Tonsillectomy Complications

Joel4
Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi all,

I had a left neck dissection and tonsillectomy about 5 weeks ago. My recovery has gone well for the most part and I'm very thankful. The last couple of days though I have noticed an acid like build up in the back of my throat where my tonsils were. It kinda feels like there's vomit in the back of my throat ( gross I know )
It feels like there's a lump back there and little bits of food get stuck from time to time.
I'm not sure if this is normal or not and thought I'd check with you guys first before calling the doc.

Comments

  • KristynRuth
    KristynRuth Member Posts: 21
    #2
    Poor Thing
    I just had nearly the same thing done and I didn't have any acidy build up in the back of my throat. That doesn't really help you, but that was my experience. Sometimes I would get mucus build up back there (eew lol) and it sucked b/c it was so hard to cough anything up b/c it hurt so much. Ask your Dr if there is anything (s)he can prescribe you to help that. I'm so sorry you're going through that, it's tough enough to recover w/o having acid burning your throat! Good luck dear, I hope you recover quickly and this all goes away!
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #3
    KristynRuth said:

    Poor Thing
    I just had nearly the same thing done and I didn't have any acidy build up in the back of my throat. That doesn't really help you, but that was my experience. Sometimes I would get mucus build up back there (eew lol) and it sucked b/c it was so hard to cough anything up b/c it hurt so much. Ask your Dr if there is anything (s)he can prescribe you to help that. I'm so sorry you're going through that, it's tough enough to recover w/o having acid burning your throat! Good luck dear, I hope you recover quickly and this all goes away!

    Thanks Kristyn
    Yeah this has been a recent developement for me. I have coasted through the experience so far and I find that as I recover from the more obvious stuff I notice the little things more. I'll call the doctor if it persists and I have a follow up appt in a couple of weeks.
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #4
    Joel, I, personally, would
    Joel, I, personally, would call the dr immedaitely. That is probably just me being afraid of anything/everything new happening in my throat but I would not wait. I wish you best and as I said, that is probably just me being a big fat chicken... :0(
    God Bless,
    Debbie
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #5
    debbiejeanne said:

    Joel, I, personally, would
    Joel, I, personally, would call the dr immedaitely. That is probably just me being afraid of anything/everything new happening in my throat but I would not wait. I wish you best and as I said, that is probably just me being a big fat chicken... :0(
    God Bless,
    Debbie

    Good Advice
    It's probably good advice Debbiejeanne BUT I just refuse to call the doc everytime something feels strange or else I'd be calling everyday. If this goes on a day or two then I'll call though and NO you are not being a chicken, just smart (obviously smarter than I ) :)

    God bless,

    Joel
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #6
    Joel4 said:

    Good Advice
    It's probably good advice Debbiejeanne BUT I just refuse to call the doc everytime something feels strange or else I'd be calling everyday. If this goes on a day or two then I'll call though and NO you are not being a chicken, just smart (obviously smarter than I ) :)

    God bless,

    Joel

    Hi Joel
    Glad to hear you're doing good and on the mend.

    I agree with Debbie. I'd call the Dr. tomorrow. You may have somthing going on that can be treated easily (like maybe acid reflux).

    Hope you keep feeling better every day.
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #7
    Joel4 said:

    Good Advice
    It's probably good advice Debbiejeanne BUT I just refuse to call the doc everytime something feels strange or else I'd be calling everyday. If this goes on a day or two then I'll call though and NO you are not being a chicken, just smart (obviously smarter than I ) :)

    God bless,

    Joel

    Joel, I wish you the best.
    Joel, I wish you the best. Please let us know what you find out when / if u go 2 the doc.

    Debbie
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #8
    debbiejeanne said:

    Joel, I wish you the best.
    Joel, I wish you the best. Please let us know what you find out when / if u go 2 the doc.

    Debbie

    Big Crater
    My partner Mark just had that same surgery and is 2 weeks post op. What we are learning is recovery in not a linear process. More of 2 steps forward one step back. Mark's doctor talked to him about the big crater that is left in his throat. He was warned that food could get stuck in that and from what I have read from some other people it can start to "digest" and begin to smell. I imagine digesting food stuck in your throat could taste like vomit. He was told to gargle and try to flush it out. Since I am not a medical professional and just passing on information we received...I will add, it doesn't hurt to call the doctor just to make sure. Or is there ia nurse that you can call? We have the number to the ENT's nurse, who fields a lot of these questions. Oh, we ware also told scar tissue should build up and make the concaveness of his throat less over time.
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #9
    Kimba1505 said:

    Big Crater
    My partner Mark just had that same surgery and is 2 weeks post op. What we are learning is recovery in not a linear process. More of 2 steps forward one step back. Mark's doctor talked to him about the big crater that is left in his throat. He was warned that food could get stuck in that and from what I have read from some other people it can start to "digest" and begin to smell. I imagine digesting food stuck in your throat could taste like vomit. He was told to gargle and try to flush it out. Since I am not a medical professional and just passing on information we received...I will add, it doesn't hurt to call the doctor just to make sure. Or is there ia nurse that you can call? We have the number to the ENT's nurse, who fields a lot of these questions. Oh, we ware also told scar tissue should build up and make the concaveness of his throat less over time.

    Additional thought
    If you create a more specific thread, like "Is something stuck in my throat?" you may get more responses to the more specific question. I know I have read things on these boards regarding this situation.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #10
    miccmill said:

    Hi Joel
    Glad to hear you're doing good and on the mend.

    I agree with Debbie. I'd call the Dr. tomorrow. You may have somthing going on that can be treated easily (like maybe acid reflux).

    Hope you keep feeling better every day.

    Hi Joel

    We are all in agreement on calling the doc, let us know how you do.
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #11
    Kimba1505 said:

    Additional thought
    If you create a more specific thread, like "Is something stuck in my throat?" you may get more responses to the more specific question. I know I have read things on these boards regarding this situation.

    Thanks
    Thanks for the responses everybody. This really is a great place and I'll let you know what the doctor says.
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #12
    Joel4 said:

    Thanks
    Thanks for the responses everybody. This really is a great place and I'll let you know what the doctor says.

    Haven't heard from you
    Joel4, we haven't heard from you. What did the doctor say?
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #13
    Kimba1505 said:

    Haven't heard from you
    Joel4, we haven't heard from you. What did the doctor say?

    Update
    Well I did end up giving it a day or two to clear up and it did. No more acidy taste in the back of my throat and there are far fewer food bits getting stuck. Physically, I feel great but the mental challenges are getting tougher.
    After being diagnosed, I was in the hospital or Doctor's office every few days, getting scans, having consultations, and then there was surgery. It felt like I was doing my part, battling cancer...fighting the fight. Several weeks later I haven't been back to the Doctor, no more treatments for now, and back to work.
    I'm supposed to be back to living life like normal. I feel great, 39 years old, and I feel 25.
    It feels like the eye of the hurricance and I don't know if there's more storms to come or if it's gonna keep being sunny and beautiful.
    My Doctor and the tumor board suggested no radiation at this time. They want me to see the Oncologist every several weeks and have scans done every now and then. My staging is T-0 N-1 M-0. I'm Unknown Primary and they think it may have gone away.
    Sometimes I think I should be getting radiation now and not taking chances but most times I feel like I'm doing the right thing. These thoughts take up too much of my day. I miss the pre-cancer days where my thoughts were of much more pleasent things.
    I'll shut up now. I feel great.
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #14
    Joel4 said:

    Update
    Well I did end up giving it a day or two to clear up and it did. No more acidy taste in the back of my throat and there are far fewer food bits getting stuck. Physically, I feel great but the mental challenges are getting tougher.
    After being diagnosed, I was in the hospital or Doctor's office every few days, getting scans, having consultations, and then there was surgery. It felt like I was doing my part, battling cancer...fighting the fight. Several weeks later I haven't been back to the Doctor, no more treatments for now, and back to work.
    I'm supposed to be back to living life like normal. I feel great, 39 years old, and I feel 25.
    It feels like the eye of the hurricance and I don't know if there's more storms to come or if it's gonna keep being sunny and beautiful.
    My Doctor and the tumor board suggested no radiation at this time. They want me to see the Oncologist every several weeks and have scans done every now and then. My staging is T-0 N-1 M-0. I'm Unknown Primary and they think it may have gone away.
    Sometimes I think I should be getting radiation now and not taking chances but most times I feel like I'm doing the right thing. These thoughts take up too much of my day. I miss the pre-cancer days where my thoughts were of much more pleasent things.
    I'll shut up now. I feel great.

    Good news
    Joel,
    That is good news that there was nothing wrong and just some food getting caught there. AS for physical state v. mental state...seems the outcome of successful treatment is a quality of always looking over one's shoulder for what may be stalking/lurking. This whole cancer deal infiltrates every aspect of life. I am not the one with cancer, I am the front line caregiver, with a front row seat. The cancer is not in my body and I am not recieving the assult on my body, and yet the feeling of being invaded is still there. There will never be the oblivion of a pre-cancer state. We (Mark and I)will be forever shaped by this experience, for better and for worse. It will make us wiser, stronger, and more sensitive; and yet we would all wish to be less wise, less strong, (maybe not less sensitive) if only there was not cancer. It is the path we are on and it must be traveled. The one thing I know is we do not walk alone and there are many here who will understand exactly how you (we) feel. Hondo mentioned "footprints in the sand" in another post. This is a time to be carried...and then we will have a chance to carry others. My best to you, Joel, as you journey forward.
    Kim
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #15
    Joel4 said:

    Update
    Well I did end up giving it a day or two to clear up and it did. No more acidy taste in the back of my throat and there are far fewer food bits getting stuck. Physically, I feel great but the mental challenges are getting tougher.
    After being diagnosed, I was in the hospital or Doctor's office every few days, getting scans, having consultations, and then there was surgery. It felt like I was doing my part, battling cancer...fighting the fight. Several weeks later I haven't been back to the Doctor, no more treatments for now, and back to work.
    I'm supposed to be back to living life like normal. I feel great, 39 years old, and I feel 25.
    It feels like the eye of the hurricance and I don't know if there's more storms to come or if it's gonna keep being sunny and beautiful.
    My Doctor and the tumor board suggested no radiation at this time. They want me to see the Oncologist every several weeks and have scans done every now and then. My staging is T-0 N-1 M-0. I'm Unknown Primary and they think it may have gone away.
    Sometimes I think I should be getting radiation now and not taking chances but most times I feel like I'm doing the right thing. These thoughts take up too much of my day. I miss the pre-cancer days where my thoughts were of much more pleasent things.
    I'll shut up now. I feel great.

    Affirmations
    Joel, I think many of us understand your 'Post Cancer' feelings & fears. This is to be expected, just make sure you don't go into a depression which is common, and if you are concerned, let you Doctors know -it's easily treated. Watch for signs like crying and .. ... well depression.

    Now, seeing you have really got a good diagnosis from what I can gather, you can look FWD to brighter days. You should find the preoccupation with C will lessen each day, week and month and will become a minor part of your day. My personal view is you would be wise to make sure you do everything right with your health from now - and i mainly mean diet and exercise. Get your immune system back in shape or in better shape and be very conscious what you eat, as my own research has shown this to be the major cause of disease and well being- depending on what you eat. You have your second chance so use it well. Study up on it.

    Lastly to assist reprogramming your mind and spirit back to the 'happy days' - you can look at doing some positive affirmations. They are proven to have significant results and will help replace the current bit of nasty software spinning in your head (probably by Microsoft...). You need a new & better version. Create yourself a few positive sentences, and repeat them as many times as you can, every day. Do this for at least 21 days and you will see the difference. I mentioned in earlier posts one of the ones I used was "My mind is clear - my body is healthy, My mind is clear - my body is healthy, My mind is clear - my body is healthy, ..." Repeat 100 times today to start with. Get it ?? Good. You can find sites with great affirmations you can adopt. Now go for it. You will be fine.

    Scambuster
  • miccmill
    miccmill Member Posts: 248
    #16
    Scambuster said:

    Affirmations
    Joel, I think many of us understand your 'Post Cancer' feelings & fears. This is to be expected, just make sure you don't go into a depression which is common, and if you are concerned, let you Doctors know -it's easily treated. Watch for signs like crying and .. ... well depression.

    Now, seeing you have really got a good diagnosis from what I can gather, you can look FWD to brighter days. You should find the preoccupation with C will lessen each day, week and month and will become a minor part of your day. My personal view is you would be wise to make sure you do everything right with your health from now - and i mainly mean diet and exercise. Get your immune system back in shape or in better shape and be very conscious what you eat, as my own research has shown this to be the major cause of disease and well being- depending on what you eat. You have your second chance so use it well. Study up on it.

    Lastly to assist reprogramming your mind and spirit back to the 'happy days' - you can look at doing some positive affirmations. They are proven to have significant results and will help replace the current bit of nasty software spinning in your head (probably by Microsoft...). You need a new & better version. Create yourself a few positive sentences, and repeat them as many times as you can, every day. Do this for at least 21 days and you will see the difference. I mentioned in earlier posts one of the ones I used was "My mind is clear - my body is healthy, My mind is clear - my body is healthy, My mind is clear - my body is healthy, ..." Repeat 100 times today to start with. Get it ?? Good. You can find sites with great affirmations you can adopt. Now go for it. You will be fine.

    Scambuster

    Affirmations
    I just want to say that I've been using Scam's suggested affirmation on myself (caregiver) and I feel so much less stressed and afraid already.

    The body mind connection cannot be denied and any boost you give yourself, any positive programming you run, will help you.
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #17
    miccmill said:

    Affirmations
    I just want to say that I've been using Scam's suggested affirmation on myself (caregiver) and I feel so much less stressed and afraid already.

    The body mind connection cannot be denied and any boost you give yourself, any positive programming you run, will help you.

    Thanks
    Thanks guys for the encouraging words and understanding. I have been feeling much better these past few days. Great advice on the daily affirmations Scambuster. I guess that there will just be tough moments mixed in with the mostly happy times and I need to recognize that it is quite normal.
    I am continuing to thank God and lean on him.
  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #18
    miccmill said:

    Affirmations
    I just want to say that I've been using Scam's suggested affirmation on myself (caregiver) and I feel so much less stressed and afraid already.

    The body mind connection cannot be denied and any boost you give yourself, any positive programming you run, will help you.

    Thanks
    Thanks guys for the encouraging words and understanding. I have been feeling much better these past few days. Great advice on the daily affirmations Scambuster. I guess that there will just be tough moments mixed in with the mostly happy times and I need to recognize that it is quite normal.
    I am continuing to thank God and lean on him.

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