Hi Zarker

I had severe displacia of the vocal chords around 5 years ago and was told that I needed laser treatment immediately as it "was very close to cancer". I had laser treatment a few times and had to have biopsies done around every 2 - 3 months but in my case it had gone too deep so they could only laser the surface and it kept coming back. If you are a smoker you should give it up immediately as my consultant told me to avoid smoke at all costs.

I went on to have larygneal cancer but I was stage T2-3 when I was eventually diagnosed. I was successfully treated with radiotherapy 28 months ago and touch wood everything is fine and my voice is better than it's been for years.

On a positive note they are closely monitoring you and as you are at a very early stage hopefully they will be able to get rid of it with laser treatment alone.

I wish you well and hope that the next laser treatment will be the end of it.

Marion x

Hi Marion ,

Thanks very much for your reply it was most helpful. I hope you don't mind me asking but how long was it from when they found displacia to you being diagnosed with laryngeal cancer? As this is what I think may be happening to me. They said inicially It could be treated with laser alone and after my last laser treatment yesterday that the return was on the surface only and did not warrant rdiotherapy at the moment and he had done deeper biopsys which he says hes sure arn't cancerous. This has as you know been a very difficult time for me as i'm so scared of loosing my voice or having to have a laryngectomy which I've been told is unlikely. i'm reassured to know that after your treatment your voice is now good. Thank you again and I hope you continue to do well. Andy

p,s gave up smoking 5 years ago and after this will never go back to it!

HI Andy

I'll be thinking of you and keeping everything crossed making typing very difficult!

I'll check later to see how you are. I have to log off now as I'm at work and my lunch break is over.

Try not to worry

Marion x

Th Marion my appt is at 3pm will let you know later. x

Hi Zacker.

Hope you get the best results that you want. I being at the end of all this treatment had numerous operations and are free of throat cancer for 2 years, I went through all the same things that you and all people like us are feeling, treatment is a lot better than it used to be, I read the post from luckyus but dont know what problem her husband has.

As you know my cancer was T4 but I had a good surgeon as it is he has just retired, I must have been to much for him (joke).

I will be thinking about you and all the people that come on here. let me know what they say.

Regards

Joeninty.

Hope all went as good as it can do for you today and your fears were wrong thinking of you

Hi Joeninty

My husband has T1 of the left vocal cord we found out early this month he is going in for laser treatment. soon.we are still in the shock stage at the moment. again thank you for all you have wrote. i hope we dont walk down the full road that you have been down but i realise we are on the same path with our fingers crossed. not sure there is anything else to say yet thanks

Lucky Us (yer Right)

Hi Luckyus.

You dont say how old your husband is, I am 66 now I started when I was 64 with a sore throat, mine started on the left then I was unlucky it started on the right. I had radio for 6 weeks but it didnt seem to help, I wont go into anymore. I have met a few people in the hospital that have had different stages of this type of cancer and have had treatment and everything has turned out allright. have you talked about this with your husband, or is he the type like me that wouldnt talk about it.

There is a lot of people on this site that will help with blogs on here and offer support for you both if need be. the laser is not that bad I had it, nothing to worry about . if you want to let me know if you would like anymore info I will look out for your reply.

Dont worry to much it will get better.

Michael.

Hi Marion,

Well its mixed news. They have found a small lesion under the lasered tissue which my consultant say's is behaving very much like cancer although at a very early stage, it looks like something that could in the future become aggressive and he could laser it but there is no guarantee it won't come back and continued lasering will make my voice worse. So he wants to give me a 6 week course of RT which he says will clear it all up once and for all. Its not the news I wanted but I'm relieved that its completely localised and all the other scans, neck, chest etc are clear.

He also said that I would only need the RT in a very small area of the larynx so the side effects will not be as bad as I thought, eg, lack of saliva, swallowing etc, although I'm sure its not going to be easy but if this is what it takes to beat this once and for all then i'm prepared to go through with it. Its strange I almost feel relieved like chris did when he was told as this has gone on so long that I am so glad there is a good chance I can get rid of it.

Thanks so much for your support and thoughts today, I know we havent met but you feel like a real friend and it buoyed me up to know you were thinking about me, so thanks for that. There's lots of preparation as you know so I think it will be 3 weeks ago before I start so will keep you up to date on how I get on. Thanks again.

Andy xx

Hi thanks for your kind message its good and bad news as you will see from my post to marion. Will keep you up to date on my progress. Hope your not reading this and thinking oh god all this is going to happen to us as I'm sure it won't.I just think i've been unlucky in terms of the laser treatment not working and remember everyone responds differently to treatment. I'm sure your husband will be fine with laser alone. All the best for his treatment and keep us posted on how he is getting on.

Best Wishes to you both

Andy

HI Joeninty thanks for your message. Hope all is good with you.

Hi Joeninty

My Husband is 55 years old i had a friend a few years ago that went through vocal cord cancer and had a full larnxoscopy (which i belive you have had done). so we are in this with our eyes open!! it is only with the knowledge of our friend that my husband went to the doctors so early (thank goodness). My husband will ask me the odd question as he knows i have read a lot of info (like you do) but he won't say a lot ( i still think he is in total shock), i think this is why i found all the post so helpfull it makes you realise there different people in all the different stages, willing to talk (well type but you know what i mean).

Best wishes Luckyus

Hi Joeninty

My Husband is 55 years old i had a friend a few years ago that went through vocal cord cancer and had a full larnxoscopy (which i belive you have had done). so we are in this with our eyes open!! it is only with the knowledge of our friend that my husband went to the doctors so early (thank goodness). My husband will ask me the odd question as he knows i have read a lot of info (like you do) but he won't say a lot ( i still think he is in total shock), i think this is why i found all the post so helpfull it makes you realise there different people in all the different stages, willing to talk (well type but you know what i mean).

Best wishes Luckyus

Hi Luckus.

Thanks for replying, I know what he must be thinking, when I was told what the outcome of my biopsy/radio and 3 trips down to theatre for checkups, the specialist gave me the news that I didnt want, I came out of his office and a specialist nurse came running after me and said did I understand what he had just told me, I had took it all in, the next thing I knew I had a date for my op.

The operation I had is called a total laryngectomy, I wont tell you anymore, it is the wrong end of my type of cancer, I am great now do most of the things I did before.

I did a abseil for a childs charity in april only 65 yards down it was great no nerves. tell your husband to talk about it with you, the more you know what he is thinking the more you can help to find out things on his behalf hope to hear from you again

joeninty Michael.

Hi Michael

A very close freind of mine had a total laryngeoctomy about 10 years ago at the age of 62. she went back to full time work after and started biking all round town ( only on good days) and helped on the ward for patients going through this horrible time. She passed away 7 years later ( the cancer never returned) how i wish i could talk to her now i was just so lucky that we talked so much while she was here and why we were so quick to get my husband checked out.

he was in yesterday for another biopsy and to have his vocal cord lasered so a bit of TLC today thanks for letting me jump into your long standing post but it has been such a great help.

Hugs to all

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus.

I havent been on for a while,your husband is in for laser treatment again, I had iy done, sorry to hear about your friend. I had my total 3 years now and more or less back to normal, like I told a friend of mine I did a abseil this year for the kids cancer, it was only 65 ft I thought it was great. how is your husband now, have they told him what treatment he will need or will this treatment solve his problem, I have got a friend who's mum may be going into hospital for a major op, soon, I have been helping with a bit of advice on my own experance hoping it will help. how old is your husband, did they ask him at the hospital do you drink, smoke etc. it seems to be the same questions everywhere in the country, is he still in hospital if so give him all me best tell him to hang on in there as it will come alright in the end. let me know how you get on, also how are you getting on I bet it is a bit of a shock for you, I have 3 daughters you can see how much I got looked after.

Lots of love, hope to hear from you .

michael.

Hi Micheal

My Husband is 55 we wait 6 weeks now to find out what happens next he is very sorry for himself today, Yes the hospital did ask the questions about drinking and smoking he has smoked all his adult life and the last 20 years cigars only ( the small ones).

This has always been my fer after my friend got it i leart all the statistics but he never thought it would happen to him.

We have 2 daughters.

will write again when i have new news

pleased you have got your life back on track and good for you doing the absailing

Take care

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus

.

I know how he must be feeling, when I was going for biopsy's I had 2. You think why havent they fixed it last time, the thing about cancer you can never tell what will happen with it. They say smoking doesnt help but I got it and dont smoke. like I said I am 66 now and have had cancer for 3 years been into hospital a couple of times but sorted now not the way I would have liked, but back to normal all exept playing golf, it is two much effert to do now, back to diy, playing my guitar's etc. wish your husband all the best from me hope he gets back to normal again, let me know how he gets on.

michael.

Hi lucky us,

Just read your post. Sorry to hear about the delay for your husband and his treatment. Did they have any ides'a about what they think the next move will be? I can't remember if you said he had already had laser treatment?

I smoked on and off from when I was a teenager and stopped about 7 years ago. I was only a social smoker so would have a few when out drinking with friends so  guess that could have contributed to it and I do like a drink, not excessive, but like a good few glasses of wine with a meal or a few beers with friends, again only socially, so I know that will all have to change after my treatment.

I think my biggest fear is of loosing my voice box as your friend did, although my consultant has assured me this won't happen, I just don't think I could cope with that as I love talking and am a good communicator, however it sounds like michael has done really well since his op, he's probably made of tougher stuff than me, so well done to him.

I start my radiotherapy a week mon, am very nervous about how it will affect me physically although the doctor seems to be fairly optimistic that it won't be too bad, but i'm prepared to put up with whatever  if this can clear it up for good, fingers crossed. I think with all this waiting is the worst thing as you then have time to dwell on things and the worry goes into over drive. I think when they told me about the RT I just thought great! lets get on with it! I really hope you get some news soon. As you've noticed with us its not a quick fix but at least we are all aware we have a problem and are being monitered carefully and are in good hands so that hopefully in the not too distant future we can all move on from this and get on with our lives.

Will let you know I get on and if you ever need any advice please, just ask,  without wanting to sound naff, you are part of our group and we will look out for each other. just noticed that over 10,500 people have viewed our posts! So hopefluuy we are helping othes too.

Best wishes to you and your husband.

Andy ( zarker)

Hi Zacker.

I read your post to luckyus, have you had radiotheropy before I had 6 weeks of it it is not to bad , do you have to have a mask fitted for the radio, I did it might sound bad but it is nothing I had the radio once a day but some people have it a few times, the only thing is you get tired as the treatment goes on I also had a dry mouth but I got some arificial siliva and you spray it in your throat and it is great.

let me know how your treatment gets on all the best to you.

michael joeninty

Hi Andy

Just a quick message to say good luck for Monday!  Keep us updated while you can.  You might not feel like going on-line in a few weeks time but we will be thinking of you.

Love Marion x

Hi Luckyus

Sorry to hear that your husband has to wait 6 weeks for the results!  Is there no way you can get the results sooner?  I had to wait 2 weeks for mine but that seemed like an eternity.  I can't believe that they won't get the results sooner.  Have they sent him for an MRI scan?

Hope the results aren't as bad as you fear.

Take care

Marion x

Hi Marion

I thought i might call the hospital today to see if we can get in sooner we waited last time for 2 weeks and you are right even that was too long. if we wait the 6  weeks it will make it christmas week.Good or bad i dont even want to know anything about this disease at christmas. Thats my time of year!! selfish i know.

No scans have been mentioned at the moment they seem to be playing it down saying how early we have caught it and this laser should be the end of it. I am not stupid and i know that many people are told they should be ok and the Doctors are wrong so we will just have to wait and see.

thank you so much for all the advice you have given through this post over the past 6 weeks it has been so helpful.

Big hugs

Luckyus