Head and Neck cancers Support Group

he will also soars in mouth that may bleed .total loss of appatite .my husband has a trac and feeding tube does yours

He has a peg tube, but after 2 1/2 weeks he's still pureeing food and swallowing, although I know that wont last too much longer.
fatigue and mood swings are are biggest challenge now

I had stage 4 right tonsil soft pallet cancer. I was given a 20% chance to live. I had chemo, radation and surgery. I did not get sores in my mouth. I did lose 80 lbs in 2 months. Food still has no taste so make sure he gets to eat everything he loves now. I think that's the worst thing about throat cancer...you lose your taste buds.

As far as the radiation is concerned it's very important to get pin point radiation. If they radiate the whole neck he will lose every taste bud he has. I also never had to have a feeding tube because I couldn't stand it. It's very important to always carry water every where. I have almost choked so many times it's not even funny. If I hadn't had my water I would be dead.

I still have a sore throat and have had it since before I was dx'ed. I did lose my voice but only for a while. If I yell or strain my voice in any way I lose it. I was a soccer coch for a year and by the time thee season was over I couldn't talk for abot 3 months.

What stage is he at?? If you have any other questions please feel free to PM me any time!

V

He's a TIV, Stage III. Were starting week 6 of radiation therapy and erbitux IV's. His throat, tongue and mouth are burnt and full of sores. He cant swallow so is using the peg tube exclusively, and is also receiving daily fluid IV's to help with his dehydration. I'm trying to stay positive for him. I'm wearing out though, I'm trying to get him to his treatments, work, support the family, make sure he's getting his meds on time and enough suppliments thru the tube. and monitor his vitals, we're at dr's 7 days a week. Friends help drive when they can, but ultimately the majority of everything is on me. Anybody else out there whos coping with this?

Guess I shouldn't have read this today....I am on day 10 of radiation for tonsil cancer & am already having problems swallowing & my mouth, tongue & throat are sore and raw & cannot wear my bottom dentures. Was hoping that maybe they could offer something for this but now am wondering.

They say mine is cureable &, after 3 heavy sessions of chemo & 2 light sessions, my tumor can no longer be seen by the naked eye.

I'm just wondering if I have the fortitude to make it thru 26 more days. Also am wondering if it is the radiation or thrush that is making my mouth so sore.

Guess I'd better get out of here before my bipolar mood really descends into the bowels of hell.

ckn,

Hang in there, my husband is in week 6, he started 2 a days, last week and eventhough its difficult, you can make it thru. We got to the point where we were wondering why are we doing this, will the pain ever go away, will life ever be normal again, there was a lot of frustration, anger and any other emotion you can imagine, but as the end of treatments draws near, - its like the light at the end of the tunnel. Just let yourself feel the emotions, then move on to the next thing you have to do. We get thru it one day at a time, sometimes just one hour at a time.
Ask your Dr.s about the sore mouth and throat. Rick got a Rx called Rons rum - it has 5 ingredients including benedryl, maloxx, some numbing agent dentists use, and I don't remember what else, but it really seems to help.

where exactly is the cancer? The problems he will cope with depend on location. I have larynx cancer, of the vocal cord, and have been cancer free for 1 year after radiation. My problems experienced may not be the same for what he will experience, so I will give you what I experienced if his cancer is in the larynx.

there is much to know i have been through a ton myself. There are things that I wish i had done differently. First make sure that you are in the best hospital money and location will allow. Second , right now make sure that you are well supported and I mean you not him. This is going to be a very tough road for you and you will need much support. My wife left me after all was well, she said I got better but she didn't. Lastly tonight, It will not be as bad for himm as it has been others that have made it through. the fight is to not accept the worst. Please tell your husband that the day that feels like he can take no more pain, that he is at the very end, will be the worst day and he will start getting better the very next day. I promise !!

Our schedule for my husband is chemo 1x week for 6 weeks, then a 2 week break, then radiation 5x week for 6-7 weeks with chemo the 1st, 3rd, & 5th week. They discussed doing the feeding tube with him too before radiation starts, he's pretty worried about that. He's been able to work most days with chemo only, but the Dr says when radiation starts he probably won't. His biggest complaint now is the injections of Neupogen that I have to give him in between chemo days, they make all his bones hurt so bad, he can hardly move. His tastebuds have already changed quite a bit, which is hard when he is such a picky eater anyway. Good luck to you & your family through this. Vicki