Lingering Sore Throat

jtl
jtl Member Posts: 456
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
This Friday I will be 4 weeks post rads. I still have a sore throat on the side that received the most radiation. In fact at times I think it may even be a set back since it burns when I swallow anything except water. When I went to my ent last week he said he was a little surprised that my throat was still so raw looking. How long did most of you have the sore throat solely from the radiation?

John

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #2
    Longer....
    It's a long slow process....the healing that is.

    In reality, you are still cooking for several weeks after the rads have stopped.... Your ENT obviously hasn't went through what you have, LOL....

    You should start seeing some relief, little by little shortly.

    Best,
    john
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
    Hi jtl

    It takes times as you body is still suffering from the effects of the treatment. I was sore for a few months after but then everything started to heal pretty good after that. Then taste starting coming back so I knew I was healing.

    Wishing you well
    Hondo
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #4
    Just four weeks out
    Your side effects usually peak at 2-4 weeks after you finish radiation. I know I was not prepared for that. I mean they told me, but I did not think it could get worse than it was. You've got a bit to go, and then you will start seeing healing and improvement. Measure your Improvement in weeks rather than days. (for me, it was measured in months.)
  • jtl
    jtl Member Posts: 456
    #5
    Slow Process
    It is indeed a very slow process and for me it seems even slower. I have always healed from things pretty fast so naturally I expected it this time but that is not the case. I guess the good news is that I am getting some taste back. I had a mocca frappuccino yesterday and I could actually taste it, but today my Cherrios tasted like cardboard and I have no sense of any sweet taste yet. The lack of saliva is going to be an issue even if the taste comes back. Having said all of this I feel very blessed that I didn't have the issues that many on the forum have had and yet they maintain such a positive attitude.

    John:
    My ent is a pretty good guy but he tends to mouth off alot. I think it is a South Philly thing (no offense if any of youse are from Philly). I just put it back to him and he takes it like he gives it. Fortunately I believe he is a good doc. My rad onc is also a easy guy to bs with but my medical onc is wound a little tighter than these guys.
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #6
    jtl said:

    Slow Process
    It is indeed a very slow process and for me it seems even slower. I have always healed from things pretty fast so naturally I expected it this time but that is not the case. I guess the good news is that I am getting some taste back. I had a mocca frappuccino yesterday and I could actually taste it, but today my Cherrios tasted like cardboard and I have no sense of any sweet taste yet. The lack of saliva is going to be an issue even if the taste comes back. Having said all of this I feel very blessed that I didn't have the issues that many on the forum have had and yet they maintain such a positive attitude.

    John:
    My ent is a pretty good guy but he tends to mouth off alot. I think it is a South Philly thing (no offense if any of youse are from Philly). I just put it back to him and he takes it like he gives it. Fortunately I believe he is a good doc. My rad onc is also a easy guy to bs with but my medical onc is wound a little tighter than these guys.

    There are docs, and there are docs
    Hi JTL, can't add much on your throat. Your reaching a time that for a lot of people is the most uncomfortable of the ride, so it sounds like you are doing better than average. It took me over a year to start feeling good. I had fatigue for about three to four months, felt just like I was crashing off LSD (Yeow, I'm sure everyone can relate to that one).

    As for docs, I've had a few and it's hard to tell if they know what they're doing, relatively I mean. I have a medical onc that I just don't feel right with. His face and manner belong on Mr. Rushmore. So, I'm getting a new one, or more correctly, paying abit and going back to my original who was cancelled because of insurance changes. I only see him every six months, so it's worth a few bucks to feel like someone is listening when you talk. If there's one that keeps leaving a bad tasted when you leave, try another.

    If you are like most, your taste, saliva, and neck problems will improve. It's like the mask, you almost have to put your mind somewhere else while you heal.

    best, Hal
  • jtl
    jtl Member Posts: 456
    #7
    Hal61 said:

    There are docs, and there are docs
    Hi JTL, can't add much on your throat. Your reaching a time that for a lot of people is the most uncomfortable of the ride, so it sounds like you are doing better than average. It took me over a year to start feeling good. I had fatigue for about three to four months, felt just like I was crashing off LSD (Yeow, I'm sure everyone can relate to that one).

    As for docs, I've had a few and it's hard to tell if they know what they're doing, relatively I mean. I have a medical onc that I just don't feel right with. His face and manner belong on Mr. Rushmore. So, I'm getting a new one, or more correctly, paying abit and going back to my original who was cancelled because of insurance changes. I only see him every six months, so it's worth a few bucks to feel like someone is listening when you talk. If there's one that keeps leaving a bad tasted when you leave, try another.

    If you are like most, your taste, saliva, and neck problems will improve. It's like the mask, you almost have to put your mind somewhere else while you heal.

    best, Hal

    Docs
    You don't have to look much farther than this forum to see how the opinion of docs can vary. At this point I am satisfied but if I ever had another problem I may rethink my decisions. My onc is and has been from the get go convinced that this cancer is curable, at least in my situation. I am not as convinced, especially when it has mets to the lymph nodes (even a single node like in my case). When I had prostate surgery the prostate was removed and sent to pathology. The margins were clean and no mets, in that case I was sure it would not be an issue in the future. Life is a crap shoot these days.
    John

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