Pain meds

Megamom
Megamom Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband has laryngeal cancer stage 2, no nodes, no cartilage, no cord involvement. However, the reason we even discovered it was because he started having ear ache and sore throat. He has had pain level 3 to 8 for 4 months now. After going to a pain clinic he was put on long acting morpheme, short acting morpheme and neurontin with only minimal rusults. His pain is from a huge amount of swelling around the cancer area. He hasn't started treatment yet but will begin chemo/radiation soon. I am a bit of a vitamin/herb freak so got him some slippery elm lozenges today. It's too soon to tell if the lozenges will help. My question is has anyone tried herbs for any of your fazes of treatments? I read that Milk Thistle is great for cisplatin because it protects the liver. My husband also has early cirrosis due to having had hepB many years ago. So I am concerned about protecting his liver. And what have any of you done for pain?

Megamom

Comments

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #2
    Hi Megamom

    First I would like to welcome you here to CSN glad you have found us and hope you get the answers to all your questions. My Cancer was NPC and I too had the ear pain along with lost of hearing but was able to just take Aleve. I too am a Herbal freak if you might call it that, I just believe that God who made man also made the things we need to stay healthy. One thing I will suggest is that your Husband stay away from the herbal stuff while in treatment as it might lesson the effectiveness of the radiation and chemo. Milk Thistle is very good stuff for protecting the Liver but ask your Oncal doc about taking it.

    All the best to you and your Husband and please keep us updated on his treatment
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #3
    Vits n Supplements and Diet
    HI Megamon,

    Yes Silymarin (Milk Thistle) is excellent for liver conditions. I also believe a diet free of animal protein will help recovery from this disease. I would seek advice from a Naturopath to work in concert with your Doctors if that is your inclination. They can help you with more info on diet, supplements and other things to assist protect his body during treatment.

    The Doctors may not be too happy but it's not their body copping this battering. As long as the Naturopath knows what the Doctors are doing so as not to compromise the treatment. I stopped telling my Doctors about the complimentary help i was getting and also refused some excessive medications they were pushing into me.

    You can check my expressions for more info on my Vitamin regime. Doing great 7 months out.

    Wishing you and your husband the best.
    Scambuster
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #4
    Scambuster said:

    Vits n Supplements and Diet
    HI Megamon,

    Yes Silymarin (Milk Thistle) is excellent for liver conditions. I also believe a diet free of animal protein will help recovery from this disease. I would seek advice from a Naturopath to work in concert with your Doctors if that is your inclination. They can help you with more info on diet, supplements and other things to assist protect his body during treatment.

    The Doctors may not be too happy but it's not their body copping this battering. As long as the Naturopath knows what the Doctors are doing so as not to compromise the treatment. I stopped telling my Doctors about the complimentary help i was getting and also refused some excessive medications they were pushing into me.

    You can check my expressions for more info on my Vitamin regime. Doing great 7 months out.

    Wishing you and your husband the best.
    Scambuster

    Nutrition Guides
    Hi Megamom.

    I'm relatively new here myself. Based on posts from others here and also from reading their posts, Hondo and Scam seem to know quite a bit about nutrition. So their input is worth checking out. Good luck to you and your spouse!

    I was going to ask Scam and Hondo and any others out there if they had 1 or 2 books on nutrition, what would they be? Any advice would be appreciated as well.

    I have Stage 4 SCC, right tonsil and 11 lymph nodes (10 on right, 1 on left). I am 4 weeks post treatment and cannot even drink yet. But I want to be prepared for when the time comes that I can eat. I was in very good health prior to diagnosis and had a good workout regiem along with a farily healthy diet. I did eat animal protein and probably still will do so but at a much reduced amount.

    Thanks.
    Greg
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #5
    Greg53 said:

    Nutrition Guides
    Hi Megamom.

    I'm relatively new here myself. Based on posts from others here and also from reading their posts, Hondo and Scam seem to know quite a bit about nutrition. So their input is worth checking out. Good luck to you and your spouse!

    I was going to ask Scam and Hondo and any others out there if they had 1 or 2 books on nutrition, what would they be? Any advice would be appreciated as well.

    I have Stage 4 SCC, right tonsil and 11 lymph nodes (10 on right, 1 on left). I am 4 weeks post treatment and cannot even drink yet. But I want to be prepared for when the time comes that I can eat. I was in very good health prior to diagnosis and had a good workout regiem along with a farily healthy diet. I did eat animal protein and probably still will do so but at a much reduced amount.

    Thanks.
    Greg

    Books - The China Study
    HI Greg,

    I was going to wait till I complied a bit more information and then post a big heavy thread as I really want ALL of us hear to get better.

    As such my search has landed me in front of a book called 'The China Study' by Dr Colin T Campbell. I also recommend 'Healing Cancer from inside out' -M. Anderson, although The China Study should be a must read for all of us - and the rest of your reading will be easy.

    I have not yet read a book so thoroughly researched (actually by the author) and open. It hits home all the concepts that I had flying around my head and tied up all the loose ends and other theories I had on diet.

    It will remove all doubt about what we should be doing and also will hopefully save a lot of people's lives. It is a powerful but easy read.

    It will also shake the people here who are using Ensure products. Unfortunately Ensure contains Casein (Milk Protein) which is a prime feeder of cancer. Just because that's what the hospital gave us, doesn't make it right. I only found one good alternative that has no Dairy and I used Rice milk or Soy milk in my PEG with that supplement and still do now, luckily the normal way.

    On you mouth issues Greg - I still say L-Glutamine powder is the best thing you can take. Mix a spoon in water and you should be able to drink it. Use it as a mouth rinse (Swirl and Swallow) and it will also neutralize burning from when you try new foods AND it is key to help your mucosa heal - It is an Essential Amino Acid, and is absorbed directly into the system. I alway had a glass of that mix sitting on the bench. It's all good.

    PM me if you need further direction, but please do me a favor and get hold of The China Study.

    Cheers
    Scam
  • brotherslittlehelper
    brotherslittlehelper Member Posts: 19
    #6
    Scambuster said:

    Books - The China Study
    HI Greg,

    I was going to wait till I complied a bit more information and then post a big heavy thread as I really want ALL of us hear to get better.

    As such my search has landed me in front of a book called 'The China Study' by Dr Colin T Campbell. I also recommend 'Healing Cancer from inside out' -M. Anderson, although The China Study should be a must read for all of us - and the rest of your reading will be easy.

    I have not yet read a book so thoroughly researched (actually by the author) and open. It hits home all the concepts that I had flying around my head and tied up all the loose ends and other theories I had on diet.

    It will remove all doubt about what we should be doing and also will hopefully save a lot of people's lives. It is a powerful but easy read.

    It will also shake the people here who are using Ensure products. Unfortunately Ensure contains Casein (Milk Protein) which is a prime feeder of cancer. Just because that's what the hospital gave us, doesn't make it right. I only found one good alternative that has no Dairy and I used Rice milk or Soy milk in my PEG with that supplement and still do now, luckily the normal way.

    On you mouth issues Greg - I still say L-Glutamine powder is the best thing you can take. Mix a spoon in water and you should be able to drink it. Use it as a mouth rinse (Swirl and Swallow) and it will also neutralize burning from when you try new foods AND it is key to help your mucosa heal - It is an Essential Amino Acid, and is absorbed directly into the system. I alway had a glass of that mix sitting on the bench. It's all good.

    PM me if you need further direction, but please do me a favor and get hold of The China Study.

    Cheers
    Scam

    Casein
    Hi Scam, What was the alternative to the Ensure that you used? Bro is currently using that as at least one meal suppliment....
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #7
    brotherslittlehelper said:

    Casein
    Hi Scam, What was the alternative to the Ensure that you used? Bro is currently using that as at least one meal suppliment....

    Thanks Scam
    Thanks Scam.

    I'll definitely check out both of your recommendations (ie- The China Study and L-Glutamine). I appreciate the input and will let you know what I think about both of them. Since this was "tagged" onto another line, it probably would be good to get a post going about books. Since you're the expert I'll let you take the lead if you'd like.

    Thanks again.
    Greg
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #8
    brotherslittlehelper said:

    Casein
    Hi Scam, What was the alternative to the Ensure that you used? Bro is currently using that as at least one meal suppliment....

    Ensure Replacement - Vitashake
    Hi Helper, Greg and Gang.

    As an alterntative to Ensure I found and used Vitashake for the months I was 100% on the PEG. I could not take the hospital stuff (Ensure) and even the special brew made by the hospital kitchen on the direction of the hospital's 'Nutritionist' as I was just intolerant, got shocking acid reflux and the heavy mucus.

    I was desperate and losing weight way too fast.

    Vitashake is made by Sunrider. It is 100% from Plant based materials. It is a MLM group but you can join and get the 20 or 25% discount. You can do a search to see if there is a distribution centre nearby or probably order online. They have a distribution center in Hong Kong near where I Live (in China) and I just go in and fill out a form, pay, and grab the stuff. I only had the option of a Chocolate flavor but they do a Strawberry one too.

    One important point to add is to take it with an alternative to milk. I found Rice Milk the best and most nutritous. Soy is also good or Almond milk. Organic brands even better. Mix n Match.

    In the PEG - I usually mixed 200ml of the Rice milk with one satchet of the Vitashake. That was a good amount to go into the PEG (Gravity Fed). That gave a total Calorie intake of approx 400 Calories each ser ve (200 from the VitaShake and 200 fm the Rice Milk). I tried to do 4-5 a day but usually only managed 3-4.

    My condition soon stabilized and all the nurses were very happy. I still take one a day with my cereal - but now luckily by mouth ;) They have another product called Nuplus which has the same level of nutrients, but not the protein and I sometimes take one if I feel I haven't eaten enough that day. I just drink that one with same Rice milk mix. It is good to take for any of us recovering from the beating you get from the rads and chemo.

    Hope this is of some use.

    REgds
    Scam
  • rbw60
    rbw60 Member Posts: 13
    #9
    Pain meds
    Morphine does not work for everyone, it did not for me, switched to Oxycontin, it it time release, and I have break thru pain meds also. Another good pain med is Methadone. I have been on pain meds for about 9 years now. Do not live in pain, pain will drag you down, no sleep, depression. Get pain relief, find out what works and stick with it.

    Go to a pain specialist.

    Robert
  • rbw60
    rbw60 Member Posts: 13
    #10
    Pain meds
    Morphine does not work for everyone, it did not for me, switched to Oxycontin, it it time release, and I have break thru pain meds also. Another good pain med is Methadone. I have been on pain meds for about 9 years now. Do not live in pain, pain will drag you down, no sleep, depression. Get pain relief, find out what works and stick with it.

    Go to a pain specialist.

    Robert
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #11
    rbw60 said:

    Pain meds
    Morphine does not work for everyone, it did not for me, switched to Oxycontin, it it time release, and I have break thru pain meds also. Another good pain med is Methadone. I have been on pain meds for about 9 years now. Do not live in pain, pain will drag you down, no sleep, depression. Get pain relief, find out what works and stick with it.

    Go to a pain specialist.

    Robert

    Pain
    In the bad times of treatment- did use liquid morph for four of five consecutive weeks. Others times I used Hydrocodone, along with minor amounts of Xanax. Frankly, the morph scared me, but there's no denying the help it gave me to make it thru the worst of times. Would advise caution with it's use.

    I agree with Robert. The body is dealing with a heckuva lot in treatment, and does not need any more stress than cannot be prevented. The pain meds help in stress-reduction, as does other meds, like Xanax.

    kcass
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #12
    Greg53 said:

    Nutrition Guides
    Hi Megamom.

    I'm relatively new here myself. Based on posts from others here and also from reading their posts, Hondo and Scam seem to know quite a bit about nutrition. So their input is worth checking out. Good luck to you and your spouse!

    I was going to ask Scam and Hondo and any others out there if they had 1 or 2 books on nutrition, what would they be? Any advice would be appreciated as well.

    I have Stage 4 SCC, right tonsil and 11 lymph nodes (10 on right, 1 on left). I am 4 weeks post treatment and cannot even drink yet. But I want to be prepared for when the time comes that I can eat. I was in very good health prior to diagnosis and had a good workout regiem along with a farily healthy diet. I did eat animal protein and probably still will do so but at a much reduced amount.

    Thanks.
    Greg

    Hi Greg
    Hi Greg

    To tell you the truth Scambuster is the man with the books, all I do is what my health nut daughter tells me I am going to do. Sometimes I think that Scambuster and her was both cut out of the same mold I am not complaining it is great to have both of them.

    All the best to you my friend
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #13
    oxycotine
    I just had some surgery to clean up over radiation and a left side dead larynx, they killed the cancer. I struggle with swallowing, hurts terrible, I 've been on Hyrcodines and eating them to kill the pain, will oxycotine, be better to kill the pain, it seems the doctors want a quick fix with a trach they installed, I refuse for this to be the last resort, It' messy , I can't handle it, sorry, uncomfortable, and they think this the answer..wrong, does anyone have any input, on implants voice box reconstruction, anything at all, to offer some postivie reinforcement. Thanks Dennis
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #14
    dennis318 said:

    oxycotine
    I just had some surgery to clean up over radiation and a left side dead larynx, they killed the cancer. I struggle with swallowing, hurts terrible, I 've been on Hyrcodines and eating them to kill the pain, will oxycotine, be better to kill the pain, it seems the doctors want a quick fix with a trach they installed, I refuse for this to be the last resort, It' messy , I can't handle it, sorry, uncomfortable, and they think this the answer..wrong, does anyone have any input, on implants voice box reconstruction, anything at all, to offer some postivie reinforcement. Thanks Dennis

    ?
    Dennis-PM. Sorry to hear of how things are, now. Still in battle, Dennis, so you know the score- you gotta fight the best fight possible. That's the only way. Come what may, Dennis. We've all been there, with varying degrees of peril. Stay positive, and refuse to accept the negative. Again, PM. And

    Believe

    kcass
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #15
    Pain/Scambuster
    I'm going to try Oxcycoton the next time i go doctors, i hear it was a step up, a little higher than the hdros. the pain is getting worst for me have no idea why, the last surgery was 3 weeks ago, trying to remove dead radiated tissue to get it to regenerate....taking forever to heal, everything seems stacked against me for now!. L/S Larnyx is dead, right side does have movement...Well I'll lt you go, go been a great person to rebound off of.Thanks Scambuster.. Dennis In Tennessee
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #16
    dennis318 said:

    Pain/Scambuster
    I'm going to try Oxcycoton the next time i go doctors, i hear it was a step up, a little higher than the hdros. the pain is getting worst for me have no idea why, the last surgery was 3 weeks ago, trying to remove dead radiated tissue to get it to regenerate....taking forever to heal, everything seems stacked against me for now!. L/S Larnyx is dead, right side does have movement...Well I'll lt you go, go been a great person to rebound off of.Thanks Scambuster.. Dennis In Tennessee

    Hi Dennis


    It's hard but hang in there, sometime things take longer then we expect it too, and the pain seam like it will never go away. Things will start to get better a little at a time.
    My prayers are with you my friend
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #17
    dennis318 said:

    Pain/Scambuster
    I'm going to try Oxcycoton the next time i go doctors, i hear it was a step up, a little higher than the hdros. the pain is getting worst for me have no idea why, the last surgery was 3 weeks ago, trying to remove dead radiated tissue to get it to regenerate....taking forever to heal, everything seems stacked against me for now!. L/S Larnyx is dead, right side does have movement...Well I'll lt you go, go been a great person to rebound off of.Thanks Scambuster.. Dennis In Tennessee

    Dennis, it is always so hard
    Dennis, it is always so hard to read that someone is having so much trouble and pain. I pray that you will start to mend soon. I am sorry that you are hurting so badly and that things seem stacked against you. Please try to stay positive and hang in there, it will eventually get better and less painful. You have to believe that because a negative attitude may effect your healing. So, please, hang in there and stay positive. Know that we are all praying and pulling for you!!
    God Bless,
    Debbie

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