I'm not sure if the results so far were worth the effort?

Skiffin16 said:

Patience Grashopper...

Yep, you're a tad impatient for what you are expecting.. 

More than likely, everything you have concerns with will deminish with time..., everyone is different, but all of us go through similar.

I too was STGIII right tonsil, plus a lymphnode, same side. I didn't have a tube, but I went to pretty much liguids and a few soft things after about week two of rads. I lost all taste and saliva during that time.., and for several weeks post rads.

A lot think that you'll start healing as soon as rads are over. But it doesn't work that way. They are cumulative.. You had minimal but building damage for the first few weeks.., and that will continue post rads for 3-4 weeks.

So in reality, you're probably at a point that you should more than likely start seeing some postiive chnages soon.

It took around 3-4 months for me to get back to a point that I could start eating and tasting again. But even at that point, I'd taste the first few bites, then taste would go away.

I could definitely take in enough to sustain.., but it was minimally tasteful.

It took much longer before I didn't have to have a bottle of water attached to me 24/7.. Talk a few words, sip water, just about anything.., sip water...

Eventually, more taste came back, and so did the saliva.

It took all of two years it seems to completely get all taste and 95% saliva back.. But again, I was well funtioning after 4 - 6 months.

Fast forward six plus years, I'm clean and clear...

Hang in there, it's worth the journey for sure..

In many ways, I'm a much better person post cancer, than before..

BTW.., I'm 61..

John