Saliva Hope

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santa6
santa6 Member Posts: 29
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hey all,

Dx June 2009, SCC right lymph node, primary unknown, neck dissection, feeding tube, radiation, chemo.

I haven't visited for a long time.  I really wanted to add my support here, but found that reliving the agony was not helping my emotional recovery.  Sorry for that.

My health is excellent.  I'm posting now to let you know that roughly 38 months after treatment ended, my saliva all of a sudden returned.  I didn't have reduced saliva - I had zero.  All those months of waking through the night to separate my tongue from my teeth and the roof of my mouth, carrying a bottle of water everywhere i went - all gone.  Over 20 cavities in the first two years, no cavities in last two check ups.  No explanation.  I didn't do anything special to cause it, I had given up hope many months ago.  I mean full saliva too!  I can spit on command!

Just wanted you to know not to give up hope, anything is possible with these crazy human shells!

Be well and I continue to wish you all rapid full recoveries and many happy years thereafter to put it behind you.

Comments

  • sin9775
    sin9775 Member Posts: 199 Member
    #2
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    Holy Cow!

    38 months??!!!  That is crazy.  I am very happy for you, no matter how long it took.  You must have been so excited when it returned.  Did you just wake up with spit one morning, or did it just appear one afternoon?  LOL  I wonder if you set a saliva record.  I hope it sticks around!

     

    ~Shawn~

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #3
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    it is funny how totally unpredictable

    These things are.  The first time i ws radiated, my return of salivation  took abou 4 years, but at the end of it I had normal saliva as far as I could tell.  Didn't have to carry water uder any circumstances.  I was radiated a seccond time, ending 20 months ago.  things have been really dry since then. but just this last week I've had a reawakening of this rather thick, foamy saliva.  Better than nothing, I must say.  Maybe I'll recover again.  I think it was patricke who recounted a story like yours wherein his saliva suddenly woke up nine years later.  strange forces at work here.

     

    Thanks for the story.

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #4
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    PaTewwwwy...

    That's awesome....

    It took nearly two years to regain 100% of my taste, and quite a while to gain nearly all of the saliva back.. I do still dry out some while sleeping. But not to the point of having my tongue feel like jerky when I wake, LOL..

    JG

  • nick770
    nick770 Member Posts: 195
    #5
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    Congrats! that is fantastic

    Congrats! that is fantastic news. spit on command...love it Laughing

  • peggylulu
    peggylulu Member Posts: 375
    #6
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    Thank you

    So much for giving me hope !!!! It will be a year on the 26th of this month since my last treatment and my Doctor just told me that I would probably get my taste back but not likely that I would get my saliva back ! I am so glad that you decided to come back to this board and tell us your wonderful news . Thanks again   

     

    Peggy

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #7
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    I feel ya!

    "reliving the agony was not helping my emotional recovery."

    That right there is hitting me too...

    On the other hand... WOO HOO for the saliva! 

    Positive thoughts and prayers

    "T"

  • Ruben and Jude
    Ruben and Jude Member Posts: 155
    #8
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    THANK U

    THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

    I too understand the mental break from the site, as I have no doubt others understand as well. I can't thank you enough for your timely post of this GOOD NEWS! This is one of the best things I've heard since NED!

    God is good, as He lead you to come back and post this.  Congratulations compradre.

    Ruben and Jude

  • Ruben and Jude
    Ruben and Jude Member Posts: 155
    #9
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    fishmanpa said:

    I feel ya!

    "reliving the agony was not helping my emotional recovery."

    That right there is hitting me too...

    On the other hand... WOO HOO for the saliva! 

    Positive thoughts and prayers

    "T"

    (No subject)

    Cool

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