Sable1 returns after completion of treatment

Sable1
Sable1 Member Posts: 14
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Dear All:

 

My last thread was in March prior to  the start of my combined radiaition and chemo for tonsilar cancer.

I would like to personaly thank this forum site! My journey, as well as everyone here, was rough! But...your where all right...I survived. I am 4 months post treatment and am still dealing with taste bud issues and neck tightness-soreness. But this is nothing compared to the neck blistering from RAD. Still waiting to eat pizza, taco salad, and any other foods containing red sauces. Anyone know how long before I can sink my teeth into these types of food?

My PET scan is in two weeks and of course I am very nervous to even think about it. I think cancer gives patients anxiety attacks! Guess thats why they put us on meds for it! LOL. Will keep everyone posted!

THANK YOU FAMILY!

 

Sable1   

Comments

  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #2
    Made it through

    Glad you are on the other side of treatment.  We are all different in the eating.  I can eat pizza, with a knife and fork!  Spices are still to hot for my mouth.  We do have a local Mexican Restaurant that I can eat at, they don't spice meat, I just don't add salsa.  Sour cream and avocado help.  Best to try a buffett, lots of food to try and I am sure you will find something you like.  Sauce and gravy are helpful at getting food down also.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    sounds good

    Sable1,

    Congratulations and welcome to the other side.

    Try mild for a while and find enjoyment in your new food journey.  Sink your teeth into bites often but be careful, the H&N aftermath is unique to each of us AND it takes time, lots of time (at least for me).

    Happy eats,

    Matt

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #4
    Congrats on getting to the otherside..........

    Glad you are through with the TX. The recovery is slow and so differant for each person. Try small amounts of all food. It is differant and tast is something else. The surgery I had cut so much my tongue lost some tast but I get the tast when I swallow. I never had rads so go figure. It all gets better in TIME, lots of time, months not weeks. But it does.

    Bill

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #5
    buffets

    Hi,

    Thanks for checking back in. Sounds like you are progressing along nicely. Several mention buffets and that is a great idea for being able to take a spoonful of all sorts of foods to see what works without waste. Like many, leave plenty time in your schedule for the meal as I know I sat there numerous times for well over an hour eating like a tortoise.

    I wasted so much food at home trying things. Take one bite and go yack. Rest of it went to waste. Had a kitchen full of uneaten product. Hang in there, taste and diet will return.

  • edbravo
    edbravo Member Posts: 63
    #6
    Hi Sable,
    You are not alone.

    Hi Sable,

    You are not alone. We all feel the same when it comes to doing all those check-ups. The most scary part is waiting for the news from the doctor. There is really no way to over come this fear or nervousness. We just have to live with it and pray harder.

     

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #7
    Sable

    congratulations on finishing!  Great news and an even better feeling.   

    mine started on my right tonsi and 16 months post treatment, I can eat some red sauces but nothing spicy.    I loved spicy food but I still deal with a bit of thrush every now and then and a pretty sensitive mouth and anything spicy is tough.  Pizza, Italian and almost anything not spicy and I have pretty much all my taste back. 

    Goid luck with the Petscan but you will be fine.  I think the first one you are the most anxious but they get less stressful over time.  

     

    Good luck,

    Keith

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #8
    Whoo Hoo....this side of the tunnel

    is the place to be for sure! 

    I fully "get" the need for red sauces.....from ketchup to salsa.....I still have trouble with ketchup, but started out with mild Picante and finally have been able to do the medium....took a long time to get there. :)  I'm a lazy eater, so soup is still high on my menu.....I like to get it down and be done with a meal...meats are still iffy....steak goes down better than hamburger (which I end up inhaling because I can't seem to get it wet enough).  I did what Don suggested....ate a buffets.....the Oriental buffet was my favorite......I could actually taste the flavors, and there was a surprise to my "buds" at every bite.

    It gets better....

    p

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #9
    sable1, congrats on finishing

    sable1, congrats on finishing tx!!  your time is now your time again and you are on the road to recovery.  as for eating, i just kept trying stuff everyday to see if i could eat it.  i still do that as there are still things i cannot eat b/c it doesn't taste right.  i'm 2.5 yrs out from surgery and 5 yrs out from rads.  i didn't used to like spicy foods but since cancer, the spicier the better, go figure.  it will get better just keep trying new foods and trying foods again and again.  even if they don't taste right today, they may taste good next month.  good luck.

    God bless you,

    dj

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