Emergency room?

terryscarlett
terryscarlett Member Posts: 143
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Dave don't know what to do, he says he can't swallow his throat feel swolen shut. Should he go to hospital? Can they do anything for him? He is supposed to have last chemo in morning! Don't know what to do. Should I call doctor? Take him to hospital ? What? Need advice here quickly

Comments

  • fsdman
    fsdman Member Posts: 51
    #2
    Tell your Dr-now.

    Tell your Dr-now.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #3
    fsdman said:

    Tell your Dr-now.

    Tell your Dr-now.

    Yes. I wOuld go to ER to be
    Yes. I wOuld go to ER to be safe.
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #4
    He can't swallow at all?
    So has hubby been getting radiation? All I have to go on is my own experience. My throat never swelled shut, and I would have been very alarmed if it had.
    Honestly, this is not the place to come in an emergency. If I were you, I'd contact my doctor.
    Please, let us know how things turn out.

    --Jim in Delaware
  • terryscarlett
    terryscarlett Member Posts: 143
    #5
    delnative said:

    He can't swallow at all?
    So has hubby been getting radiation? All I have to go on is my own experience. My throat never swelled shut, and I would have been very alarmed if it had.
    Honestly, this is not the place to come in an emergency. If I were you, I'd contact my doctor.
    Please, let us know how things turn out.

    --Jim in Delaware

    Emergency
    I will call dr and go to hospital Thanks to all I will update later
    Terry
  • terryscarlett
    terryscarlett Member Posts: 143
    #6
    delnative said:

    He can't swallow at all?
    So has hubby been getting radiation? All I have to go on is my own experience. My throat never swelled shut, and I would have been very alarmed if it had.
    Honestly, this is not the place to come in an emergency. If I were you, I'd contact my doctor.
    Please, let us know how things turn out.

    --Jim in Delaware

    Jim
    Doc said nothing er can do. Said thick mucus and sweeling from rads. Dave has 11 more to go. Doc said he can take a break and start back next week is only thing he knows to tell us. Dave has all the meds and mouthwashes and that is all that can be done! This is so scary for me, so I can't imagine how Dave is feeling! You said your throat didn't swell. His tumor is in the tonsil area and 2 lymphnodes could that be the difference?
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #7
    terryscarlett said:

    Jim
    Doc said nothing er can do. Said thick mucus and sweeling from rads. Dave has 11 more to go. Doc said he can take a break and start back next week is only thing he knows to tell us. Dave has all the meds and mouthwashes and that is all that can be done! This is so scary for me, so I can't imagine how Dave is feeling! You said your throat didn't swell. His tumor is in the tonsil area and 2 lymphnodes could that be the difference?

    Terry
    Call your ENT and let him take a look
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    #8
    terryscarlett said:

    Jim
    Doc said nothing er can do. Said thick mucus and sweeling from rads. Dave has 11 more to go. Doc said he can take a break and start back next week is only thing he knows to tell us. Dave has all the meds and mouthwashes and that is all that can be done! This is so scary for me, so I can't imagine how Dave is feeling! You said your throat didn't swell. His tumor is in the tonsil area and 2 lymphnodes could that be the difference?

    about radiation break
    Wow I am shocked that the doctor said that you can take a break from radiation. I know when I had radiation I asked the radiation doctor if we can take a break and he told me no because the radiation will not be as good if you stop they want to keep going so it doesn't mess up anything with the treatment.
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #9
    terryscarlett said:

    Jim
    Doc said nothing er can do. Said thick mucus and sweeling from rads. Dave has 11 more to go. Doc said he can take a break and start back next week is only thing he knows to tell us. Dave has all the meds and mouthwashes and that is all that can be done! This is so scary for me, so I can't imagine how Dave is feeling! You said your throat didn't swell. His tumor is in the tonsil area and 2 lymphnodes could that be the difference?

    Sorry
    Sorry you guys are going through this.

    During part of treatment, I felt like my breathing was less "efficient" (don't know how to describe it), but did not feel that I couldn't breathe. If I were you, I'd feel more comfortable if a doc had a look, so if rad doc can't be bothered, I'd call the ENT. Perhaps the pain, swelling, and worry about the breathing are increasing his stress - this will lead to more intense feelings of discomfort and/or difficulty breathing. Do you guys have anything for stress?

    Hope you all get some relief soon.
  • Kimba1505
    Kimba1505 Member Posts: 557
    #10
    Pam M said:

    Sorry
    Sorry you guys are going through this.

    During part of treatment, I felt like my breathing was less "efficient" (don't know how to describe it), but did not feel that I couldn't breathe. If I were you, I'd feel more comfortable if a doc had a look, so if rad doc can't be bothered, I'd call the ENT. Perhaps the pain, swelling, and worry about the breathing are increasing his stress - this will lead to more intense feelings of discomfort and/or difficulty breathing. Do you guys have anything for stress?

    Hope you all get some relief soon.

    In agreement...
    Mark had a natural break of one day from radiation because of the 4th of July. Radiologist expressed some concern about missing that one day...I don't quite understand why your doctors says a week is okay.

    Mark had SCC in his tonsil as well, but surgery cut so much out of his throat swelling like you talk about did not take place. He also did not have a lot of mucous with rads, like he did post surgery.

    I think a visit to the doctor is in order. There is something to troubleshoot every side effect. Steroids for severe swelling might be a possibility.

    Sorry you and Dave are facing this...make some calls...get him seen.
    Kim
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #11
    Kimba1505 said:

    In agreement...
    Mark had a natural break of one day from radiation because of the 4th of July. Radiologist expressed some concern about missing that one day...I don't quite understand why your doctors says a week is okay.

    Mark had SCC in his tonsil as well, but surgery cut so much out of his throat swelling like you talk about did not take place. He also did not have a lot of mucous with rads, like he did post surgery.

    I think a visit to the doctor is in order. There is something to troubleshoot every side effect. Steroids for severe swelling might be a possibility.

    Sorry you and Dave are facing this...make some calls...get him seen.
    Kim

    Totally Agree
    See your ENT and have him scoped....not necessarily an ER visit, but for sure an ENT. My ENT is my lead MD, he will always work me in same day or within a day if I have concerns.

    My Rads MD didn't allow for any breaks either. Like Kim, the most I had was week-ends, with a long week-end stuck in there.

    Losing the ability (or choosing) not to utilize your swallowing muscles could also possibly cause the ability to not be able to swallow later and after treatment (from my understanding). So that is something that you definitely want to have addressed. I know even at my worse (not having a PEG). I always made the effort to keep everything working, I'd eat soft jarred peaches.

    Best,
    John
  • BonnyKay
    BonnyKay Member Posts: 8
    #12
    Hey there ... my thoughts
    Hey there ... my thoughts and prayers are with you. I'm with the others ... get him into the doctor.

    My Dave got terribly sick the last week of radiation/chemo. He has sqamous cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx ... they found it after removing his adenoids. In any case, when he had one week left to go, the oncologist hospitalized him. Dave couldn't swallow ... no water, no food ... nothing. I'd taken him to the ER on Sunday and they said it was up to him ... they would admit him or send him home ... and he chose home. I was livid ... they ACTUALLY sent him home KNOWING he couldn't swallow.

    But I called the oncologist Monday morning and as SOON as he saw Dave, he admitted him. Didn't even have a discussion ... basically said, "See you up at the hospital." In our case, they would not stop radiation ... but they kept him hospitalized for eight days while he finished his final radiation treatments. That way, he was getting fluids and nutrition through an IV ... and still getting radiation.

    Don't wait like we did ... the longer you wait, the weaker and sicker he'll get ...

    HUGS
    BonnyKay
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #13
    Kimba1505 said:

    In agreement...
    Mark had a natural break of one day from radiation because of the 4th of July. Radiologist expressed some concern about missing that one day...I don't quite understand why your doctors says a week is okay.

    Mark had SCC in his tonsil as well, but surgery cut so much out of his throat swelling like you talk about did not take place. He also did not have a lot of mucous with rads, like he did post surgery.

    I think a visit to the doctor is in order. There is something to troubleshoot every side effect. Steroids for severe swelling might be a possibility.

    Sorry you and Dave are facing this...make some calls...get him seen.
    Kim

    ER and also have the techies recheck Rads dosage
    If he is having trouble breathing Terry, don;t hesitate to get him to the ER. I don't like the sound of your Doctor.

    I would also demand they recheck ALL the settings for the radiation, dosages and directions etc. The Techies and Radiation Oncologist should be able to do this. Be nice and plead but get them to do it. This is a 'just in case' because some of our friends here have experienced an overdose of the rads and the resulting damage is not good and potentially very dangerous.

    This is a 'Be Alert' not be alarmed. If it were me, i would demand they recheck all, even if they hate you for it, stand you ground and i would even ask for a copy of the data. That should ensure they actually do as you ask.

    Scam

    PS I was admitted and stayed in hospital for the last 3 weeks of treatment.
  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #14
    anxious
    Terry,

    I am anxious to hear how things are with Dave...
  • Fire34
    Fire34 Member Posts: 365
    #15
    Noellesmom said:

    anxious
    Terry,

    I am anxious to hear how things are with Dave...

    Thick Mucous
    Terry
    Have you asked the med onc about a suction pump? I know it helped me a bit with my mucous buildup. As John mentioned above, I just returned from my ENT and had a swallowing test done. The ENT gave me exercises to do, does Dave have any of those to do? I am sure any of us can give you a copy of the ones that were prescribed. If you need them e-mail me from this site
    I was told emphatically by all three of my docs, "do not hesitate to go to the ER if anything comes up" My local ER docs just called the onc and informed him of the treatment I received.

    Best Wishes & Prayers on Dave beating this
    Dave
  • terryscarlett
    terryscarlett Member Posts: 143
    #16
    Fire34 said:

    Thick Mucous
    Terry
    Have you asked the med onc about a suction pump? I know it helped me a bit with my mucous buildup. As John mentioned above, I just returned from my ENT and had a swallowing test done. The ENT gave me exercises to do, does Dave have any of those to do? I am sure any of us can give you a copy of the ones that were prescribed. If you need them e-mail me from this site
    I was told emphatically by all three of my docs, "do not hesitate to go to the ER if anything comes up" My local ER docs just called the onc and informed him of the treatment I received.

    Best Wishes & Prayers on Dave beating this
    Dave

    Update on Dave
    I can't believe they told him to take a break either but Dave said the doc told him it would be OK. I have always heard not to miss too. He is somewhat better today and has an appointment in the morning for fluids and to see chemo doctor. He wouldn't go today as he says he just don't feel like going anywhere. I don't feel I have the right to force him! He knows how he feels and I have to respect that. I will post when we see Doc tomorrow and hope the fluids will help so he don't miss more treatments. He has done so well for 28 rads the doctors were impressed how well he was doing, Now this. Pray for us and I will post later
    Thanks to all
    Terry
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #17
    terryscarlett said:

    Update on Dave
    I can't believe they told him to take a break either but Dave said the doc told him it would be OK. I have always heard not to miss too. He is somewhat better today and has an appointment in the morning for fluids and to see chemo doctor. He wouldn't go today as he says he just don't feel like going anywhere. I don't feel I have the right to force him! He knows how he feels and I have to respect that. I will post when we see Doc tomorrow and hope the fluids will help so he don't miss more treatments. He has done so well for 28 rads the doctors were impressed how well he was doing, Now this. Pray for us and I will post later
    Thanks to all
    Terry

    You'll be in my prayers, Terry
    Your husband's case isn't much different from mine. My cancer was in the right tonsil, too, and I had one (not two) lymph nodes involved.
    I never had to take a break from treatment, though I've read of a number of folks here and on another forum I hang out on who have done so.
    What I find distressing is that it seems to be getting to Dave, where he says he doesn't feel like going anywhere. I know it's tough (believe me, I know it's tough) but he has to get through this. I kept a positive attitude and I know it helped me get through it. If he's beyond that point, you need to do what you can to help him get through it all.
    Above all, don't lose hope ...

    --Jim in Delaware
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #18
    terryscarlett said:

    Update on Dave
    I can't believe they told him to take a break either but Dave said the doc told him it would be OK. I have always heard not to miss too. He is somewhat better today and has an appointment in the morning for fluids and to see chemo doctor. He wouldn't go today as he says he just don't feel like going anywhere. I don't feel I have the right to force him! He knows how he feels and I have to respect that. I will post when we see Doc tomorrow and hope the fluids will help so he don't miss more treatments. He has done so well for 28 rads the doctors were impressed how well he was doing, Now this. Pray for us and I will post later
    Thanks to all
    Terry

    Be Bossy
    Terry,
    If he doesnt' feel like going tomorrow, you should put your foot down.

    You don't start feeling better once you start becoming undernourished and/or dehydrated. Getting those fluids pumped in is the only thing that will help him feel more like going places and/or doing things.

    Good luck.
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #19
    Pam M said:

    Be Bossy
    Terry,
    If he doesnt' feel like going tomorrow, you should put your foot down.

    You don't start feeling better once you start becoming undernourished and/or dehydrated. Getting those fluids pumped in is the only thing that will help him feel more like going places and/or doing things.

    Good luck.

    Further feedback
    Terry,
    Quite a few of us were put in hospital, especially towards the end of the treatment as it can get rough. I was being wheeled to and from rads in a chair at that time so him feeling this bad is not uncommon. I you think you need to, you can ask to have him admitted so he has extra support, IV fluids and round the clock care if he need it and it will allow him to get through these last days of treatment.

    Scam

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