Pain - chronic post treatment

Kyskirt
Kyskirt Member Posts: 6
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello Survivors!!!!

Wow what a journey we have all been on and now....we're trying to get our lives back.  

I'd like to hear from survivors who are experiencing post treatment chronic pain. What are your current levels? What are you and your Drs doing for management?  

I am 3 yrs post concurrent chemo and radiation for larynx cancer and experiencing a downward spiral of situations due to nerve and muscle related issues.  (Yep, swallowing still feels like razor blades first thing in the morning). I didn't have any resections just a lot of biopsies (25) and some debulking with lasers.  My issues seem to be arising to fibrosis and nerve damage.  Last 15 months has seen a significant deterioration.  Just wondering if any other survivors are having these issues.  Not much online for rehabing head and neck cancers (guess a lot don't survive this long.)  I'm NED and Dr just told me I'm free and clear at this point it isn't coming back but we have to deal with this progressive degeneration.  Any insights, help, suggestions would be most beneficiaL.  Thanks in advance for your responses!  Appreciate them all since they take your precious time from living life and regressing back into this yucky world of cancer!  Just kidding, kind of, I viewed it as a hiccup, Drs say my positive attitude was what helped to beat it!  

 

Kelley

Comments

  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    edited December 2016 #2
    Yes

    My husband is 6.5 years post successful treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer and has significant nerve damage.  Jim currently wears a fentanyl patch and takes percocet for break through pain, as well as taking Cymbalta.  We work with a pain clinic.

  • Kyskirt
    Kyskirt Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2017 #3
    Noellesmom said:

    Yes

    My husband is 6.5 years post successful treatment for hypopharyngeal cancer and has significant nerve damage.  Jim currently wears a fentanyl patch and takes percocet for break through pain, as well as taking Cymbalta.  We work with a pain clinic.

    Thx

    Noellesmom, 

    Thanks for the info.  It really helps to know I'm not the only one experiencing some of these issues.  I sincerely hope your husband is able to find some relief this yr.  Chronic pain is a real quality of life deterrent.  If he has any muscular issues I suggest he look into dry needling.  It has allowed me to decrease my pain meds significantly.  I won't go into the mechanisms on how it works, you can look those up.  All I know is that it has been a true God send for those out of control times we go through.  I personally am not a very compliant pain med taker, don't want to be on them, but they are needed.  I just wish I would have been told about these potential issues when deciding my options for treatment.  I would have been better prepared.  But, I guess they don't tell us all the horrible things because they don't want to interject those thoughts into our brain.  Which I completely understand, better to wait and see IF they even happen.  Anyway, enjoy your New Year and again thanks for your info.  Prayers for your husband.  

    Kelley

     

  • MemphisTn
    MemphisTn Member Posts: 41
    edited January 2017 #4
    Alt Meds

    i have read a bit about post rads acupuncture. I haven't gone myself yet, but I have heard good things from people I personally know who are skeptics like myself : ) I see my ent and rad onc this month, provided they have no bad news for me in my follow ups, I will be going in early feb to see a highly recommended acupuncture doc. For me, why not, I'm not going live on pain meds and Tylenol the rest of my life....I hope : )

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