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 Michael

he has just had lases treatment on his vocal cord (nov 10th) and get results 22 dec so i know he is worring. and he has just given up smoking. now i think about it have not praised him for that, i was just so angry that he ever smoked as i haven't and hated it. mabe i am just expecting to much from him to soon. he says he is confident the cancer has gone and this is the end of it. But deep down i know he is afraid he asks me questions all the time as he would never dream of looking things up he burries head in the sand a bit.

Thanks once again

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus.

When he had laser on his vocal cords what did they say it was at. was it T1-T4. I had 6 weeks of laser, I will not go into what happened after. Like I said I never smoked but still got throat cancer, the specialist asked at the first diagnosis how long I had smoked for they seem to ask this straight away when you got to see them as a few of the people I have talked to get asked by them.

I have been talking to a lit of people who find it helps to talk about what to expect as in my case, EG. what happened as I went along, as I said my problem got worse the more I went for bipseys I was in hospital for 3 of them and my cancer had moved from one vocal cord to the other side in a matter of 6 months.

Doctors dont tell you much, have you asked him what he thinks if the news is not what he expects, does he use a computer, when I found out about my news I was on the computer to see what I could find out about the stage of my cancer and what may happen in the future, some people get frightened to look but I then had it in my mind what may happen and it helped me to understand what may happen in the future. get back to me and let me know how you get on, I can see not knowing isnt helping but what might happen in the future can upset him try and get him to talk about it, I get a lot of people emailing me to talk about it and I hope I can help with going through it

michael.

Hi Lucky us,

been reading your threads. I honestly think if they had found something that concerned them they would have had your husband straight back in to do more surgery or at least tell you whats going on so it could be a case of no news is good news. When they first saw your husband they would know just by looking if there was anything that needed immediate attention and the delay is probably just for healing. When I had my first laser they told me a week later it was T1 and that they would be doing more laser then keeping an eye on it. I expect they will have a look at it with the endo scope on 22nd to see how it looks after the surgey and if it looks ok they will leave it for the monthly observation. Thats what happened after I had the second laser they just said as far as they could see it looked fine and just told me to come back in a month, of course subsequently I have had more problems but everyone is different perhaps your husband will be lucky and the laser will be enough. Try not to worry and avoid looking at articles on the internet they are not representative and in my experience cause panic and are not helpful although I'm sure michael means well by suggesting it.

I'm doing ok have got a nasty chest infection which is making the RT more difficult, bad timing I guess. Good luck for 22nd keeping everything crossed. :-)

Take care

Andy

Hi Marion,

RT was going really well till last sat when I developed a really nasty cold which has turned chest/throat infection which is making me cough constantly throwing 'salt in the wounds' of my already sore throat. Fortunately I can just about swallow so am getting some food down but it is extremely uncomfortable and can only get relief from co codamol my wonder drug! Its weird as I think the chest infection and coughing are worse than the RT as i can't remember ever having anything like this as i'm generally fit and don't get many colds.

I'm having to take some time off from work which is annoying as I wanted to wait till the end of the treatment before I stop working but guess it can't be helped. I work in clerkenwell at a small private health studio ( you asked where I work) which is close to the city, guess i'm not a great advert for personal training at the moment!

have been texting chris, bless him, he's been great, giving me encouragement it really is something when someone you don't know is prepared to go out on a limb for you, mind you guess know each other a little by know except what we look or sound like which in my case is a whisper at the moment. Hope all is well with you.

Love Andy

Hi Michael

he has T1 stage cancer he has never been the type to read up on things where as i am he has never looked on this site just asks every now and again what it says. thanks for your continued support and will be back on after the 22 to let you know what happens

Thanks

Luckyus

Hi Andy

I agree with the "no news is good news" theory, So sorry you are going through the mill at the moment RT sounds hard enough without the chest infection. On the whole i am not a worrier but my husband is. Every day i am gratfull we caught it so early.

Thank you for your continued help

Luckyus

Hi Andy

Sorry to hear that you have a chest infection at the moment.  I had bad cough during my RT and was worried that I would choke under the mask or move during a cough and get zapped in the wrong place!  I know what you mean about sometimes the mask feeling more tighter sometimes and I used to worry that I was in the wrong position.

I'm sure your throat is getting sorer by the week now.  You may have to take something stronger like morphine - what a wonderful drug that is but knocks you out and adds to the tiredness.

You might have been told that you will feel worse AFTER your treatment has finished.  I was really pleased that my neck was fine and not too red and I even had a little bit of voice then all of a sudden a week after I finished RT my neck was bright red like I had severe sunburn and my voice went completely.  Make sure you use your aquious cream liberally even though your neck might be ok at the moment.

Take care and keep posting if you're feeling up to it.

Love Marion x

Hi Andrea

I'm sorry to hear that you've been bearing the brunt of your husband's frustration.  He must be so worried and unfortunately he is taking it out on his nearest and dearest (we always hurt the ones we love etc).

He's obviously not coping very well at the moment and I can vouch for the fear and worry of the unknown whilst waiting for results and he has had to ensure a long wait so it is taking its toll on him.

After my RT finished I had to wait 8 weeks before I could have an MRI scan to see if the treatment had worked and a further week for the results of the scan.  I was told that if the treatment had been unsuccessful the only option would have been to have a full laryngectomy. During that long wait I just went to pieces and would burst into tears for no apparent reason, I couldn't sleep, I didn't wait to see anyone and was a nightmare to live with.  The only way I could decribe it was in the depths of dispair.  My doctor put me in anti-depressants and sleeping tablets to get me through until the results.  I also saw a counsellor once a week.  Once I got the results and was told everything was good, my mood lifted instantly and I gradually returned to my normal self.

Sorry, not meaning to harp on about me, but just letting know that the way your husband is acting could be because he is find it all too hard to cope with.  Roll on next week and everything will be fine and you can have a peaceful Christmas.  I agree with Andy and feel hopeful that the hospital would have been in touch by now if there was anything wrong as they will have had the results for some time already.

As your husband is a worrier I wouldn't recommend he looks on the internet (sorry Michael) as it scared the life out of me.

Keeping everything crossed for the 22nd.

Love Marion x

Hi Marion

Thank you so much for your reply i do believe it is worry and being off work with his ankle has just made it worse as he has had all day to think of it. Thank god i go to work to get out the way for a while. Thank you for sharing you knowledge about yourself this is what i needed to know its normal (maybe not everyone) shall put hammer away again for now. He has not been on the internet once to try and find anything out and laughs at me for needing to know. Still feels so long until next week the closer its getting the less i am sleeping which means my temper is quicker but trying very hard not to take it out on anyone.

Will post how we get on

Thanks

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus

Just a quickie to say good luck for tomorrow.  Let us know how it goes.

Take care and try not to worry (easier said than doneI know).

Love Marion x

Hi Luckyus

Just a quickie to say good luck for tomorrow.  Let us know how it goes.

Take care and try not to worry (easier said than doneI know).

Love Marion x

Hi Marion

Thank you so much will try to post tomorrow to let you know how it went really nervous but at least we will know a bit more tomorrow

Thanks again

Luckyus