Hello EricB,

Welcome to this forum and am sorry to hear of your throat cancer diagnosis.

I myself was diagnosed with throat cancer earlier this later summer and finished 6 weeks of radiotherapy 3 weeks ago.

I have kept a little note of my little journey on here and you might want to read..It's under living with cancer and titled "Radiotherapy for throat cancer" which I hope you find helpful.

The symtomps you desribe are pretty much expected and ones that I have experieced/still experiencing still, after treatment complete.

Still stuggling with food and am on supplement drinks called Ensure to help get fuel in bosy as I was not fitted with a PEG.

Mucus was bad for me as well and I was up during the night every half hour at its peak but I would say around the end of second week, the mucas kind of calmed down although I do still have a dry mouth constantly. I was advised and have done from the start and drink around 3/4 litres of water every day which has definetely helped. I also use lip moisturiser to keep lips moist..

Like your self Im missing my food and can resonate with the metalic taste and still have this just now and look forward to a little progession on this front.

As for swallow, were you told to do swallow exercises every day?...I would not say that swallowing stopped but was little more noticable but manageable and the trick was to drink drink then drink as it also helps recovery and uses throat muscles, which in turn helps swallowing.

I wish you well on your journey and you are welcome to ask away with any questions or if you just wanyted to chat, there is a small group of us on here that have been through thoat cancer personnaly and are able to offer any help/support/ answer questions and a few of us are at different stages so that helps. Hazel has a blog as well and am sure she will be along to say hi as well and is a great source for tips etc as well.

Keep in touch and posting on your journey as you are not alone my friend and stay positive.

kind regards

ian

Hi Ian, glad you seem to be coping , I am due to start my treatment  7th Jan. Having 30 radio  sessions with 2 chemo sessions. It really helps reading other people's experience  on here, I know we are all different but it helps. 

Wishing you well,

Gary

Thanks Eric, i was getting back pain, which can be a glutamen supplement side effect, but it seems ok, may have been other cause. They gave me another box Friday, they are 355 euros a box of 90 here, i was aware of your solution, pardon the pun, so will go that way if they stop giving me them. Its been not bad mucous wise, and one slight sore, not an ulcer, so im giving the aminos the credit, they are called Aa Mezcla NM, as you say, rip off, saw a guy flogging some on milanuncios for 90 euros musta had some left!  Good luck Eric thanks for replying, ive a long way to go yet, 23 sessions,  looking like Feb 14th before im done, bound to be more issues down the line.

Hi I'm sorry this post was a few years ago but my father is 81 and has just been informed his vocal. Chord cancer has spread to his lymph node. They are saying its inoperable as its wrapped around his cortorid artery? He has been given radiotherapy for 5 days a week for 6 weeks. At the moment there is no. Sign of it anywhere else just in this lymph node. My dad didn't want anyone other than his sister (who. Is a nurse) in with him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Hope you are keeping well. Amanda 

Hi, we will all chip in with advice on handling the radiotherapy, has he began it yet? Best wishes. Graeme

He starts in two weeks. He needs another biopsy first apparantly??? He is very apprehensive as am I. Although my dad is 81 he is still very fit and active. Still rides his classic bikes, gardenening, days out with his friends (before covid). He handled his first diagnosis really well and that was a whip it out it's gone type thing. This time round it's knocked the wind out of him. And us. Just want to do what I can to help. Him through this. Anything that people can recommend for side effects etc. Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. X

Hi Amanda people react differently to treatment so giving you exact in formation on what to expect can be difficult, weve all shared our experiences on here but they vary so please bare that in mind.

I had a small tonsil tumour caused by the HPV virus aged 60 at the time Im now 62, it had spread to one lymph node and i`d caught it early and was given a high survival rate 93% so obviously very positive, I had 6 weeks radio therapy, the first two weeks were ok then it got progressively harder to swallow  and became painfull, I tried Oramorph but I didnt like it and got by on liquid paracetamol, the treatment destroys the tissue and all around the affected area it has to in order to kill the cancer cells so taste buds and saliva glands are affected badly and the mouth becomes incredibly dry, you end up carrying a bottle of water around which is vital.

In my case things started to settle down around a month after I had finished treatment I lost one and half stone but most people lose much more,  its a long road and you have to grit your teeth and get through it, Im now back to normal apart from a dry throat at night so Iv come through relatively well.

You will get more experiences from the gang Im sure and they are a good bunch, hoping your dad comes through well, If you have any questions dont hesitate.

Dave

I was similar, not exact same, operation to remove " cyst" , weeks later lab found cancer cell, so 7 weeks radio, no chemo.

Dave's advice (Oscar) is spot on, look out for Hazel and Ian coming along, in fact they have a blog each, very detailed. If you go back  a few pages look at posts by " anchor" that is Ian you will see link to his blog, and i think  "radioactiveraz.wordpress.com"     is Hazel's  one, good luck stick with us.

Dave thank you so much for sharing your story with me. It has given me some hope that he can fight this and come out the other side. I'm pleased everything is going well for you. Amanda x

Thank you. I will have a look. Hope you're doing well on your treatment. I have never been through anything like this before and everyone seems so amazingly supportive. Seeing my father become quite distant has been hard. He only seems to perk up once he sees my daughters. The 3 year old is a grandads girl. Thank you for taking the time to reply with your kind words. X

Amanda If your dads cancer is caused by HPV then its one of the most treatable ones, you say he`s quite fit and that is a huge plus too x

Hi Amanda This is Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz I am now 30 month post radiotherapy for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes.As Dave and Graeme’s already said the treatments hard recovery’s can be varied ibwas 61 when diagnosedniw backnto living my life ok I carry a bottle of water around with me and have a 20 min power nap most days. (Hi Guys hope all ok) my blog is www.radioactiveraz,wordpress.com hope it helps if yiu need anything just message 

it’s hard but diabke I was am a wimp I did it 

Hazsl x

Hi Amanda This is Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz I am now 30 month post radiotherapy for tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes.As Dave and Graeme’s already said the treatments hard recovery’s can be varied ibwas 61 when diagnosedniw backnto living my life ok I carry a bottle of water around with me and have a 20 min power nap most days. (Hi Guys hope all ok) my blog is www.radioactiveraz,wordpress.com hope it helps if yiu need anything just message 

it’s hard but diabke I was am a wimp I did it 

Hazsl x

Thank you Hazel. Going to have a read of your blog. Glad you're doing well? It has given me hope that he can get through this. I am going to have a read of your blog. Thank you xx

Hi Mand

I'm Ian and pretty much went through the same treatment at the same time as Hazel and Dave.

I've posted a link to my blog that I kept as well and as I am often quoted, there is light at the end of the tunnel and you do get through this.
Let me know if I can help in any way

regards
Ian

radiotherapythroat.home.blog

Ah, great so all the contributors i know are in touch,  Dave, Hazel and Ian, these plus myself and you have a wealth of experience to confer with, best wishes, G.

Hi if I can do it anyone can. It's not easy but it is doable 

any help just shout out 

Hazel x

Good to hear from the gang of 4 hope you are ok looks like it :)

Hi Dave 

yes fine just bored stuck at home like everyone else. Even me can't get to Spain hoping for September ferry booked for then. There's onky so much cleaning of cupboards it's not so bad when sins put and gry our walking or in garden. 
msn u playing well xx how are you ?  I'm in 3 monthly phone calls snd face to face every 6 months 

Hazel x

Im good thanks Hazel I cant play football which is doing my head in but hopefully will be able to again soon, just booked our Covid jabs the first is on friday then the 2nd in May, moved our holiday back from May to July off to Greece again hopefully. 3 month check ups all ok had an MRI scan in November so cant complain, yes the reds are playing ok but have dropped too many points when they shouldent.

Take care x

All good here and ding dang doo.

Nice to hear all doing well albeit lockdown and all the confusion in Scotland that goes with it

Cant wait till able to get back to Tenerife but no big deal in the big scheme of things.
As you know, men just tend to get on with things and never complain.

Onwards and Upwards
Ian

Grest to see Haxel has a nue keybeard   :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:   xx

Graeme you know me so well. ! New keyboard indeed as if John would waste money on one lol. Isn you never complain lol.  
Dave fingers x you get to play football soon. We had our jabs 12 Feb waiting fir date fir 2 nd one. Just booked a cottage in Wales August fir a week. Everything x for September s ferry 

glad everyone is well

hugs H xxx