Hi Laura,

Thats a lot to cope with for you and heart goes out to you.
RIG sounds a bit of a nightmare but glad now sorted. Never had one so cant really comment but might have benefited from one with hindsight, but shame you had to go through that trying to get changed.

Good news that the consultant happy with Mick and long may it continue.

Keep as positive as you can I keep talking about the light at the end of the tunnel and the fact it exists.

Hope Mick continues well in recovery and please keep us posted on progress.

Onwards & Upwards
Ian
 

Evening  you lovely lot . I thought I would give an update on Chris as today was day 19/33 so over halfway woo! 

I went with him today as Thursday is doctor, dieticians& speech therapy day. 

No wight loss probably due to all the mash and semolina I am forcing him to eat .

very sore red neck with blisters - given a new cream gel.

lost his voice this morning he was unhappy about that came back a little this evening but hoarse was told to drink more fluids to keep throat moist .

Speech therapist happy  .

Pain in throat becoming worse but he loathes to take  pain killers but has been told he must take them regularly and don’t fight the pain . He was given morphine to have during the night when it’s at its worst as it will work quicker than the regular co codamol .

Doc was happy with him and is as good as can be expected but it could become worse over the next days! 

Must say everyone in the hospital are absolutely wonderful . We are so lucky to have the NHS .  Kind regards Ginny x 

Hi Ginny good to hear Chris is doing well, I can only back up what the others have said re pain my team said dont put up with it and take the meds offered.

Dave 

Hi

That sounds like a lot of pain relief. I would check with a Dr over the co-codamol and paracetamol? As it sounds as though you are overdosing on paracetamol, as co-codamol contains paracetamol.

Regards

Hi Diann

Just to clarify my response to Ginny, if indeed response was regarding my own pain relief.

I was on a lot of pain relief but never mixing  co codomol and morphine/paracetamol and hence my advice to perhaps mention to team. Paracetamol and morphine is fine but accoring to my medical team and GP, you should not take co codomol and morphine together due to side effects.
All my pain relief was stictly monitored and controlled and was gentlly introduced, upped, then gradually reduced again.

Regards

Ian

I understood your pain medication Anchor . I know it’s strictly monitored. She told us yesterday that they worry about the paracetamols effects on the liver ! She also said pain medication is modified throughout treatment . I am sure Dinn was just as shocked as me when I read all the medication you had had . But I understood to be throughout  your treatment and not all together ... blimey you would be as sick as a dog ! X x Ginny 

Apologies if I’m jumping in on someone’s post but I can’t work out how to start a new one!

Myhusband has just been diagnosed with cancer of the tonsils with spread to his lymph nodes, still awaiting final histology and consultant/oncologist apt for confirmation and grading. 

However we’ve been warned to expect 7weeksof chemo/radio and possible neck dissection at the end of it. My question of why not removed the lymph nodes first was dismissed without answer. 

I’d really appreciate hearing others experiences before we meet with them again next week. 

Thanks all

Jo

Hi Jo .... welcome to this lovely chat room . I can’t tell you specifically the answer to your question as my husband has the cancer just in his larynx with no spread so he is just having the 33 radiotherapy sessions . But what I do know is he has befriended someone having treatment with him who has tonsil and lymph . His treatment is like your husbands Chemo 3 I think and 30 radiotherapy sessions . I can see the lump in his neck so I’m guessing his wasn’t removed either . I am sure someone in this group will be able to answer your question better . Keep in touch with us . I have found this group fantastic & I am like you the better half ! Ginny x x  Ps you can’t start a new thread in the individual chat rooms well I can’t find a way so I always jump in on another too ! X 

Hi Jo 

This is Hazel I am 8 month post radiotherapy for tonsil I cancer and several lymph nodes. I had 35 radiotherapy sessions and 2 out if 3 chemotherapy. Many reasons why lymph nodes aren’t taken straight away. Nit being medically trained I can onky give yiu my experience one of my lymph nodes  which wasn’t the main one was located in an area that would have been to difficult tinroutunely operate and my oncologist was confident the radiotherapy would work and it did by week 5 Larry as the called the big lymph had gone without the need for any surgery u was given the allmxlear in January niw in 5 year programme if hospital visits for check ups. 

I have a detailed blog www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com which pulls no,punches in treatment and recovery. But there is  light at the end of the  tunnel I am on holiday in Spain at the moment and today bikes 48 km I am a 62 year old wimp of a female . The treatment is brutal the recovery can be long but the results can be good do you know if hubby is h p v 16 + it is an indicator of how the cancer got into tonsil more explained in my blog .

welcome to our small and inclusive club that no oneness really wants to join but herecwe are to help if we canmy blog also has links tomIan  Anchor 1707  s blog as well.

good luck ask any questions and will get back or someone will. Neck dissections aren’t always needed in fact they are quite rare after treatment  but don’t over worry am sure Emma whose hubby went through treatment and then had neck dissection will pop along

hazel x 

Hi Ginny it’s the weekend how’s  hubby doing  ,e joy the 2  days off. How is p is his neck now ? 

H x

Hazel . Was just thinking about you . 35 radiotherapy sessions blimey I don’t know how you did it . Chris seems fine tonight neck burnt as you know and voice is hoarse bit he is in good spirits . Yey for the weekend but for some reason he feels worse when he doesn’t have treatment . Sunday’s always feels worse than fridays so to speak . Oh well no 20 under his belt now . Have a lovely weekend and thanks for being so supportive to us all . Patients & carers you are very kind . X x 

Hi there Jo and welcome to the forum and sorry you find yourself here but we’re really friendly and help each other as much as possible. 

My hubby was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous cell cancer of the tonsils with lymph node tumours in Dec 2015. He had 5 cycles of Cistplatin chemotherapy and 30 fractions of VMAT radiotherapy plus a neck dissection and had been cancer free for nearly 3 years.

Our Oncologist and ENT surgeon didnt want to remove the lymph nodes prior to chemoradiation as they didnt want to delay treatment by waiting for his body to heal before starting and also there is a good possibility that the treatment will destroy the tumour in the lymph node without the need for surgery. They usually mention the neck dissection as they want to prepare you fir all eventualities. When you meet with them next week then I would definitely ask the question again .

The treatment is definitely tough and arduous not just for the one having it but for the family too so please ask any questions you might have and we will try to help. Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to chat and Id be happy too.

Im sure others will also drop by to offer their help and support. 

Please come back and let us know how you get on at the next appointment and wishing you both loads of luck as you embark on your journey.

best wishes

Emma xx

Hi there Jo and welcome to the forum and sorry you find yourself here but we’re really friendly and help each other as much as possible. 

My hubby was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous cell cancer of the tonsils with lymph node tumours in Dec 2015. He had 5 cycles of Cistplatin chemotherapy and 30 fractions of VMAT radiotherapy plus a neck dissection and had been cancer free for nearly 3 years.

Our Oncologist and ENT surgeon didnt want to remove the lymph nodes prior to chemoradiation as they didnt want to delay treatment by waiting for his body to heal before starting and also there is a good possibility that the treatment will destroy the tumour in the lymph node without the need for surgery. They usually mention the neck dissection as they want to prepare you fir all eventualities. When you meet with them next week then I would definitely ask the question again .

The treatment is definitely tough and arduous not just for the one having it but for the family too so please ask any questions you might have and we will try to help. Feel free to send me a friend request if you want to chat and Id be happy too.

Im sure others will also drop by to offer their help and support. 

Please come back and let us know how you get on at the next appointment and wishing you both loads of luck as you embark on your journey.

best wishes

Emma xx

Thank You everyone. I’ve been lurking here for a few weeks and have finally got through all the posts as well as Hazel and Ian’s blogs. 

Thank god for you guys because without knowing it you have been the only support I e had. From “it’s definitely just a cyst to actually....” five weeks ago that’s pretty much been it until his tonsillectomy a week ago. 

Cant wait for Monday to come and get some answers/ prognosis/treatment/ ???

Whereas Mark,hubby with said dodgy tonsils, is very much a head in the sand kind of a guy I need to know what we face and be prepared. 

My husband hasn’t look at one article online . I just do it to prepare myself as it’s going to be a lot of looking after them . Loads of support here Jo it’s going to be a long rd as treatment is horrible . Keep off Google it will do you no good . You will get  first hand no nonsense advice here .  It’s really helped me  . Ginny x 

Hi Jo 

My hubby was a bit like that - it was all ‘tell Emma or explain it to Emma’ as he didn’t want to know - he just said let them get on with it whereas I wanted to kniw all the details ( think it’s because Im a nurse ! ) Take a pen and paper with you on monday as you wont remember everything they say and write down any questions you have so you have them to hand. Once you have a plan of action then it will be easier to procesd. It’s definitely easier once you know what to expect. We definitely have lots if tips and hints to help get you through so please adk away.

Glad youve read Hazel and Ians blogs 

best wishes 

Emma 

Hi Jo

Am sorry to hear of hubbys diagnosis.

Plenty of support and help here and lots of tips and advice availble from many of us who post here.

Note that you mention both Hazel and myself re blogs and they should give you some insight and awareness of what to expect during and after treatment. My own view is it on balance much better to know what to potentially expect on the journeuy ahead and have less chance to be caught so unware or surprised by some of the challenges post treatment.

As Hazel says, the treatment and recovery period can be challenging but I often quite the fact the light at the end of the tunnel actually exists and the chances of success and cure for this type of cancer is really high. 
On the treatment itself, I would say on baalnce its pretty much ok ish and its more the recovery afterwards that the challenges kick in. My blog kinda breaks down each week during treatment of how I felt and reacted.
Please keep us posted on progress and let me know if if there is any way I can help at all.

listed blog link for ease.

radiotherapythroat.home.blog

Onwards & Upwards
Ian

Hi Jo thank yiu for reading mine an Ian’s blogs ,I try to tell everyine keep off dr google the facts like my oncologist says are at least 8 years  ( plus work in previous 10 years reports ) out of date .think his philosophy is look his much the internet has changed in the last 18 years ! So imagine his much better treatment is niw.  It’s was onky about 25 years ago  head n neck cancers we woukd have had 2 wall type bricks at side of our necks to hold us down and Ben blasted from here To eternity! Wheras now niw when being radiotherapy table ask yiurr hubby after the scans which in my case were almost every other day you can feel the table tilt to re position to get accurate targeting. We are proof that it works and are now living our life’s. I did the blog as I am a control freak ! And found it was the onky thing I could control am doing inadvertently now are helping others. Feel free to direct friends and family toothed boogs as it will save you having to go into details every time

please let us k now monday the  results like Emma says pen and paper invaluable don’t be intimidated,there were 9 in my M. D. T meeting I am in the 3% minority’s if women who get a mans cancer so they were clambering over who was going to treat me ! Lol

also ask re h p v status and tumours side lymph nodes and metasis  TNM  hold head high walk tall if in doubt ask questions .

My Oncologist wins the battle due to seniority,and like he says to me he didn’t realise what a giid ine he had caught my blog he uses in his teaching to others like he says yiu can’t compare hand in experiences. He knows the science we know our bodies. 

Advise from now until treatment starts   eat eat plus drink plenty if water. Keep the water uo all waybthrough treatment.

onwardss and uowards like Ian says

h x