Feeling rough .......just need to hear from you guys :

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Tim6003
Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hey all ....

Feeling pressure in my head for about a week now ....feeling quite blah...voice is still raspy / rough ....and you all know how your mind flies away with this stuff ...

...but to make myself feel better ....I keep saying I was feeling quite rough about a week before my fist post treatment scan May 7th ...and my voice was exaclty the same as it is now (my voice started going hoarse / raspy about a week before my scan ...

So on May 7th I had the scan ..got a very good report (slight uptick in heat on vocals but not high and onc said he was not concerned) then on May 10th I got the scope and finger exam from ENT ...he also reviewed the scans. He too saw nothing of concern and was quite happy about the results...

...I just can't shake this stiff neck /soar neck (talking about the muscles) and my ear canals hurt (they have for quite some time- btw, ENT looked at my ears and all looked good)...

...but every day my head aches (like a small headach) not real painful ...just nagging hurt and I feel quite blaahh!

I see the ENT for my monthly scope on June 6th ...so I don't think I should call or rush down there ..but you all more than anybody know what its like ....so just checking in to see how long others or if anybody felt the same as I do.

I am now officially 4 months post treatment ....and I am just anxious to feel better. I am not on any meds but still take about 2-4 Narco a day and advil as needed ....just want the head to feel better....blahhh to go away and ear canalst to stop aching ..no pain is sever ...just enough to make you feel yuck...

Guess I need my forum buddies! :)

Thanks guys...

Tim

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  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #2
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    oh....my last treatment was January 20th
    just fyi..

    Tim
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
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    Tim....I don't know what to say, since I haven't even
    finished treatment yet, my knowledge of "after treatment" is still in the stars. I do know that the back of my neck is showing wear and tear from radiation, and I'm wondering if the soft tissues in your neck are starting to stiffen, or maybe this is a part of healing. Have you tried some neck exercises to loosen them up? There are some good ones in the Hatha Yoga book...slowly tip just your head sideways, count 5, tip the other way, count 5, tip forward, count 5, tip back count 5.....thne roll your head 360 first one way, then the other slowly. Those stiff muscles could be the cause of your headache, too.

    Will send positive thoughts and always a prayer, that these after effects begin to resolve themselves.

    p
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #4
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    phrannie51 said:

    Tim....I don't know what to say, since I haven't even
    finished treatment yet, my knowledge of "after treatment" is still in the stars. I do know that the back of my neck is showing wear and tear from radiation, and I'm wondering if the soft tissues in your neck are starting to stiffen, or maybe this is a part of healing. Have you tried some neck exercises to loosen them up? There are some good ones in the Hatha Yoga book...slowly tip just your head sideways, count 5, tip the other way, count 5, tip forward, count 5, tip back count 5.....thne roll your head 360 first one way, then the other slowly. Those stiff muscles could be the cause of your headache, too.

    Will send positive thoughts and always a prayer, that these after effects begin to resolve themselves.

    p

    thanks Phrannie ...will try that!
    yes....my wife and I were wondering ...seems my neck is getting stiff(er) and the muscles or are really tight / thick it seems ....no bumps or lumps :) ......so maybe that is what is causing the headaches...and the ears hurting might cause it as well. :)

    Thank you for those prayers and positive thoughts ...if you don't know by now (ha ha) I subscribe that prayer does a body, soul and mind good :):):)

    Tim
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #5
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    Tim6003 said:

    thanks Phrannie ...will try that!
    yes....my wife and I were wondering ...seems my neck is getting stiff(er) and the muscles or are really tight / thick it seems ....no bumps or lumps :) ......so maybe that is what is causing the headaches...and the ears hurting might cause it as well. :)

    Thank you for those prayers and positive thoughts ...if you don't know by now (ha ha) I subscribe that prayer does a body, soul and mind good :):):)

    Tim

    headaches-
    Not all that familiar with headaches as an issue at your stage, Tim. Maybe the ears, as others have had large problems with fluid and infection in an ear, and became an issue with them. I did have a couple days that it seemed the cranial was active, which is about as bad a thing as can happen, but then it went away overnight, and hasnt't been back. A lot can cause a headache, but when such becomes a frequent thing- ENT and C-team should be made aware of.

    Swelling should be significantly less by now, this long after the rads, but you will likely notice the difference in your neck for a long time to come. I'm 3-years, and I still deal with spasms, daily, and just when I think L'hermite's Sign is gone- it reminds me it is not. A number of others have gotten involved in physical therapy, post-tx, and is always an option.

    kcass
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #6
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    Yoga - Yay
    I haven't done it for quite some time now (I work when the cancer center's free yoga sessions are offered), but I'm quite sure that yoga really helped my neck (at the same time, I was doing LeBed Movement to combat turkey neck - it helped, too). It was all very gentle stretching and movement. Hee - now that I'm thinking/talking about it, I'm doing some stretches.

    For quite some time (well over a year), when I moved my head a certain way, I'd get a sharp pain in my head. Now, I feel a "pull", but almost never pain.

    At least twice a year, I get throat issues and hoarse voice. Not enough to say it's horrible, just enough to irritate me and make me nervous. Part of the package deal for most of us,I'm afraid.

    When it came to healing, getting on after treatment, I was often annoyed at the unreasonably long time it took. The way I saw it, I went through a rough treatment, and mended in so many ways, it was crazy that some silly side effects were stubbornly refusing to go away.

    Sorry you're suffering. At nearly a year and a half after my neck dissection, my ears only hurt when I have a bug or when I eat something that's just too spicy for me now. I don't remember when they stopped hurting, but it's been quite some time.

    If your fabu wife is game, a nice neck massage in the shower helps - I'm a single person, so I can say that massaging shower head is nice. Stretches in the sauna are good, too.

    Glad all the docs agree you've got no worries, but most of us understand the feeling of dread that hits whenever something seems to be "not right".
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #7
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    Kent Cass said:

    headaches-
    Not all that familiar with headaches as an issue at your stage, Tim. Maybe the ears, as others have had large problems with fluid and infection in an ear, and became an issue with them. I did have a couple days that it seemed the cranial was active, which is about as bad a thing as can happen, but then it went away overnight, and hasnt't been back. A lot can cause a headache, but when such becomes a frequent thing- ENT and C-team should be made aware of.

    Swelling should be significantly less by now, this long after the rads, but you will likely notice the difference in your neck for a long time to come. I'm 3-years, and I still deal with spasms, daily, and just when I think L'hermite's Sign is gone- it reminds me it is not. A number of others have gotten involved in physical therapy, post-tx, and is always an option.

    kcass

    Kent - Speaking of Spasms
    I had a JUICY one tonight at work. I work in a rather warm area, and had to go into the air conditioned office area tonight, and had a big spasm - much stronger than is usual now. I am wondering if the change in temperature might have anything to do with it. Have you noticed any temperature/spasm links?
  • patricke
    patricke Member Posts: 570
    #8
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    Hey Tim, I never had any of
    Hey Tim, I never had any of your symptoms post treatment, so I can't give you any information. I do suggest ringing up your ENT and asking him/her about the symptoms, and when you can expect them to abate. I do know that post treatment takes time to recover from, and lots of patience to go with it, as one adjusts to new normals.

    PATRICK
  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #9
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    patricke said:

    Hey Tim, I never had any of
    Hey Tim, I never had any of your symptoms post treatment, so I can't give you any information. I do suggest ringing up your ENT and asking him/her about the symptoms, and when you can expect them to abate. I do know that post treatment takes time to recover from, and lots of patience to go with it, as one adjusts to new normals.

    PATRICK

    Thanks guys
    ...as usual you all help us newbies stay calm... lol ... :)

    Tim

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