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 Lornawales.

Hope everything goes alright next week, I know what it is like waiting for news, how long will it be before they give you the results after the lazer,

Tell you husband we all wish him all the best.

joeninty.

lothanks joeninety

i really dont know how long weve got to wait but i hope not too long

thank for the support will come back with some news next week  xxx

lorna wales

Hi Jelo, Andy and Marion, hope you are all well and hope you had a great time in Zante Marion! The good news is my voice has already started to recover, it had virtually gone altogether and was at its worst a week ago, but it just seemed to start coming back one morning all of a sudden! It is not perfect by any means but i can talk and be understood so it has come as a huge relief, although like Andy it does seem a bit deeper and i was deep anyway!

I am wondering if anyone knows about the effect of radiotherapy on red blood cells? I know it can reduce your cell count, as i was checked weekly during treatment, and this is part of the fatigue issue as these cells transport oxygen around you body, but i still find training hard work, i get to a point in my running and just have to stop, which is very unlike me! I know i am only 5 weeks out of treatment and probably ecpecting too much but does anyone know how long the blood takes to get back to normal?

I have my 6 week visit a week today and hope to get my first ALL CLEAR!!  Fingers crossed although i am starting to get really nervous now........

Hi Lornawales

I got back from holiday last week and haven't been on this site.  Just wondered if your husband got his results back and hope it's all OK.

Marion x

Hi Topstriker

Thanks, I had a great time in Zante thanks - nice and relaxing apart from breaking my little toe by stubbing it on the corner of the bed!

I hope you got on alright at your 6 week check-up - can you let us know please?

It's great that your voice has come back so soon, hopefully it will continue to get better and stronger by the week.  I was lucky enough to get my normal voice back although I can't hit the high notes any more when I try to sing (which must be a huge relief to my family)!

Regarding radiotherapy and tiredness, I'm afraid that I don't think I've ever fully got over the tiredness but then I'm not super fit like you and Andy (and I'm getting on a bit as well at 54!).  I think 5 weeks is very early though and you might be expecting too much, which I can understand must be frustrating for you as a runner.  I used to fall asleep in the afternoons quite a lot in the early days post-treatment but that gradually eased off and I was back to work 6 weeks after treatment.  I don't know if there is a time limit for the radiation to get out of your system but personally I didn't really feel "back to normal" for about a year or so.

I hope all was well at your check-up and I have accepted you for personal messages so you can ask anything you like.

Love Marion x

Hi Marion, pleased you had a great time, minus the toe injury of course! I bet that hurt! Yes my check up went well, had the camera down and no sign of the tumour! The consultant did say that if it was to return it is 76% more likely to do so in the first two years, so i have monthly checks up til then. It was a strange feeling, i felt like saying "are you sure you looked in the right place" as it was a guy i had never seen before! he also put the camera down my left nostril not my right, as i had the tumour on the right side, those little things play on your mind, do you feel like that?

I am still struggling with fatigue, i coped so well during treatment that i expected to bounce back quickly, my occupational health people said it is far too early to go back to work, i am a postie, very physical job nowadys. I also suffer with gilberts syndrome, a mild liver dissorder, unforunately the main symptoms for that are also fatigue and my 'count' at the moment is the highest its ever been at 44, normal people this about 15-20 and i usually run at 25-30, it doesnt require any treatment, the liver just gets a little behind in processing dead red cells from the body, so they stay in the system longer than they should.

My voice i would say is pretty much back to normal as far as i can remember!! I am not getting too carried away at the moment, it is a huge relief, i think i was more pleased for my mum than for myself, but i think i will grow in confidence the more all clears i get!!

Thanks to you all for such great advice and support and i am more than happy to pass on my experiences to others who are starting out and having concerns.  Take care all. 

hi marion

thanks for your post glad you had a good holiday but for the toe!

we are going back tomorrow for the results of the last biopsy which he had 2 weeks ago. i am hoping all ok the consultant seemed v positive saying he thought it might be just a polyp here hoping!

but saying that i dont know if anyone can help but my husband seems to be getting v tired lately, hes starting to admit himself.

i know you shouldnt think too deeply into things but i cant help worrying he is also complaining of back pain,(could be me overeacting i suppose)

but we are having another cat scan on fri so this should shed some light on things!!

thanks to anybody who takes the time to read this as im probably just going on and on !

take care

love

lorna xxx

Hi Topstriker

Great news that all was well at your appointment.  Don't worry about which nostril they put the scope in as they can see the whole larynx with either nostril.  My consultant always asks me which one I prefer and funnily it seems more comfortable on the left side - that could be down to my broken nose though!  Speaking of breaks - yes my little toe is very painful and hurts with my shoes pressing against it. I'm doing a 13 mile Shine Walk for cancer research on 1 October so I'm not able to practise which is worrying!

Sorry to hear about your other illness, I have never heard of gilberts syndrome.  I know it's frustrating been so fatigued and not having a lot of energy but it's all normal and will get better over time.

I wish you well and let us know how you are getting on from time to time.

Take care

Love Marion x

Hi Lorna

I hope the results were good yesterday.  It's all such a worry waiting around for results and that could be the reason for your husband's tiredness rather than anything sinister.

It's hard not to jump to conclusions with every ache and pain - I do it myself all the time!  Any pain in my neck or hoarseness in my voice I used to automatically think the cancer had come back.

Let us know how he gets on.

Love Marion x

hi marion

thanks yes we had some v good news there seems to be no cancer there now so doesnt want to see us till nov

going for ct scan tomorrow fingers crossed.

going away on the 31st to fuerteventura i think itll do us good.

yes  i seem to be reading more into everuthing. thanks you for being there

lorna

xx god bless everyone whose fighting

xx

hi marion

thanks yes we had some v good news there seems to be no cancer there now so doesnt want to see us till nov

going for ct scan tomorrow fingers crossed.

going away on the 31st to fuerteventura i think itll do us good.

yes  i seem to be reading more into everuthing. thanks you for being there

lorna

xx god bless everyone whose fighting

xx

Hi Lona

What great news i think fear of all aches and pains is very common and your wonder if it is anything else starting up.

Hope you have a great holiday

All the best

Luckyus

Hi All, I would like to ask and find out if anyone who had radio had any issues with thyroid after treatment? When i had my first check up i mentioned my fatigue and the Doc said he would do a thyroid test and it has come back overactive? He commented that the radio to my larynx may have "drifted" and can effect the thyroid, apparantly it is not obviously diagnosed as it mirrors the side effects of radiotherapy, ie fatigue etc. But it plays a massive role in many energy systems of the body and being a regular runner it has become almost impossible. I did have a sore achey feeling down the sides of my adams apple but put that down to psychosematic stress as my first check up was looming!! not realising at the time that is where the thyroid is situated!  It is rather tender and hoping if anyone who has had similar experience of this could shed some light on it?

Hi Lorna

Great news!  You must be both so relieved.  Hope the CT scan brings good news as well.

Have a lovely holiday and hopefully you will both be able to relax now.

Keep us posted.

Love Marion x

Hi all just to let you all know my husband got the all clear again yesterday that's 10 months and counting I hope everyone else is doing ok it is so long since anyone posted god bless to you all fingers and toes crossed for us all big hugs luckyus

Hi Luckyus

That's great news - nearly at the landmark one year which is quite a milestone!  It's so nice to see you reviving this thread.

Since I last 'spoke' to you I did the half marathon Shine Walk (overnight walk) for Cancer Research and raised over £2,200 with my 2 sister in laws.  The Charity got in touch with me to ask me to go up on stage and say a few words of inspiration so that was a bit nerve racking!  I had a broken toe at the time so it was tough going but I'm so glad I did it.

My voice comes and goes (it's not good at the moment) but I try not to panic like I used to.  It's just one of those things that I am getting used to and such a small price to pay.

I hope your husband continues to keep well and keep in touch.

Love Marion x

hi luckyus

really glad to hear that things are good with your husband.

Best wishes

Hi Luckyus,

Great to hear your husband is continuing to get the all clear, you must be very pleased and releived, and so lucky your husband didn't have to go through RT, living up to your username :-)

I had my third  3 monthly check up in sept and got the all clear so am really happy about that, like Marion my voice is very up and down but I can generally communcate much better than I did before and as Marion said its a small price to pay.

Hope things continue to go well for you.

Best Wishes

Andy

Hi Marion,

Well done on your on your walk, a fantastic achievement! You must be very chuffed and proud of your self, I am!

Glad all is well with you,  lets try and get together before christmas.

Andy x

Hi Marion

well done on your walk and giving a talk how proud of yourself to have come so far this thread was my life line when we first found out even before I became a member I read it from start to finish looking for hope and this is where I found it thanks to many people writing down their experience sending a big hug to you luckyus x

Hi Andy

Yes indeed my sarcasam ar 5am has proved lucky for us

Great news that you are now on your third all clear may it continue for many years to come (for us all) you were so helpful when I felt so desperate and lost I think that is the beauty of this site real people opening their hearts to others

Thank  you

Luckyus x