hard time

jenandheath
jenandheath Member Posts: 8
edited March 2013 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

My husband finished his treatment end of October 2012. February 26 he had a modified radical neck dissection on the right side removing 9 lymph nodes. After biopsy it showed they were negative for cancer cells. He is still losing weight and in the last week he lost 4 pounds. On Friday he went to walk in clinic because he has been choking on his food and burns badly when swallowing both fluid and food. His primary doctors  office was closed and the radiation Dr wanted him to go to clinic because they could not do a culture for strep. They think he has thrush (strep was negative). The burning is getting better but he is still choking on his food. He has a follow up with the  ENT tomorrow...he is worried.

Comments

  • jenandheath
    jenandheath Member Posts: 8
    #2
    Forgot to add that the right

    Forgot to add that the right side if his neck is quite swollen now.

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #3
    not much fun to keep having trouble

    this long after rads are over, but it happens.  I wouldn't be too worried about return of the cancer.  It sounds like this process has been going on for awhile, and will likely either be troubles from the radiation, or infective problems.  Thrush is possible this far out  from rads, but with the swelling, it makes you wonder if something else is going on.  Fever?  Any other symptoms?  He needs a thorough going over by someone who has been down the road before a few times.  The oncologist is the best bet on this.  In the meantime, if solids and liquids both hurt, stick with ensure/boost or whateer.  As much as he can handle.  Also, does he still have some magic mouthwash? That would come in pretty handy right now.

     

    Pat

  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #4
    longtermsurvivor said:

    not much fun to keep having trouble

    this long after rads are over, but it happens.  I wouldn't be too worried about return of the cancer.  It sounds like this process has been going on for awhile, and will likely either be troubles from the radiation, or infective problems.  Thrush is possible this far out  from rads, but with the swelling, it makes you wonder if something else is going on.  Fever?  Any other symptoms?  He needs a thorough going over by someone who has been down the road before a few times.  The oncologist is the best bet on this.  In the meantime, if solids and liquids both hurt, stick with ensure/boost or whateer.  As much as he can handle.  Also, does he still have some magic mouthwash? That would come in pretty handy right now.

     

    Pat

    Jen / Heath ...

    I'm no doctor but just having the surgery after rads means slow healing and of course there are countless complications / side affects from surgery after rads ....Pat (longterm) said it best.

    The good part is you are coming out of the long tunnel, not just going in and now time and alert efforts on the side affects will get you back to where you want to be ....

    Keep us posted and for what it is worth, whispered a prayer all goes well and he gets better soon!

    Best,

    Tim

  • jenandheath
    jenandheath Member Posts: 8
    #5
    Tim6003 said:

    Jen / Heath ...

    I'm no doctor but just having the surgery after rads means slow healing and of course there are countless complications / side affects from surgery after rads ....Pat (longterm) said it best.

    The good part is you are coming out of the long tunnel, not just going in and now time and alert efforts on the side affects will get you back to where you want to be ....

    Keep us posted and for what it is worth, whispered a prayer all goes well and he gets better soon!

    Best,

    Tim

    thanks

    Thank you to you both, I can say posting on this site always makes me feel better. My husband met with his ENT yesterday and the ENT tried to scope him but the dr could not even see his voice box everything is to swollen. He was put on a couple different meds Diflucan, Dexilant, and zantac (he was on another antiacid). He has to go back in a month. After the ENT appoitment he went to his primary about the pain in his shoulder and back. The dr is sending him for a xray of his lungs just to rule out cancer spread. I am going to keep faith that the reason he is having back pain is because he has lost over 50 pounds and is still working his body like he is 50 pounds heavier.

  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    #6
    Jen

    I too finished my treatments, about mid December, I lost 85 lbs, and have just started to eat by mouth again. I have a sore throat, and choke regularly on my soft modified diet.

    I feel my problems are radiation related, and see some improvement. Tell your Hubby to hang in there, it will get better.

    Jim

  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #7
    Hard12Find said:

    Jen

    I too finished my treatments, about mid December, I lost 85 lbs, and have just started to eat by mouth again. I have a sore throat, and choke regularly on my soft modified diet.

    I feel my problems are radiation related, and see some improvement. Tell your Hubby to hang in there, it will get better.

    Jim

    Hi Jen...

    Pat may correct me on this one as I am no where near qualified.  An xray will not show as much in the lungs (if cancer is a concern) as a CT with contrast or even a PET.

    As far as some back pains go....just to share my experience bc I lost 70lbs ...my back pain occured right in the middle  upper of my back ...between the shouldre blades.  My chest also "ached" like I was breathing in really cold air ...I attributed the chest ache to my Erbitux treatments and my back pain to either the treatments in general and or the weight loss....but that's just my personal opinion....no basis scientifically or anything a doctor said, just my personal thoughts on the matter.

    One thing for sure, I had alllllll kinds of aches and pains during and well after treatment.....so don't borrow trouble ...but do be sure to report everything to you cancer team and keep them updated ....you might even want to keep a log on paper with symtoms, aches, pains, when, where if they occur at certian times (like night) or during movement  (my hips would hurt at night when sleeping on my right side) ?? LOL ...go figure that one.

    Keep us posted.....hang on, the ride is up and down....but at the end you will be glad you went through it.

    Tim

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