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Radiotherapy for Throat Cancer

Anchor1707
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Hello all,

I have posted my little story on introduce yourself and basically I have been diagnosed with Stage 1 Throat cancer.

The prognosis is hopeful and I remain cheerful and positive. Its taken a while for the actual treatment to start so glad to get on with it at last.

I started my first day of radiotherpy today and have 29 more treatments to go over 6 week period.
I have made a little computer programme that logs my side effects and summarises episodes of each heading and I plan on keeping a daily log of how things went/ how I feel ( good and bad ) and map out my journey. I find it therapuetic.

I will share periodically in the hope that even if it helps one person as well as myself  it will be worthwhile.

So day 1 was fine and I dont really feel any difference or notice anything.
One small point is that the mask made was slightly harder than when it was first made as it has set little harder over the weeks and was a little more moveable on the day made.
Took about 10 mins for actual radiotherpay treatment itself.
Drove home fine.

Meet with advanced practioner nurse every Thurs to discuss progress.
Aware might be a little different along the way but all good after day 1.

 

kind regards

Ian

 

  • Offline in reply to andy68

    Hi Andy,

    I wish you well on your journey and hope you keep us posted as you progress.

    I hope you have had a chance to read the blogs that both myself and Hazel highlighted links for earlier  as you will get some indication from them on what you might have to expect as well as a bunch on tips we hope are useful.We have both finished treatment and at different stages of recovery just now.

    best wishes

    ian

  • Offline in reply to andy68

    Hi Ansybcan only echo what Ian has said read our blog s you get an idea remember we are all different and re act in different way s

    i was T2N2NM0 

    my blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com with links to Ians

     

    hazel

  • Offline in reply to Louisabel

    Hi Louisa bel 4 paracetamol is nit sought atbthis stage please see someone about pain relief the clue is in the name pain killers inwas in oramorph and 30 mg co codomol for 5 months almost inweaned my self gradually offvthem with no side effects please please see someone 

    detail s in my blog www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com

     

    h 

  • Offline

    Hi Elbie

    Glad this is Micks last day.

    As for neck mine was only minor in the big scheme of things but started after treatment stopped.
    I used Hydromol cream and kept in fridge cold and that helped me, especially to negate the itching..
    Hazel is probably able to help more with neck blisters/burns etc and advise re neck dressings

    Best wishes to Mick on his recovery phase and hope side effects kept to a minimum

    ian

  • Offline in reply to Anchor1707

    Hi Laura 

    Paul had really horrible radiation burns on his neck . We used intrasite hydrogel and allevyn non adherent foam dressings and they worked really well and cleated them up in about 5 days. To be honest as a nurse we only used silver nitrate dressings for ones which are infected and smell. The hydrogel dressings you leave on for a couple of days so as to allow the new tissue to form without having to keep remiving them whereas the silver ones you usually have to change daily so can be painful to change everday. The best thing is to be guided by the radiotherapist and soecialist nurse.

    Hope that helps a little

    well done on finishing the radiotherapy 

    best wishes

    Emma

  • Offline in reply to Anchor1707

    Hi friends, that is me finished, 33 radiotherapy fractions, took 8 weeks almost, instead  of 6 and a half due to machine upgrades and breakdowns.

    I would like to thank Hazel Radioactive Raz, Ian Anchor , Dave Oscar,  Newlymarried Emma  for their personal input, plus Eric in Spain. Also the admin for helping me join the board. I will keep monitoring and contributing, is has been as helpful to me as some of my nurses!!

    I have updated when i had a slight issue or 2 to discuss and got great support, i have refrained from overdoing it as i feel lucky, in that my side effects were not as acute. Here are tips i learned that worked for me in addition to the tips i picked up here.

    Mouth ;

    i had no ulcers or burns, mucositis minimal. I put a lot down  to the fact i was given Amino Acids supplements,I know again, i got lucky, the NHS dont provide this i hear, it is very expensive, however maybe they do not believe in its benefit , not sure. I daily, used plenty of salt/baking soda gargles, after any food at all. I was given a mouthwash the hospital here make up and give in plastic bottles. Seems to be the same recipe as "magic mouthwash" which you can google. Made eating a breeze, never stopped eating solids all the way except one night , and i wanted to try liquidised food. Was fine too! A thing i tried myself, just as a thought, was kids fluoride toothpaste, i used it of course for the fluoride, but   also the strawberry taste helped my tastebuds. A tip a nurse gave  me was to put soda water on the tongue and suck, to clear tastebuds.

    Skin;

    I bought on advice a cream called ISDN. Sadly i was allergic to it and came out in a mess! My skin has always been a problem! So switched to RADIOCARE green bottle. 20 quid a bottle but boy did it sort it, as i was playing catch up from the allergy.

    Excercise; i kept to a 20 min walk regime, plus press ups every other day. I am 57 but fit (ish, nothing competative these days like Dave!). I think it helped , and the thirst helped me keep drinking more water ( Ian is correct helps at least to get swallowing excercises in).

    Saliva:  been reasonably ok, i know again , a bit lucky, i pleaded them to spare as much as possible , as a pro singer, it would be a career ender.........let's see how that goes!  But ive always chewed sugar free gum. Lo and behold, the brand i use here has Xylitol in it! 7 years been using it never noticed. Trident spearment, v cheap, really helped on driest days and car journeys. 

    Pain; they gave me a patch after week 3. I wasnt in pain, never have been, will know soon enough when i stop using, what it did for me!  They said expect constipation, as drug was stronger than morphene,  Fentanyl, 12 mcgms, smallest dose to get me used to it.  I never used the laxative they gave me , i took my own......daily pureed apples, added a touch of cinammon, put it in porridge or ate it straight. Excellent.

     

    Think that is my story up to date, i now await the dreaded recovery period i am about to enter, will keep in touch for support, i expect pain to arrive/peak, swallowing to be tricky and...who knows? The one thing the docs and nurses say, and also our friends on here  is    EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT. 

    Maybe i will come out of it a better singer?!  not hard to be honest!!   Graeme.

  • Offline

    Great Emma isnt it? Ian, we thank you. 

  • Offline in reply to TFS

    Hi Graeme and first of all, great that you have now finsished all your treatment.

    Next - really good you have listed these tips and also the fact that you have been able to get through the way you have. All fingures crossed that your recovery phase is not too bad and side effects kept to a minimum.

    I spoke to my specialist team today and spoke about recovery periods.
    Seems to be, according to them, on average, six months before a return to work considered and then with a long phased return. I think they thought thatSuperdave is a rare case with recovery so quick.
    It does re iterate what many of us say and you also point out is that we are all different. Was also told today  recovery also depends on the tumor, where it is and the treatment given.I guess being reasonably fit would help as well.
    So again no magic recovery period as standard for anyone and we all find our own.
    If you don't mind, I will incorporate some of your additional tips in blog as tips in one section to read and I do point out they are not just mine but from others as well

    Lastly i'm pleased that it wont seem to effect your singing as you did say you had a slight concern over at the start so thats great.

    Keep in touch over your recovery period and nice to hear another positive journey despite the treatment.
    ps - thank you for your kind words

    Onwards and Upwards
    Ian

     

  • Offline in reply to TFS

    Hi Laura,

    Thank you for your kind words but its great how such a few of us have collectively pulled together here to help one another and I'm sure both blogs from Hazel and myself have also helped a few, well according to our feedback.
    It's good to be able to share and help.

    Onwards and Upwards

    Ian

  • Offline in reply to Anchor1707

    Cheers Ian, and that bit about tumours.......not been mentioned much so i said nothing, but it is my belief that the main reason we are all different is just that, tumour/size/spread to nodes/mets.....all hugely  impact on treatment they decide treatment therefore recovery. To think, you went back to work so soon. Time will tell when you really are feeling right. Best wishes.

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