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Just finished radiotherapy for tongue cancer

April30
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Hi I have just finished my last radiotherapy session  for back of tongue cancer, I previously had a lump removed. I know it’s going to get worse before it gets better but I just wondered if anyone has gone through radiotherapy in the same place and could give me any insight.

The pain is really bad now obviously on my tongue but especially the roof of my mouth and rest of my mouth and I am on fortiship shakes only I can’t manage any food. 

I am taking both types of morphine as well as paracetamol throughout the day and I can’t do a saltwater rinse and it is too harsh it burns my whole mouth, so looking for an alternative to cleanse my mouth out? I use difflam, mouthwash but that is only for pain.

Thanks in advance for any reply’s  x

 

  • Offline in reply to April30

    Hi April

     

    glad to hear you're doing well! I do have side effects but they're more annoying than life changing. I can eat everything but some things are harder eg salad. I'm slower eating. I still have remnants of food left when I finish eating, but it goes with a sip of water - or actually just with time actually, as I do seem able to clear it just not as fast. I have some pain in my jaw from the bone marrow edema (from the RT), and my neck is a bit stiff. I also sometimes have excess saliva when talking, as I'm not swallowing it in the usual way. Much better than not enough saliva that's for sure!

     

    I had a baseline scan at 10 weeks post treatment ending, they then compared my recent scan against that. They could then see that scar tissue was just scar tissue etc, as it hadn't changed in size.

     

    Yes I am thinking more about the baby now, especially after passing the 1 year mark. I've just joined a couple of groups on FB for women who've had or are trying to have babies after cancer, so hoping to find some support there. I've also been doing a lot of reading on if it increases risk (general finding of most studies seems to be no). How about you? 

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