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

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

Good luck for tomorrow. Keeping everything crossed for you. Sure it will be fine.

Andy

Hi Marion,

Into my fifth week and doing ok. The infection has cleared up but am still coughing a fair bit but the doc says that could just be the irritation caused by the RT. I''ve had no voice since I had the infection 2 weeks ago, I guess everything is still inflamed  and swollen with all the coughing etc and told it will come back when treatment has finished, I hope!!! So am whispering to my clients at work which is a bit strange but getting used to it. Luckily I can still swallow solid food even had a sandwich today but finding i'm not enjoying food as much as I normally do. My neck is red but not painful useing lots of creams etc.

So looking forward for this to be over with and am crossing each session of the list, which i'm treating as my advent calender, final day jan 5th!!!! Hope you have a lovely christmas and great new year and thank you so much for all your help and support through out this year, don't know what I would have done with out you.

Love

Andy 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

Hi Andy

Thank you as well for thinking of us tomorrow will let you know what happened as soon as i can. hope you are able to get some Christmas dinner down and we will all count the days until you are able to shout at your trainees again

Thanks again

Luckyus

Hi Luckyus.

Christmas is the time that everyone hope to get what they want.   I hope that the news tomorrow is the best news that christmas can bring.

Will be thinking of you. all the best, hope that christmas is the best celabration for you all.

Wish you all the best for the coming days.

Michael.

Hi Michael

Thank you so much i have fingers and toes crossed for tomorrow, we are out for a christmas party tomorrow so we will either celebrate its gone or  drowned the d*** thing he he will post as soon as possible.

Thanks once again for all your support thank god for this site and all on this post that has continued to help me.

Merry Christmas to you all ( just in case i dont feel it after tomorrow)

Love

Luckyus

Hi Michael

Thank you so much i have fingers and toes crossed for tomorrow, we are out for a christmas party tomorrow so we will either celebrate its gone or  drowned the d*** thing he he will post as soon as possible.

Thanks once again for all your support thank god for this site and all on this post that has continued to help me.

Merry Christmas to you all ( just in case i dont feel it after tomorrow)

Love

Luckyus