Vocal Cord rads

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Mrs. Sarge
Mrs. Sarge Member Posts: 206 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Anyone here on the boards have just low dose rads for vocal cord C? I'm 1/3 finished (9of28) and hanging in there with a sore throat starting, a little fatigue, and neck sore. I guess what I'm wondering is how bad does this get? I was prescribed the throat liquid with lidocaine and other ingredients to use when I may not be able to eat without it. I wonder if it's going to hit me full force next week or is this probably it? Still have my appetite and can eat anything with no problems so far....just wondering how to prepare myself! Thanks!! BTW, never smoked, never drank, no oral sex, sang and prayed alot, surely that didn't do it!:)

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  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #2
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    Hang in there for the ride
    Your just starting, I had 35 rads to my larnyx..and vocal chords, the soreness got worst, and i tried putting that rad creme on, like vaseline, my skin openned up and started to have open sores. I quit eatting and by passed the peg tube, which was a mistake, I lost a total of 60 lbs with in 5 weeks, they kept me going at the cancer clinic by feeding me fluids until my veins went down, these people saved my life, I was working as well, you read write...never ever do this, I had no additional income, and barely made it. I made it, drinking water was at 2:00 oclock in the am, soaking in a hot tub, trying to get water in. All stories are different, I wish you well, and please keep trying to eat, I found the only thing that tasted good was the lobster bisque from Krogers...I survived on this..Take Care, Get past those radiation treatments, you start counting the days soon. Dennis in TN
  • Mrs. Sarge
    Mrs. Sarge Member Posts: 206 Member
    #3
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    dennis318 said:

    Hang in there for the ride
    Your just starting, I had 35 rads to my larnyx..and vocal chords, the soreness got worst, and i tried putting that rad creme on, like vaseline, my skin openned up and started to have open sores. I quit eatting and by passed the peg tube, which was a mistake, I lost a total of 60 lbs with in 5 weeks, they kept me going at the cancer clinic by feeding me fluids until my veins went down, these people saved my life, I was working as well, you read write...never ever do this, I had no additional income, and barely made it. I made it, drinking water was at 2:00 oclock in the am, soaking in a hot tub, trying to get water in. All stories are different, I wish you well, and please keep trying to eat, I found the only thing that tasted good was the lobster bisque from Krogers...I survived on this..Take Care, Get past those radiation treatments, you start counting the days soon. Dennis in TN

    Thanks for the reply

    Dennis, I noticed that you also had chemo, which is much worse on your body, but don't know if rads or chemo gave you the worst time, I guess I'm about to find out, huh? I think I was hoping this was as bad it gets, (whistling thru the graveyard to keep my courage up) possibly. I didn't get a peg as the Dr. said I should be able to eat thru out my rads, just soft things. I just today had them give me a RX for the liquid pain killer for the throat, as my throat woke me up last night and I was afraid it would worsen this week end when I couldn't get a script. I wouldn't mind losing 10-15lbs. but don't need to lose much more....I'm already counting the days.....19 left!! Anyway, thanks so much for the reply!!
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #4
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    Mrs. Sarge said:

    Thanks for the reply

    Dennis, I noticed that you also had chemo, which is much worse on your body, but don't know if rads or chemo gave you the worst time, I guess I'm about to find out, huh? I think I was hoping this was as bad it gets, (whistling thru the graveyard to keep my courage up) possibly. I didn't get a peg as the Dr. said I should be able to eat thru out my rads, just soft things. I just today had them give me a RX for the liquid pain killer for the throat, as my throat woke me up last night and I was afraid it would worsen this week end when I couldn't get a script. I wouldn't mind losing 10-15lbs. but don't need to lose much more....I'm already counting the days.....19 left!! Anyway, thanks so much for the reply!!

    Hi Mrs. Sarge....been wondering about you :)
    I'm not having rads directed at my vocal cords, but my mom did...she did eat all thru her radiation, did not lose much weight....she also didn't say much about a sore throat. Just complained about the lack of taste in her food. Everybody is different, and for her just going to radiation everyday was a bit of a bummer....physically she did very well.

    p
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #5
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    Mrs. Sarge said:

    Thanks for the reply

    Dennis, I noticed that you also had chemo, which is much worse on your body, but don't know if rads or chemo gave you the worst time, I guess I'm about to find out, huh? I think I was hoping this was as bad it gets, (whistling thru the graveyard to keep my courage up) possibly. I didn't get a peg as the Dr. said I should be able to eat thru out my rads, just soft things. I just today had them give me a RX for the liquid pain killer for the throat, as my throat woke me up last night and I was afraid it would worsen this week end when I couldn't get a script. I wouldn't mind losing 10-15lbs. but don't need to lose much more....I'm already counting the days.....19 left!! Anyway, thanks so much for the reply!!

    Sorry to say ...
    I "think" it will get worse Mrs. Sarge ...but with a name like that I bet you will take names and kick butt anyway! :)

    Not to be a downer, but to be informative ...

    1. You will get thru it.
    2. It will get worse (I can honestly say the worst was 1 month after treatments for me adn that lasted for 2 months...uggh!
    3. I only had radiation and Erbitus (not the usual platinum chemo drugs)

    Bottom line ...stick with us here on the forum and will be standing by you the whole way.

    I agree with Dennis ...I had a peg tube AT THE BEGINNING and I still lost 70lbs!!!! Holy cow (but I did have a lot to lose in the first place).

    Prayers for you Mrs. Sarge ...every night without fail.... really

    Tim
  • Mrs. Sarge
    Mrs. Sarge Member Posts: 206 Member
    #6
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    Tim6003 said:

    Sorry to say ...
    I "think" it will get worse Mrs. Sarge ...but with a name like that I bet you will take names and kick butt anyway! :)

    Not to be a downer, but to be informative ...

    1. You will get thru it.
    2. It will get worse (I can honestly say the worst was 1 month after treatments for me adn that lasted for 2 months...uggh!
    3. I only had radiation and Erbitus (not the usual platinum chemo drugs)

    Bottom line ...stick with us here on the forum and will be standing by you the whole way.

    I agree with Dennis ...I had a peg tube AT THE BEGINNING and I still lost 70lbs!!!! Holy cow (but I did have a lot to lose in the first place).

    Prayers for you Mrs. Sarge ...every night without fail.... really

    Tim

    Thanks all!!
    I'm on these boards several times a day. They are a wealth of information!! Appreciate all the concern and info!! Woke up this morning and yep, it was worse!! Well, I know I'll get thru it, just really was hoping this was as bad as it gets....oh well!! I have a VERY supportive husband and family that cares so I'll make it!
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #7
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    Mrs. Sarge said:

    Thanks all!!
    I'm on these boards several times a day. They are a wealth of information!! Appreciate all the concern and info!! Woke up this morning and yep, it was worse!! Well, I know I'll get thru it, just really was hoping this was as bad as it gets....oh well!! I have a VERY supportive husband and family that cares so I'll make it!

    it takes alot to make it
    Lay back and get the rest...you sound like a tough cookie,thanks tim for chiming in...I thought at first is was the cancer that would get you..it's the treaments and the outcome...doctors have no idea..unless you yourself go threw this mess..hang tough, i post my email on this site someplace...to let you know, try to eat something, i quit and became impacted...gosh for a male, i know what child birth must of felt like for you ladies out there OUCH....you think it can get worst..it does but your body finally saids enough and turns itself around...dennis in tn
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #8
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    Most
    most all that go thru radiation the pain in throat starts to get pain med time about end of week 3 and week 4. i don't like to bear the bad news, just feel you asked and wanted to know.

    for me it was about the start of week three it hit hard, lost my voice by end of week three and that lasted for at least a month after treatment. finally about 3 months after treatment it was almost to normal. so most likely it will recover.

    good luck with the rest of your treatments.

    john
  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #9
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    fisrpotpe said:

    Most
    most all that go thru radiation the pain in throat starts to get pain med time about end of week 3 and week 4. i don't like to bear the bad news, just feel you asked and wanted to know.

    for me it was about the start of week three it hit hard, lost my voice by end of week three and that lasted for at least a month after treatment. finally about 3 months after treatment it was almost to normal. so most likely it will recover.

    good luck with the rest of your treatments.

    john

    Vocal Cord Rads
    My husband had 35 radiation treatments and 2 chemo treatments for laryngeal cancer. He had a peg tube inserted before treatment started. Good thing. He was using it by the end of the second week and it was in from August 2010 to May 2011 when it was finally removed. The radiation had completely closed off the back of his throat. Something we didn't know until they did a laryngectomy in March 2011. They had to reconstruct the back of his throat during surgery. He had no problems with burns on the skin. He was very tired during treatment.

    Then in April of this year, when undergoing a procedure to have a TEP insert, they found another tumor at the cervical of the esophagus and it is cancer. He has just started another round of radiation and chemo. So far he is doing good but he has only had 5 radiation and 1 chemo treatment. Our doctor is telling us it might not be as bad this time, guess we'll see. He did have another peg tube inserted, just in case, because he is and always has been underweight. They decided it would be better to be safe than sorry.

    Sharon

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