Hi Nicola,

How are you doing?
My mom starts her radiotherapy from tomorrow onwards, she took the expensive treatment which doctor told her that will have less side effect, I hope it does. She told me that her upper neck near her ear have a big swollen there, is that normal?
and can i know that is it completely recover after the radiotherapy? 

Hope you are fine there.

Take care!

Ping

Hi Nicola,

How did your ultrasound scan go? I assume that there was no problem?

Ping - If the swelling you mention is a swollen lymph gland then you may well find that it reduces in size during the radiotherapy. I had an initial swelling that was a swollen lymph node - this was removed for biopsy. Then another one swelled up to the size of half an egg. It slowly disappeared when I was about half-way through the treatment.

Guzzle - Everyone recovers from radiotherapy at different rates. Personally I would not have been comfortable travelling just a few weeks after the treatment had finished but then everyone is different. I couldn't eat, drink or talk for a few weeks and my PEG tube wasn't removed for four months. You may well be fine. I know a lot of people who have sailed through the recovery. Radiation to the head and neck is a funny old business and can do strange things to eating and sleeping habits. As I said, I would not have gone abroad but you may well be okay. You will need to tell your travel insurance company about your situation though.

Simon xx

Hi Irene

Congratulations on your continued improvement! I'm sure your taste buds will gradually improve - I know mine did. I have found that my throat is very dry though - you get rid of the mucus and then you get a dry mouth! Still it's a small price to pay.

Glad the peg removal was quick and painless. I couldn't have mine pulled out - I had to be put out. Apparently it depends how it was inserted in the first place.

Keep positive - it really does get better all the time.

Xx

Hi everyone,

I'm still plodding along slowly with recovery and battling this fatigue but thought I would say hello. I started having three meals a day last week for the first time since I don't know when! I've noticed a bit of an improvement with the fatigue, probably to do with the extra food and I'm trying to get into a better sleeping routine again ie - getting back to normal! I haven't slept well since having the biopsy etc last year. I find I now sleep for longer during the night (when I can sleep) compared to before the cancer treatment which I recall Simon mentioning the same for him too. I've had an awful cold, cough and sore throat for two weeks now and I'm struggling to shift it. I'm thinking could all be to do with low immunity, fatigue, lack of food and energy, did anyone else suffer like this with small ailments following treatment?

Irene I am so pleased the peg removal went well, it doesn't sound so bad after all. It's good to know you didn't suffer very much afterwards either. I'm still waiting for my appointment, it's getting a bit silly now, I've been waiting for six weeks now. I hope it's soon as it's a big step towards normality too. Sounds like you enjoyed your birthday but please try not to get too down about food, it's still getting gradually better for me too. A month ago I would never of attempted, bacon, egg, sausage and tinned tomatoes for breakfast but I have managed to eat it three times in the past week! I'll admit that I didn't fully enjoy it like I used to but I enjoyed it enough to have it again. I also managed to cook it too which was a big thing for me as I'm really struggling with fatigue. I was exhausted afterwards, thank heavens for dishwashers! You made me laugh when you said you are shovelling food down, it does feel that way sometimes!

Simon, I agree with the withdrawal symptoms if I don't visit the hospital for a while too! I find myself scanning my diary as I feel like I must have forgotten some appointment or other! Glad to hear the night sweats are a little less for you, that does sound like a long time for you to wait for an appointment, lets hope it's because he's a popular and successful doctor! I compare myself on a month by month basis now too, that way I feel I'm moving forward, otherwise it gets depressing when I think about how far I still have to go. That's good advice.

Gary, hoping all is well with you, if you're anything like me it may begin to become a little hard now, energy wise. I hope you are ok and managing to eat. Are you finding it painful now? I was given Gel Clair too but never used it. I used Diflam mouthwash which was good, but the coating only lasted for about an hour. I am indeed hoping to get a day in Paris when I go to euro disney next month, quite fancy a spot of shopping and trying out some of the cafes. It will be a break from Mickey Mouse anyhow!

Good to hear from everyone else too, I hope you've all been enjoying this good weather, it's certainly lifted my spirits for the first time in a while.

Speak soon,

Nicola xx

Irene/Nicola, Loving these foody tales so well done. You are giving me the munchies! Just had plate of carbonara with tons if parmesan . Getting a sore throat but managing to eat. Irene delighted for you. Nicola hope you get over your bug. But you are both on the mend. Im week five. Had second chemo last week. Still getting light excercise. Nicola if you can force yourself to di some it could aid sleep? I know its tough. Also Ive been trying not to nap during day and having early nights. Seem to have a bit of energy in morning so tend to do a little jog/ride then. Nothing too much.Managing with soluable co codemol / aspirin swish but have Ora morph on hand. May be TMI but any tips on plumbing being bunged up would be appreciated! Not complacent but been lucky with aide effects so far. I know I will prob be hit son but your recovery and that of others here gives me hope. So thanks to all of you. Nicola enjoy Paris and buy yourself something fantastic! You deserve it. You have inspired me to have a full English tomorrow! And in honour of Irene will make a Lasagne for dinner. Shame cant have a glass of wine with it because of pain meds! Hows your social drinking going by the way?

All the best, G

Simon hows your jaw mate?

Hi to everyone.......

I hope that everyone is set up for the bank holiday weekend.

I'm glad to hear that Irene's PEG removal went okay - we were all getting a bit concerned. Next up will be Nicola's tube removal and I bet she's really looking forward to seeing the back of it. Nicola, I remember I was strangely reluctant to let it go and I felt like I was losing some sort of safety net, but once it was gone I felt a sense of having a new-found freedom. Weird really.

Guzzle, I've still got a second bit of bone slowly growing in my month. It's not too painful at the moment and I'll leave it until my next check-up and see what they think.

I'm still having the nightsweats 4 or 5 times a week. It's really getting tedious now. I hope that the hormone doctor can sort it out on 21st.

My fatigue is still decreasing and some days I almost feel normal, like I've never had cancer. My mouth, although still drier than it once was, is everso slightly more moist. I hope it's a good sign of things to come. I still can't do dry food like bread or chicken, or anything spicy, but I do think that there is some progress - albeit very slow. Nicola, hopefully you'll find the same as you are very close behind me in terms of timescale.

Best wishes to you all.

Simon xx

Simon, hope the bone resolves itself mate. I've just finished week five. Still eating with co codemol and started on Ora morph in evening. Taste going a bit but managing to maintain weight. One full week and four days left although I know things can get worse for a while afterwards. Still got saliva and I know people have had a lot worse. Keep in touch mate. G.

Hi Guzzle,

Well done mate. Sounds like you are coping really well - far better than I did. By week 5 I had been hospitalised via A&E twice, couldn't talk and had just about gotten to a 'nil by mouth' situation. You're obviously some kind of Superman!

Not long to go now.

Simon.

Simon, just lucky so far but throat is getting sore and pain meds required to eat. From what gather this will get worse. Fingers crossed mate!

Hi all

Glad to hear that you are all doing well. It seems crazy that you are still waiting for your peg removal, Nicola, when you are now eating. Glad to hear that you are managing wine!

Guzzle, you are doing so well. You haven't mentioned phlegm - is this not a problem for you? By the stage you are at, I couldn't talk because the phlegm was so bad. I was like something out of Alien foaming at the mouth!

Simon - you have progressed exactly the same as I did (although I didn't have the night sweats). Don't worry I'm sure you'll be back on the spicey stuff soon. I was out for a curry with the girls last night and, at one stage, I thought I'd never be eating it again. I'm sorry, Irene, but I can't guarantee the same for chips as I still find them too dry. I can't quite take my Scouser husband's advice and have gravy with them!

Keep going - you are all nearly there!

Debbie

Deb , get a bit of phlegm in morning but not terrible yet touch wood. Your husband is a wise man. Try chips and mushroom /onion gravy. Its a post pub delicacy. I think my taste is going a bit and things are blander. Managed slow 3 mile jog this morning. Delighted you enjoyed a curry. You able to enjoy a sly beer etc yet? Regards, Gary.

Hi Guzzle, I'd forgotten all about that Phlegm scene ! When I had it I used to find that very lightly salted warm water would cut through it for a bit I remember Deb having it bad ! You sound like you're doing fantastically well mate and Deb you're sounding positive and really good . I found Guinness was the drink of choice for me :-).

Keep at it mate !

Ferry

Hi Guzzle, I'd forgotten all about that Phlegm scene ! When I had it I used to find that very lightly salted warm water would cut through it for a bit I remember Deb having it bad ! You sound like you're doing fantastically well mate and Deb you're sounding positive and really good . I found Guinness was the drink of choice for me :-).

Keep at it mate !

Ferry

Ferry, would live a guiness but am terrified what it would do to me on painkillers! Could end up getting stomach pumped! Looking forward to a beer when through treatment. How long did it take you to get off painkillers and sink a beer? Just had some prawns and taste Definately off (hopefully prawns weren't )

Good to hear from you , G.

PS when through and recovered going to have a trip to Leeds to meet access if you fancy it mate.

If I can make it mate I will, my son is going to Leeds uni if he gets his grades . I tried to stay off the painkillers as much as I could, didn't like what they did to my insides ! I was having the odd bevvy within about 2 weeks weeks of finishing treatment, I can remember sitting in the pub thinking I can't wait to get rid of this peg :-).

Take it easy mate !

Ferry

Yep! Not big on painkillers. A necessary evil to keep eating unfortunately. I would hope to be off them asap after finishing treatment and enjoying the occasional pint. This losing taste business quite unpleasant but Ill just keep shovelling the food in like fuel as little ng as I cab. Ive been lucky so far mate.

Diff lam oral rinse was what I had for my throat and tongue and I found it helped me loads, I also tried to have a little spicy food as often as I could and now I can deal with a fair bit of heat, not as much as before and nothing tastes quite the same anymore. But I'm still here thanks to the wonderful nhs !

Ferry