3 days in Radiation
I already feel like I have a cold. Is this normal so early on? Only 3 days so far of radiation?
I chose not to sleep with my husband as his sleep apnea machine tend to keep me up, woke up and have been sneezing and blowing my nose. I can't stop.
I still have saliva. But honestly feel like I have a head cold. This sucks.
Comments
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It is possible you are getting some reaction mimicking a cold but as far as I know radiation does not cause what you describe.
I would say you probably do in fact have a cold and that's what it is something else to deal with.
You remember the old saying, maybe "if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck it must be a duck".
I remember during my first cancer treatment I was probably having something similar such as you have a cold or possible flu or something and I guess I was commiserating to a nurse about it and I remember her saying "just because you are going through this cancer treatment and situation doesn't mean you are exempt from getting the normal things of life we always get as people".
I think my mind was leaning that way even though it would make no sense. Somehow in our mind, we feel I have this huge thing on my plate and I won't be given anything else to deal with till I get through this.
So hang in there you probably do have just that a cold.
Take care-God Bless-Russ
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I'm doing better, thanks for asking. I've just been so busy last couple days. Monday had HVAC here dual zoning the house for the FROG, and then had to go to radiation... Got home and was just so tired, fell asleep. Yesterday was PT, then ST (Speech), They went to do a barium test on my eating. I am getting sick of all of these test and bills. I may just refuse it, I feel I am eating find. I just honestly was not hungry and only like the graham crackers. eating was the LAST thing I wanted to do as I was having stomach issues yesterday... Then right after that radiation to radiation. All these appointments, and everything I need to get done is just mounting up.
I realize everyone here can relate. Physically, I'm doing alright so far.
I'm about to head out the door for RT. Then nothing the rest of the day but trying to get more done around the house and some cleaning and organizing done.
I hope you are hanging in there, Logan!
-Steph
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Steph I think the barium eating swallow test is to establish a baseline of where you are now to compare with any future swallowing changes or problems and or swallowing tests. I think doing one now if it shows a swallowing problem or something unusual they know that certain thing was there and did not come about because of your treatment. The last cancer stint I did in 2019 with a long hospital stay involved a swallowing test and then I went to a rehab hospital for 10 days and I got another done. In that, they determined my best swallow is with my head turned to the left and head tilted down.
Yes appointments, tons of them but you will be startled when you get to the end of treatment and suddenly there is nothing. it is very strange, you will see when you get there, some people get really depressed at that time.
Wishing You The Best-Take Care-God Bless-Russ
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Hi Steph, the doctor I had recommended Lubriderm fragrance free lotion to keep your neck from getting blistered. I applied it when I got in my car to go home after treatments and then a few more times throughout the day. It worked for me and wasn’t greasy like I’ve read Aquafor is. How many radiation treatments have been prescribed for you? I had 33 close to four years ago for vocal cord HPV+ cancer.
It will get hard to swallow, and then your voice will go. I used to squeeze a tennis ball in my hand to swallow each bite. Soft food like oatmeal, apple sauce, eggs and yogurt were good, also Boost. I ate as much as I could stomach and still lost a total of 15 pounds at the lowest.
The voice was the hardest part for me. When I went back to work two months after I finished treatments a coworker said, “you sound like ****”. She didn’t know why I was on leave because I kept it private until I got back. Last week another coworker told me, “your voice sounds like it used to”. Well not quite, but it made me feel good.
Later
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That's exactly what it is, but the therapist had me eating a Nutrigrain bar and graham gram crackers. I don't even eat that crap on my regular diet. I certainly won't be through treatment. She also claimed these tests aren't usually given until the end of treatment to see how people will manage at home.
I usually wouldn't say anything about this, but I happen to have very good insurance and I get nickel and dimed like you would not believe. Some of the things I have seen show up on bills AMAZE me.
The next time it happens I am going to start challenging the false charges by both the hospital and certain specialists.
I am also not rich. I still have to pay for this as well, and I am eating perfectly fine.
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Hey Siege, I'm using a combo of Aquaphor, 100% Coconut oil, and I have an Aloe Plant. This is only my second week of treatment, but both have been cut short. They started treatment last week, so only 3 days. I was supposed to have 5 this week but the fiber was cut at the office yesterday, so all appts were cancelled making this a 4 day week. The next to weeks will only be 4 days due to holidays. I will not be finished until the 28th of January. That will conclude my 35 weeks.
Great you are doing so well, and your voice is back! G
Good idea regarding the tennis ball!
May I ask what stage you were when you started radiation?
-Steph
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Steph
I kept a log with columns on the charges and accepted payments by Chemo, Rads, and Dr.s all thru my tx almost 13 years ago. What stood out was the Rads- they accepted some 33% (!) of their billed charges from United. Chemo was a higher %, but the Dr.s got pretty much what they charged. So, it is not unusual to see a major difference between the Rad charges and what they actually accept for the zap sessions.
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HI Steph, I was stage 1 when I started radiation. I went to an ENT after my voice was hoarse and it wasn’t getting better.
One of the things I wish I had done more of are neck exercises. I get cramps in my neck when I yawn and stretch my arms above my head. The cramps started about 3 years post radiation treatments.
Take care, Seige
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Seige,
I am taking your advice on this! I will do those exercises diligently! I was also even searching for head and neck yoga videos... Seriously! Have you started to stretch your neck now and is is helping? I've also heard botox injections in the neck can help certain issues.
Anything to keep my neck flexible.
The swallowing, though. It's already SO hard. Those exercises hurt, Seige! Did you do those as well?
Take care!
Steph
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I stretched - and still do - my neck.. first look over one shoulder, as far as you can, then hold it, 20 ish times, then other.. look up, look down, I also did my AEIOU's
Thats the mouth stretching kind, really accentuate them. I used to do it in the car.. I'll never see those people again lol
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Hi Steph, I don’t do neck exercises regularly, I just do things like normal. I’m going to start doing some stretching now because you mentioned it and it may help. “Keep swallowing” is what my doctor told me and I took his advice. He also said that we would become good friends because we saw each other every six weeks for a check up scoping. Now I’m on a 9 month interval and it will be 1 year checks soon.
Have you ever seen your vocal cords? I've been to a laryngologist and there is a machine that does a scope through the mouth with a camera. It was very interesting because you can watch your vocal cords in action. The reason I went to that specialist is because of the scar tissue on my vocal cords after radiation. I had surgery 1 1/2 yr after treatments to try and get my voice back to normal. They won’t touch you until at least a year.
It can get ugly like coughing up chunks of bloody flesh. I remember thinking how did I eat with that going on? You just do! Swallow!
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It gets tough, and tougher. Persevere and stay strong.
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Hi Steph,
Yeah, most people are busy doing the holiday thing right now, and I havent quite finished yet because going through a lot. Today I have Pre Op assessment in Anesthesia clinic to see if me ( 70 pounds) and my lungs are safe enough to go through a surgical procedure Monday. Who cares if its a major holiday cannot swallow mere liquids right now..
Anyway, I was going to mention that I had Nose Bleeds in my second week of radiotherapy. The techs at the machine told me it was Early for that to be happening...( and I had nausea too). But then, the target for you isn't in the head, rather its lower so you might not get that pressure in the head.
My targets were the Head & Neck both ( I am Stage III Recurrent),
Seige is correct---- I too was coughing up chunks of my throat epithelium, tissue that was sloughing off from the second and third degree burns. I was in the hospital at the time with a Morphine pump they made me use, to keep me swallowing. I was admitted twice during treatment, #1 at treatment #15 for Pneumonia, and then again at #24 in even worse shape...
It gets worse, so try to be prepared. Are there any discussions of getting a G tube temporarily?
I voted go, and get to my appt.... Lets drive on, one day at a time but also be mindful of what's to come and be prepared. Enlist help, because there come days you will not feel like driving.
Crystal
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Also, doing neck exercises is great.... But I am now almost 4 years out from treatment and my recent CT Neck shows that radiation ate Holes in the bones of my neck in the irradiated areas C2 through C 5. Also, the Facet Joints between the bones there, have narrowed and some are completely Obliterated.
I'm not trying to scare you but rather to show that it can have long term consequences, which we have to deal with in order to kill the malignancy and live longer.
I go to Physical Therapy for the neck but that cannot repair the damage done. It does help a lot though in terms of pain and range of motion. I enjoy PT exercises, so its something proactively I can do for myself.
We go through a lot because of Radiation. Cataracts, retinopathy,.... Sore throat ...
But still here, driving everyone crazy, so there's that I guess...
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Thanks for grossing me out you two! I have a lot more to look forward to, I guess then. I must catch up!
Crystal, I just cannot imagine everything you have and are still going through, and I know you have no caregiver.
I already have DDD that Flares up a few times a year, I don't need it up in my neck. I am also already being monitored for Glaucoma each year.
Stay here and keep driving us crazy! A little birdie told me you lived in NC somewhere. I'm in NC as well. When I get better, I could maybe HELP???
Getting everyone up to date here:
Yesterday was supposed to be my Rad OC appt, but he's out of town. I saw a fill in doc that just asked how I was doing, and basically couldn't do anything about it. So, a pointless encounter really. I feel the holidays are on people's minds.
My PCP is is trying to call in pain meds for me, as he's tried to text my Rad Onc. with no luck... He was at the Duke came last night and called something in when he got back. He had to fingerprint it. It's Liquid Oxycodone. I don't know if that will help or not. I haven't searched on here for it yet. We aren't sure if the pharmacy even has it, I guess we will find out this morning.
They have not even called in any plain Lidocaine for me just this magic mouthwash which is NOT what I need. It does not work for where my pain is in my Larynx. Swallowing it does not work. It goes down too fast. It cannot sit there and numb it. The area is hard to get to.
I don't want to, but I will have to go off of dairy for obvious reasons. It is causing coughing. And that is not pleasant.
Compared to Siege coughing up chunks, I'm not there yet, so I am grateful. I have only also had 2000 of my 7000gy's and I am only my 3rd week, but today is only my 11th treatment, so this is spread out to 8 weeks. (So, I am such a wuss!!!)
I named my radiation machine "Puppy Toad" Well, I believe it has mutated and grown into a large "African Bullfrog Chow" or something. I need to think of a better name. I think the team there has been feeding it too much.
Anyway, the fatigue is not too bad yet. I think that's due to these shorter weeks maybe, or it's the speed I've been taking. (the last part was a joke)
I'll check back in later. I'm currently attempting to freeze my throat with ice water, and I want to search for liquid oxycodone on here.
Steph
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My PCP called me in liquid Oxycodone 5mg... It doesn't even touch it. I took 10mg about 6 hours later, no cigar.
I have been trying to freeze my throat. I need to get some popsicles. I can't eat Yasso bars anymore. I have to cut the dairy because it's starting to cause issues.
Ideas?
Squeezing a tennis ball while swallowing? I don't have a tennis ball. It's not like we can bit down on something while were are attempting to swallow. The holidays are going to be such a joy /s....
Oh well, I have to think positive!
Steph
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Steph squeeze anything it doesn't have to be a tennis ball.
If you are having this much pain swallowing don't fool around, contact your cancer team and let them know what is going on. It's not going to get better as treatment progresses.
This is why I am an advocate of the feeding tube. Also, my team would not start my treatment until I had one put in and after really getting in the thick of treatment I understood why. If things are really tough swallowing you just use the tube for all your intake for a period of time till things get better again. if you wait and need it later they have to go down your throat which is already sore to put one in. I know people also say I did not want one because they would use the tube and lose their swallow function and have to learn to swallow all over again. Well, that's why they set you up with a speech therapist that gives you swallowing exercises to do and monitors you during your treatment and you never lose your swallowing ability. If your throat swells shut because of radiation and it is closed off I don't care how much wishful swallowing you do nothing is going through. I could get nothing through for several months and everything went through the tube even water, nothing would go through and I faithfully did my swallowing exercises and when things opened up again I just started eating and swallowing again, of course, liquids and mushy stuff at first. And when you are done with the tube they just give it a twist and pop it right out. When you need them you avoid needless pain with them and when you can't get anything through for a while they are literally a lifesaver. You don't have to live with severe pain during this there are alternatives.
So Steph get with your team make them aware and maybe you just need stronger meds or a pain management program, or a different mix of magic mouthwash, or maybe a feeding tube who knows, your care team does. They are there for you, they want you to call not suffer.
Wishing You The Best-Take Care-God Bless-Russ
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