9 months post radiotherapy

I'm 9 months post treatment for tonsil cancer. Saliva is still an issue. I've been having Auricular accupunture which I think is helping a little or it could just be myself improving.

Anyone else having accupunture, if so, what type is it? Is it working? If so, do you know what points the acupuncturist is needling?

Parents
  • HinDebbie what you are feeling is radiation fatigue it's debilitating.although I was very  fit inhad to learn to,pace myself and at all times listen to my body. I am now 3.5 years post radiotherapy and it was  only last September at 3  years I stopped my 20 min power naps. Maybe it's not what you wanted to hear but no use in me saying anythjng other than my experiences. Ok from early days I coukd cycle but always had to offset by having naps. 
    As for t mouth pain now I would say I'm 95% normal  but I still do get episodes of new ulcers flaring up I have learnt what my trigger points are namely tomatoes , cheese anything fermented I get burning tongue syndrome which there no cure for I just have to adapt what I'm eating. If it helps we're over in spain at the minute and alls we'll ( apart from both hubby and I tested postive for covid last week can yiu believe it) Thankfully fully vaccinated and boosted we've had very mild. I can now walk quite happily 12 km a day and ride up to 60 km  but there no quick fix. If you look at my blog www.RadioactiveRaz.wordpress.com you'll see my recovery mapped out. 
    i know you might not think it is early days my oncologist said I'm going to cure you but will take a year of yiur life and he wasn't wrong. I haas I  just learned to listen to my body. By doing that I could get uo at normal times do what I wanted to then fit a nap in every day and stay up until at leastb11 p,  plus for first year I ate regularly 2500 calories to enable my muscles to regain strength. After 15 month I started to gain weight so reeled back to normal eating. Our bodies need protein to replace the radiation damage. Hope this helps 

    plus online a great article by dr Peter Harvey

    After treatment what happens next. 
    hope this helps Hazel

Reply
  • HinDebbie what you are feeling is radiation fatigue it's debilitating.although I was very  fit inhad to learn to,pace myself and at all times listen to my body. I am now 3.5 years post radiotherapy and it was  only last September at 3  years I stopped my 20 min power naps. Maybe it's not what you wanted to hear but no use in me saying anythjng other than my experiences. Ok from early days I coukd cycle but always had to offset by having naps. 
    As for t mouth pain now I would say I'm 95% normal  but I still do get episodes of new ulcers flaring up I have learnt what my trigger points are namely tomatoes , cheese anything fermented I get burning tongue syndrome which there no cure for I just have to adapt what I'm eating. If it helps we're over in spain at the minute and alls we'll ( apart from both hubby and I tested postive for covid last week can yiu believe it) Thankfully fully vaccinated and boosted we've had very mild. I can now walk quite happily 12 km a day and ride up to 60 km  but there no quick fix. If you look at my blog www.RadioactiveRaz.wordpress.com you'll see my recovery mapped out. 
    i know you might not think it is early days my oncologist said I'm going to cure you but will take a year of yiur life and he wasn't wrong. I haas I  just learned to listen to my body. By doing that I could get uo at normal times do what I wanted to then fit a nap in every day and stay up until at leastb11 p,  plus for first year I ate regularly 2500 calories to enable my muscles to regain strength. After 15 month I started to gain weight so reeled back to normal eating. Our bodies need protein to replace the radiation damage. Hope this helps 

    plus online a great article by dr Peter Harvey

    After treatment what happens next. 
    hope this helps Hazel

Children
  • Hi Hazel 

    Sorry to hear about the covid (bloody nuisance). I hope the sun is shining at least. Thankyou so much Hazel for you quick and very very helpful response. I feel a lot better now that I know it's normal and I don't have to rush, I sort of feel shame when I keep saying to my grown up kids and extended family that I'm to tired to do this and that. So Thankyou once again I won't feel so bad now. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Spain you most certainly sound fit enough. 
    the kindest regards

    (relieved)

    Debbie 

  • HinDebbie no problem no sun we've a 3 day storm apppeoaching. At minute we've a Saharan dust storm over head. Yes just because we get the no evidence of cancer response everyone expects we're back to normal. If only they woukd sit and thick where our treatment was and how brutal our treatment was. I printed the Peter Harvey article off and gave to people. Just because we look like we're back to normal in reality we're at the start if recovery. Tell people if you burn your mouth with a hit drink does it hurt them they say yes so say that's mine every minute if day. I remember in early days I used to say to hubby onky leave my mouth gets us whike I'm asleep but the minute I wake it's there again. 
    youlk get there just babybsteps 

    Hazel 

    xx

  • Hi Hazel 

    Wow that sounds ominous, good luck with that. Your so right no one understands, it's quite a lonely business this recovery lark. That's a brilliant tip I will use that one ( the burnt mouth). I've just finished reading Peter Harvey article, what a fantastic insight he has, it's helped so much I cannot wait to show my family. I wonder if he too had cancer as well as being a doctor he seems to know so much. Once again Thankyou Hazel your like an encyclopaedia of information

    The kindest Regards 

    Debbie