sore throat and canker sore been two weeks of rad and 1 chemo so far still have 4 1/2 weeks to go fo

Pingsuen,

Welcome to the H&N forum, the place to be (temporarily).

I had cancer on my tongue and a lump on my neck and do not know how I got it either.  It  is one of life’s mysteries.  By the way I don’t drink or smoke.

 If you are going to go PEGless keep swallowing and drink lots of water.  I did have a PEG, but did manage to drink at least one meal a day.  You must stay hydrated and get plenty of nourishment throughout treatments.  If he fails to get enough nourishment by mouth getting a PEG is alright and it takes your mind off of eating.  Some people make it with out a Peg and maybe you will be one.

For me, I used the Magic Mouth Wash for mouth, tongue and throat pain.  The formula my pharmacy used was great. There are other good choices, but I did not use them.

Best,

Matt

CivilMatt said:

welcome

Pingsuen,

 

Welcome to the H&N forum, the place to be (temporarily).

 

I had cancer on my tongue and a lump on my neck and do not know how I got it either.  It  is one of life’s mysteries.  By the way I don’t drink or smoke.

 

 If you are going to go PEGless keep swallowing and drink lots of water.  I did have a PEG, but did manage to drink at least one meal a day.  You must stay hydrated and get plenty of nourishment throughout treatments.  If he fails to get enough nourishment by mouth getting a PEG is alright and it takes your mind off of eating.  Some people make it with out a Peg and maybe you will be one.

 

For me, I used the Magic Mouth Wash for mouth, tongue and throat pain.  The formula my pharmacy used was great. There are other good choices, but I did not use them.

 

Best,

 

Matt

sorry you had to find us but you will be glad you did, I had Base of Tongue dx back in March, 33 Rads and 2 Cisplatin and 9 Erbitux treatments, no Port or Peg, it was not easy but doable, many times up and down.  We will be here to help you thru this and you can pretty much bet there is not a question you will not find an answer from somebody.  You may also want to review the Super Thread which is the first post on this page. 

Hi Angie,

Welcome to CSN and sorry you are on the bus with us but glad you are here as you will get the straight scoop right from the front lines. I'm new so others have more experience but all my reading tells me you HAVE to stay hydrated and getting sufficient calories, no matter what. Once the weight starts coming off, I can not recollect a single post where ppl gained any back during treatment. As to hydration, this is a big one too. I was not aware of complications during treatment that led to patients getting extra hospital vacations. After reading a lot I see the fastest way to get your husband that extra stay in the hospital is by getting dehydrated.

I think we all think we get dehydrated, seating like mad working too long in the yard with no water, or going on a long hike or run and having no water but I think staying HYDRATED in this scenario is entirely different and since we are not at all experienced or conditioned to watch for signs of real dehydration, it is really important to know the signs and get help really fast as soon as you think it is going on.

Don 

pingsuen said:

Aloha Ditto, 
           

Aloha Ditto, 

             yeah my husband taking Cisplatin also. his doctor told us this medicine is very strong and strong side effect..like nausea and vomiting..which he did experience that the first chemo. i am scared the 2nd chemo..actually i am losing weight too for worring too much..i am CNA Certified Nursing Assistance and working in Assisted Living..working and taking care Elderlyi can handle but taking care of your own husband, seeing him suffering to swallow and coughing/ spitting mucus like stciky salive..i am the one having hard time..i really feel so sorry for him..

regarding the Super Thread..what is that? i will search at the same time. and how you handle the pain? and what kind of food you eat? do you have canker sore too? and having hard time to swallow? i hope you dont mind my question..thank you again.

 

Angie (pingsuen wife)

When you sign on and go to Head and Neck to read updated blogs the very 1st one will say Super Thread, click on it and you are on your tour of about anything you would want to know.  As far as my situation, I pretty much had all the basic side effects, nausea was not to bad, but did have thrush a few times and weak as I was loosing weight, but did pretty good overall.  Let me know if you still have trouble finding the Super Thread.

I lived in Hawaii for several years while in the service...lovely place back then.

I haven't heard mention of HPV, but with your husbands lack of tobacco, sounds like HPV could have been a possible contributor to the cancer. Doesn't really matter as treatment is the same currently... but survivla rates and response tend to be improved...end result though, cancer iscancer.

As mentioned, stay very well hydrated and calorie intake is huge... If his onco prescribed the PEG, I'd get it. Mine didn't and for me it wasn't a probelm. I just switched to Ensure Plus and a few sliced peaches for my calories during the hardest weeks of rads.

Ensure gave me nearly 350 calories each can (several a day), and the peaches kept the throat swallowing muscles working... If you don't swallow, there's a chance that you could lose that ability permanantly..., and that would totally stink.

Best ~ John

pingsuen said:

Thanks Don,
 
             

Thanks Don,

 

               well today im not aware that my husband already dehydrated, he look fine and trying to eat little amount of puree food. specially ensure drink.. water i guess not too much..but i've seen him drinking little by little..but when this morning when we went to his oncology doctor for his bld count to get ready for his 2nd chemo next monday..doctor told us he is dehydrated and his blood pressure was low...right away the nurse gave him IV fluid inside the doctor's office....i've been giving him powerade drink electrolyte and regular water..i guess still not enough. someone told us coconut water with electrolyte is good (brand ONE ). doctor told us today he need PEG tube already and cannot wait too long cuz.. he have hard time to swallow food next monday his schedule for his PEG tube. thanks Don! 

I don't start induction chemo until next week and I know the hardest hydration issues start during rad which is months away but what I an doing already is training myself to drink at least 40oz of liquid each day. I start the day with 2 two oz plastic bottles filled and make sure I get thorugh one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Just trying to make this a daily habit and hope it becomes subconscious habit as i move along. Of course, I know the pain of taking fluids will make me totally aware of the act of drinking I figure it can't hurt and just makes pegging up a bit easier. will see. don

donfoo said:

preparing for fluids

I don't start induction chemo until next week and I know the hardest hydration issues start during rad which is months away but what I an doing already is training myself to drink at least 40oz of liquid each day. I start the day with 2 two oz plastic bottles filled and make sure I get thorugh one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Just trying to make this a daily habit and hope it becomes subconscious habit as i move along. Of course, I know the pain of taking fluids will make me totally aware of the act of drinking I figure it can't hurt and just makes pegging up a bit easier. will see. don

Hydration is huge during chemo..., probably as much as during rads...

One reason is flushing your system of the toxins and such from chemo. They'll actually run lasix and other drugs through you to start flushing during your same chemo induction day.

Plus, probably drinking less because you don't feel that well, and the meds might also de-hydrate you some, not sure on that one...

It's like drinking that one extra bottle of beer..., you know the one. The one where you haven't urinated for a few bottles. Now you drink one more bottle, and your going every fve minutes.

The nurses told my wife about tenting... gentle pull the loose skin on the top of your hand. If it "tents" up, remaining for a few seconds your low on fluids.. If it springs back in place very quickly, you're more than likely good on the fluids.

JG

CivilMatt said:

welcome

Pingsuen,

 

Welcome to the H&N forum, the place to be (temporarily).

 

I had cancer on my tongue and a lump on my neck and do not know how I got it either.  It  is one of life’s mysteries.  By the way I don’t drink or smoke.

 

 If you are going to go PEGless keep swallowing and drink lots of water.  I did have a PEG, but did manage to drink at least one meal a day.  You must stay hydrated and get plenty of nourishment throughout treatments.  If he fails to get enough nourishment by mouth getting a PEG is alright and it takes your mind off of eating.  Some people make it with out a Peg and maybe you will be one.

 

For me, I used the Magic Mouth Wash for mouth, tongue and throat pain.  The formula my pharmacy used was great. There are other good choices, but I did not use them.

 

Best,

 

Matt

What is it and do I need a precription. We us Mugaurd but mouth is still burning

Sue