Neck Radiation done.

rmkbrad
rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I finished seven weeks of radiation with six carboplaten treatments, I am the sickest I have ever been in my life. The problem is I still have some esophagus rads left with no chemo this week but an oral chemo twice a day for five day the week after. I pray that chemo does not make me sick, anyway how long before I start to feel human again, I have one sore on my tonque from getting so dry at night while sleeping. The Marinol pill help me cope.

Brad

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #2
    Keep on Going Brad ~ Congrats
    Brad, if you recover as I did when I had seven weeks of radiation and seven carbopatens, it's going to be a few more weeks to stop cooking from the rads.

    I'm not sure how much the chemo will delay that process. I finished chemo the last few days before the rads were complete.

    I can only offer that it's probably going to be a few weeks. But the positive side is that you are finished with the rads. So now your throat can begin to heal, it's just going to be slow.

    Good Luck, God Bless,
    John
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #3
    Sending good thoughts your way.
    Brad;

    My thoughts are with you, as you go through these final stages of your treatment. May your side effects be few and disappear rapidly. I have two cisplatin chemo treatments, and eight radiation treatments remaining, and I'm still on my feet. Go, us!

    Deb
  • stevenl
    stevenl Member Posts: 587
    #4
    D Lewis said:

    Sending good thoughts your way.
    Brad;

    My thoughts are with you, as you go through these final stages of your treatment. May your side effects be few and disappear rapidly. I have two cisplatin chemo treatments, and eight radiation treatments remaining, and I'm still on my feet. Go, us!

    Deb

    Sick
    Hey Brad

    Glad to hear from you. Are you still having to do all of the driving? Sorry about the symptoms and the sickness. The finish line is coming just hang in there. Keep up with the meds. I had to be hospitalized from the chemo nausea. Just could not stop
    throwing up, and it hurt so bad. I am 3 weeks out of treatment, and I feel "Human".

    I feel like in the last 2 months this crap has changed me from 52 to 65 or 70. But I feel all right, not sick anymore. Better days are ahead Brad, you can count on it.

    Best,
    Steve
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #5
    Hi Brad

    You are getting close to the finish line that is why is seams so much harder, just hang in there you will cross over soon and this nightmare will all someday be a memory.

    Keep strong we are all at your finish line waiting for you
  • Fire34
    Fire34 Member Posts: 365
    #6
    Hondo said:

    Hi Brad

    You are getting close to the finish line that is why is seams so much harder, just hang in there you will cross over soon and this nightmare will all someday be a memory.

    Keep strong we are all at your finish line waiting for you

    Oral Chemo
    Brad
    If your oral chemo was anything like mine, I would have them crush it and put in your peg tube. I was so bad after my second week there was no way I could swallow that horse pill. My oral chemo was hydroxyurea, Just a heads up dont want to discourage you. As everyone has said almost done. Best Wishes & Prayers
    Dave
  • Tanager75
    Tanager75 Member Posts: 89 Member
    #7
    Long Journey
    A day at a time it will get better.

    mark
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #8
    Measure Improvements by the week
    HI Brad,

    Glad to hear you are nearing completion of treatments. It does take a while even once you stopped the rads and chemo before you turn the corner. Measure your improvement by the week not the day as the ride out will go up and down like the stock market curve recovering.

    It is also common to get very down and depressed during this time, so if you feel yourself emotionally not coping, talk to your Doctor ASAP. They can give you stuff o help you through. I crashed and burned big time but a change in meds turned me around very quickly. Hope you don;t need that but just so you are aware.

    On a last note, I used L-Glutamine Powder to ease the burning in the mouth and it is also very good to assist your mouth and throat to heal as well as reduce muscle loss. Comes in a tasteless white powder you can mix with water and drink.

    Hang in there Brad, brighter day ahead.

    Scam
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #9
    Scambuster said:

    Measure Improvements by the week
    HI Brad,

    Glad to hear you are nearing completion of treatments. It does take a while even once you stopped the rads and chemo before you turn the corner. Measure your improvement by the week not the day as the ride out will go up and down like the stock market curve recovering.

    It is also common to get very down and depressed during this time, so if you feel yourself emotionally not coping, talk to your Doctor ASAP. They can give you stuff o help you through. I crashed and burned big time but a change in meds turned me around very quickly. Hope you don;t need that but just so you are aware.

    On a last note, I used L-Glutamine Powder to ease the burning in the mouth and it is also very good to assist your mouth and throat to heal as well as reduce muscle loss. Comes in a tasteless white powder you can mix with water and drink.

    Hang in there Brad, brighter day ahead.

    Scam

    Still traveling
    I have to leave to go back to San Francisco in a little bit, the drive is really hard on my now. The 4.5 hours used to seem like nothing but now it is misserable. I think next week I will stay down there and just sleep, I have developed one large sore on the end of my tonqe, not to much pain though. The worste thing is the coughing, I start to cough and then usually puke shortly after, since the whole thing has started with the removal of my tonsils and this I have lost over 60 pounds, I had it to loose though. It is hard when I am so sick and my little boys are standing at the door of the bathroom and hear me pray to god to make it stop. Anyway it's been three days with no neck radiation and my neck is pealing like crazy. Thanks for the input and god bless to all with cancer.

    Brad
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #10
    rmkbrad said:

    Still traveling
    I have to leave to go back to San Francisco in a little bit, the drive is really hard on my now. The 4.5 hours used to seem like nothing but now it is misserable. I think next week I will stay down there and just sleep, I have developed one large sore on the end of my tonqe, not to much pain though. The worste thing is the coughing, I start to cough and then usually puke shortly after, since the whole thing has started with the removal of my tonsils and this I have lost over 60 pounds, I had it to loose though. It is hard when I am so sick and my little boys are standing at the door of the bathroom and hear me pray to god to make it stop. Anyway it's been three days with no neck radiation and my neck is pealing like crazy. Thanks for the input and god bless to all with cancer.

    Brad

    Go DLewis and Brad! Keep on fighting!
    Brad, I don't envy that drive. I hate driving hours when I feel good. No way when I feel terrible. All I can say is sometimes progress feels painfully slow to those of us trying to make it. Hang in there and take one day at a time, and you will get thru. I measured my progress a month at a time. And would listen to friend's tell me little things that they observed were coming along. Of course it is still hard days. I get upset somedays when I see people I know and they do not recognize me because I am so skinny now. But it has helped to since I dyed my grey hair. I look less old and haggard. Actually, that was a serious psychological lift for me.

    What is something guys do to perk them up? Maybe you can do that when you are feeling a little better. Plan something, a small goal for yourself to get to, and then treat yourself. Prayers for healing and God's Grace,

    d
  • GRAVEY
    GRAVEY Member Posts: 83
    #11
    Brad,
    I wish I could
    Brad,

    I wish I could give you some good news, but Im afraid it will get worse before it gets better, as at least thats how it happened in my case. After my last rad, I slept for 7 days straight, the chemo wasnt so bad for me for after about a week from my chemo treatment, I was pretty much over the sickness, but the rads just kept giving. I was extremely exhausted for about a month and a half after my last rad, still have some pain around my throat and neck area, my tastebuds went out for about a month and a half before they came back, which they did, my saliva is still an issue although I have noticed a slight return in it, my tongue is still really sensitive, but overall, my last rad was December 17th, and it is now May 5th, and I have done a complete 180 since then, I am alot like my old self again. Just dont give up the faith brother, you will get back to your old self, even if not wholly, you will return for the most part.

    GRAVEY
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #12
    rmkbrad said:

    Still traveling
    I have to leave to go back to San Francisco in a little bit, the drive is really hard on my now. The 4.5 hours used to seem like nothing but now it is misserable. I think next week I will stay down there and just sleep, I have developed one large sore on the end of my tonqe, not to much pain though. The worste thing is the coughing, I start to cough and then usually puke shortly after, since the whole thing has started with the removal of my tonsils and this I have lost over 60 pounds, I had it to loose though. It is hard when I am so sick and my little boys are standing at the door of the bathroom and hear me pray to god to make it stop. Anyway it's been three days with no neck radiation and my neck is pealing like crazy. Thanks for the input and god bless to all with cancer.

    Brad

    Neck Peeling
    Brad,

    I had tried the Aquaphor and didn't care much for it. But what I did and it helped me a lot was take frequent warm showers. Between the dry peeling itchy neck and just the fatigue from the meds and rads recovery, it helped me.

    John
  • rmkbrad
    rmkbrad Member Posts: 176
    #13
    GRAVEY said:

    Brad,
    I wish I could
    Brad,

    I wish I could give you some good news, but Im afraid it will get worse before it gets better, as at least thats how it happened in my case. After my last rad, I slept for 7 days straight, the chemo wasnt so bad for me for after about a week from my chemo treatment, I was pretty much over the sickness, but the rads just kept giving. I was extremely exhausted for about a month and a half after my last rad, still have some pain around my throat and neck area, my tastebuds went out for about a month and a half before they came back, which they did, my saliva is still an issue although I have noticed a slight return in it, my tongue is still really sensitive, but overall, my last rad was December 17th, and it is now May 5th, and I have done a complete 180 since then, I am alot like my old self again. Just dont give up the faith brother, you will get back to your old self, even if not wholly, you will return for the most part.

    GRAVEY

    Come to find out I have pneomonia, when I got back to SF I told them I was to sick to take care of m
    yself anymore
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #14
    rmkbrad said:

    Come to find out I have pneomonia, when I got back to SF I told them I was to sick to take care of m
    yself anymore

    Hang in there Bro !
    HI Brad,

    Had similar. Let them take car of you till you start to perk up. Watch for Depression as this is common in your state and time. If you feel like you are going over the edge, Tell them you need help. A nebulizer will help with the lungs and breathing. I had a dose of pneumonia too. Not good.

    We are all punting for you to turn the corner Brad. Try to get some nutrition (Shakes) inot you to help your recovery.

    Hang in there Brad
    Scam
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #15
    Scambuster said:

    Hang in there Bro !
    HI Brad,

    Had similar. Let them take car of you till you start to perk up. Watch for Depression as this is common in your state and time. If you feel like you are going over the edge, Tell them you need help. A nebulizer will help with the lungs and breathing. I had a dose of pneumonia too. Not good.

    We are all punting for you to turn the corner Brad. Try to get some nutrition (Shakes) inot you to help your recovery.

    Hang in there Brad
    Scam

    Pneumonia
    Hey Brad. Sorry to hear about that. I am hoping that you are starting to feel a little better and will be on the upside soon. Rest and get plenty of nutrition to help your body fight. You can do this! We are pulling for you.
  • stevenl
    stevenl Member Posts: 587
    #16
    sweetblood22 said:

    Pneumonia
    Hey Brad. Sorry to hear about that. I am hoping that you are starting to feel a little better and will be on the upside soon. Rest and get plenty of nutrition to help your body fight. You can do this! We are pulling for you.

    My God
    Hey Brad.

    So on top of everything else a little pneumonia to lift your spirits. Very sorry to heat about it.
    I hope they get that taken care of quickly so you can get back to the battle at hand. good luck my friend.

    Best,
    Steve
  • Norton
    Norton Member Posts: 8
    #17
    Neck Radiation
    I'm 8 weeks out of radiation
    and just starting to eat 3 meals a day soft foods. lost 55 lbs.

    Dry mouth very bad at night, trying to find something that works

    Hang in there it gets better
  • RickYoung
    RickYoung Member Posts: 2
    #18
    It will get better Brad
    I've been a SCC throat cancer survivor for 9 years, 10 weeks of daily (Monday thru Friday) radiation and weekly cisplatin IV (we called it the "Big Gulp"). One week, early on, I thought I would skip my metoclopram anti-nausea pre-meds and I thought I was going to throw up my shoes. Never, never, never skip your pre-meds. Your taste buds will return and Biotene helps the dry mouth. I also found that emu oil (like the ostrich) helped to heal the radiation burns on my neck.

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