I was in treatment - the ones who kept a spit cup with them at all times, and the ones nearly buried in used tissues. This, too, shall pass. Keep ranting from time to time - venting helps fight stress.
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    one of the joys of rads
    Hi Scott,

    While my mouth and throat became pretty awful and inflamed I never bled.

    As for the taste buds mine took a 7 month vacation with 95% of those months on smoothies and protein drinks. Tonight I had some popcorn and it almost tasted normal (it is so good). This from a warrior who had just about given up on normal eating again.

    I was not a member of the spit cup club, but did (and still do) go through a lot of tissues. I also had a utility room sink dedicated to gag, spit and rinse. I still drink lots of water and have a predictably dry mouth, but also have thick glue like spit that hangs on and on.

    Good luck, good spitting!

    Matt
  • ac_scott
    ac_scott Member Posts: 9
    #4
    CivilMatt said:

    one of the joys of rads
    Hi Scott,

    While my mouth and throat became pretty awful and inflamed I never bled.

    As for the taste buds mine took a 7 month vacation with 95% of those months on smoothies and protein drinks. Tonight I had some popcorn and it almost tasted normal (it is so good). This from a warrior who had just about given up on normal eating again.

    I was not a member of the spit cup club, but did (and still do) go through a lot of tissues. I also had a utility room sink dedicated to gag, spit and rinse. I still drink lots of water and have a predictably dry mouth, but also have thick glue like spit that hangs on and on.

    Good luck, good spitting!

    Matt

    Inflamation
    Mouth and Throat aren't inflamed........yet... Just a little irritation on sides of my tongue, so no real problem eating other than the fact nothing has any flavor, so it's more of mind over matter. And it matters to my mind that everything is the consistency of cardboard. I have found that by using a wide mouth cup, I can actually smell what I'm eating and it gives the slight impression of taste.

    Re: tongue irritation, found a product called Difflam Forte, give a numbing effect to the areas sprayed similar to Cepocal. And is recommended for Radiation mucotis.
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #5
    food is on the table
    Ac_scott,

    There was no mind over matter for me. At my worst I could not stand the “no taste”, “bad taste”, “awful feel” of 99.9% of all foods. Only my H&N comrades understood me because my family (other than wife) sure did not.

    I am still not tasting “normal”, but things are truly improving. I ate chicken last night and enjoyed texture taste and all. Chicken was like Kryptonite for H&N members.

    This H&N cancer works a Houdini trip on your brain. What is going to happen tomorrow?

    Best,

    Matt
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #6
    CivilMatt said:

    food is on the table
    Ac_scott,

    There was no mind over matter for me. At my worst I could not stand the “no taste”, “bad taste”, “awful feel” of 99.9% of all foods. Only my H&N comrades understood me because my family (other than wife) sure did not.

    I am still not tasting “normal”, but things are truly improving. I ate chicken last night and enjoyed texture taste and all. Chicken was like Kryptonite for H&N members.

    This H&N cancer works a Houdini trip on your brain. What is going to happen tomorrow?

    Best,

    Matt

    yeah...I had some of that bleeding too...
    as for taste ...two kinds, cardboard and cardboard with salt ...that was it for me :)

    Keep it up ..hang in there!!

    Best,

    Tim
  • ditto1
    ditto1 Member Posts: 660
    #7
    Tim6003 said:

    yeah...I had some of that bleeding too...
    as for taste ...two kinds, cardboard and cardboard with salt ...that was it for me :)

    Keep it up ..hang in there!!

    Best,

    Tim

    Same here
    had some bleeding when I spit shortly after being dx, but nothing as you described. As for food as the others said, I do not remember one of the folks on this site that did not lose all or at least most taste towards the tale end of RADS. What I did find is we are all different to how quickly taste returns. I was lucky my taste came back with in a few weeks for most foods, not sweets. However Im unable to eat but small portions probably for a variety of reasons, but still eating and you will to.
  • ac_scott
    ac_scott Member Posts: 9
    #8
    Tim6003 said:

    yeah...I had some of that bleeding too...
    as for taste ...two kinds, cardboard and cardboard with salt ...that was it for me :)

    Keep it up ..hang in there!!

    Best,

    Tim

    Lucky
    At least my cardboard is either wet or dry, hot or cold.

    LOL

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