getting ready for tounge surgey

Duggie88 said:

Surgery

Sounds like me four years ago. I had tongue cancer and I also had food getting stuck in my throat. My first ENT thought it was nothing to get alarmed about. Until a second ENT's opinion after exploritory surgery who then sent me to a surgeon 75 miles away who performed the second exploritory surgery 4 days before he went back in and removed part of my tongue and my epiglottis. I had a trach and a feeding tube until the swelling went down and I learned how to swallow without an epiglotis. I am certainly glad I went through with it giving me (just like many others) the opportunity to tell you about the ordeal and to push you to do whatever it takes to get rid of this F’en disease. Your battle may seem long and drawn out but it is worth every ounce of energy you can muster to rid yourself of cancer. There are many on here who can answer all your questions throughout your journey and we promise not to sugar coat it. It is or can be a tough battle, and if I can do it ...................... anybody can do it. Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, we are all here to ride the storm with you.

      Jeff

What do they do during exploritory surgery? All I know right now that it is outpaitent I have never really heard of anyone with this type and just thought it might a cyst back in Aug but never went away.Luckily from the petscan was told it's only located at the side and alittle at bottom of tounge but they are going to remove lumth nodes on the left also.

just wondering now how long do the tubes stay in?

PJ47 said:

Not sure what the exploratory surgery for?

I would get a detailed explanation about the need for the exploratory surgery from the surgeon who wants to do it and a second opinion aso, just to be safe.

 I was told I would most likely have a temporary trac after my tongue base surgery and left neck dissection but I did not require one as I did not swell very much.  I was lucky I guess. I did have an NG tube for 3 days that the nurses put my pain meds in but they had me swallow to eat which was wierd since it hurt like H***.  After my major surgery experience I would ask what the pain management plan is.  I was in a university hospital and the pain management was inadequate.  They offered to give me morphine on the 3rd day after I had suffered horribly with PRN (as needed) Vicodin Q 4hours.  PRN means you have to ask for it which is hard when you cannot talk or fall asleep so that plan is terrible!

I did have a great surgeon so do your homework up front while you have the time.  Keep a record book of the names of health care professionals you speak to and the answeres to all your questions, that will help you remember and sort things out.  I always had a friend or family member along too so we could compare notes.  Often we were like deer in the headlights and did miss things.

Make an appointment to speak to the surgeon to get the plan before surgery and also with the anesthesiologist if you can, otherwise you are left to ask questions and get explanations while they are ready to wisk you into surgery and you are trying to prepare mentally for the surgery to take place and need to be calm.

Best of Luck and may your guardian angels be with you,

PJ 

As far as I can tell they want to go in and explore to come up with a game plan for the following surgery two weeks later.I know they knock me out for it and most likely groggy after but wondering what kind of pain after and if they give me anything for it.As I said this is all kind of new haven't been on the table since I was 8.Did anyone else not have any pain or blood? All it felt like that something was stuck back in Aug and when it wasn't going away went to see an ent.

thennies61 said:

Thanks lornal I thought that

Thanks lornal I thought that was the whole idea to go in take a look and then make a game from there along with the pet and cat scans.I don't have any problems swallowing once I get the food past the base of tounge and chew slowly so have gone to a softer foods instead of thing like meat.Just not sure how long an exploratory and biopsies takes or if that knock me me out or numb me.Doctor never said.

Just wondering after exploratory surgery is there any down time or is everything pretty sore.

CivilMatt said:

welcome

thennies61,

Welcome to the H&N forum, where many of us felt nothing.  For me I did feel a lump, which sprang me into action.

I also had tongue surgery and a Jugular Vein dissection to remove a lymph node.  A little discomfort from the surgery, but no pain (for me).

The PET & CT scans will show areas of interest and sizing of the areas.  Then your  team will map out a plan for treatment, to get you back to square one.

This is the time to wonder how and why and be scared, but there are no easy answers, it just is.  Be assured we have all been there and we feel deeply for your condition, but rest easy it will all be taken care of soon.

Matt

Thanks Matt I felt no pain and no blood last Aug when I finally noticed something thought it was a cyst or maybe a sliva gland blocked which my brother had.I thought it would it go away with mouthwash for mouth sores .Felt better but didn't go away just felt like I had food stuck somewhere.Then in oct noticed a small hole under tounge and said thats not good and in nov went to ugent care since I never really had a doctor whech she sent me to the ent.He took a sample and ordered a pet he said it looked like the beginning of cancer and so it was when I went back.He then sent me to the surgen for a game plan and had a ct but haven't heard anything back on that except now for exploratory on the 16th and orginal date for surgeyr was the 23 now pushed back to the 30th.He did say whatever is taken will be replace with skin and muscle form my thigh.And your right am wondering how and why basically because I never heard of anyone going though this until I came to this site.My doctor did say it is getting more and common. I've always been up beat and that won't change cause like you said it is what is and lets go after it.It's nice to know what is is going on the unknow is more scary then the known.