Radiation Effects

AngieR15
AngieR15 Member Posts: 10
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello,

I was diagnosed with Olfactory Neuroblastoma in March 2019, had surgey to remove the large tumor in my right sanal cavity in April and just finished my second of six weeks of radiation to my sinus' and neck (excluding my left saliva gland). During my surgery I had my entire olfactory nerve removed so my sense of smell is gone for the rest of my life; however, I am finding I have a nasty smell in my nose like a rotten smell.... all my food taste like it, everything I drink, when I breathe.. I can't seem to get away from it and it is making me very sick. Did anyone else experience this? Also did it go away over time? 

 

Comments

  • wbcgaruss
    wbcgaruss Member Posts: 2,484 Member
    #2
    If I Am Reading

    This timeline correctly you have four weeks of radiation to complete yet but did not say when this annoying sickly smell started. If it was me I would get in to see my ENT as soon as possible to make sure all is well and treatment is progressing as planned-God Bless

  • AngieR15
    AngieR15 Member Posts: 10
    #3
    wbcgaruss said:

    If I Am Reading

    This timeline correctly you have four weeks of radiation to complete yet but did not say when this annoying sickly smell started. If it was me I would get in to see my ENT as soon as possible to make sure all is well and treatment is progressing as planned-God Bless

    I was experiencing it a bit

    I was experiencing it a bit before I started the radiation but this past week or so it has gotten very bad. I have a magic mouth wash that I use 4 times a day which is supposed to clean out my mouth and throat, plus I rinse with club soda or salt water multiple times a day and I use a nose pray twice daily. Thats what my radiologist recommended, perhaps I should speak to my ENT about it as well. Thanks for the advice!

  • raym372
    raym372 Member Posts: 12
    #4
    Phantom smell
    I also have Esthesioneuroblastoma and have completed 22 radiation treatments so far, to my sinus area and neck. My olfactory nerves were also removed during my surgery and I cannot smell anything. However, I randomly get a burning type of smell that lasts for a few minutes. I talked to my radiation oncologist...he said that he hears from his patients occasionally about this phantom smell, but did not offer anything that will make it go away.
  • AngieR15
    AngieR15 Member Posts: 10
    #5
    raym372 said:

    Phantom smell
    I also have Esthesioneuroblastoma and have completed 22 radiation treatments so far, to my sinus area and neck. My olfactory nerves were also removed during my surgery and I cannot smell anything. However, I randomly get a burning type of smell that lasts for a few minutes. I talked to my radiation oncologist...he said that he hears from his patients occasionally about this phantom smell, but did not offer anything that will make it go away.

    This is a constant smell for

    This is a constant smell for me... it actually makes me gag and almost throw up regularly throught the day... did you have any big blue/black crusts come out of your nose a couple of months after your surgery? It looked mouldy to me and I thought that might be what I was smelling but it hasnt gone away and I do not see any more crusts in my nose (unless they are too far back for me to see).

  • raym372
    raym372 Member Posts: 12
    #6
    AngieR15 said:

    This is a constant smell for

    This is a constant smell for me... it actually makes me gag and almost throw up regularly throught the day... did you have any big blue/black crusts come out of your nose a couple of months after your surgery? It looked mouldy to me and I thought that might be what I was smelling but it hasnt gone away and I do not see any more crusts in my nose (unless they are too far back for me to see).

    Nasal Crusts
    After my surgery, I did get thick crusts that are black, and I still do. But they are not too large, and haven’t experienced any moldy stuff. I have a nasal inflammation and starting to develop sore throat from radiation.

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