Hi Haydn

Glad to hear your hospital is getting your treatment started in good time. Its a tough 6 weeks regime ahead, Im sure the staff at the hospital will give you every help and encouragement, if you do everything that is asked of you, and with your excellent attitude you will make it through. Ive had this treatment myself, if you need any help post back here. It gets very rough at times after week two has finished. The McMillan website has some good resources on coping with this cancer and the effects of the treatment. good luck and best wishes Kim

Hi Kim, thanks for the reply, can i ask if you had a peg put in and how offten did you use it, i have been told i may stop eating because it gets so sore, did the chemo knock you for six? im more worried about being stuck indoors doing nothing and feeling helpless, you are the first person ive actually spoken to who has had this treatment so please excuse the questions i fire at you, Thanks Haydn xx

Hi again

No I didnt have a peg fitted, due to being stubborn, but I wish I had, the radiotherapy burns the inside of your throat making it very difficult to swallow, also the muscle tissue inside your tongue is affected many people lose the ability to swallow altogether. You then need to be taught to swallow again. Meanwhile you lose lots of weight, with the peg you can at least get sufficient nutrition. I persevered often taking an hour to eat a bowl of soft sloppy food. At the end of treatment I had to take painkillers in order to eat. Whilst waiting for your treatment to start it is well worth doing the swallowing excercises you have been given and also the neck stretching excersises. I did not have chemotherapy as it was decided by the team to be ineffectual in the type of cancer I have. The inside of your mouth will also get very sore and you should be issued with a large quantity of a specialist mouthwash to combat this. The skin on the outside of your neck will get badly burned apply plenty of the cream you are given and wear clothing that doesn't rub your neck. I had nausea for which I was prescribed some tablets which worked really well. Sorry I cant help you with info about having a peg or with the chemo bit. But again I would recommend the McMillan website which has lots of good practical advice.