Hi London1

In reply to your question re lymph node removal.

They are removed through surgery to the neck. This can be a done in three ways. Lymphodectomy (smallest op) or modified neck disection or radical neck disection. Each op is more involved depending on what is needed.

Kind regards x

PS good luck for Monday hope all goes well.

Please tell me what we’re your symptoms and how long did you notice these symptoms before seeing an ENT? How are you doing today? My prayers are with you and everyone whom has C .. it breaks my heart. May all this C be gone from our planet.. it just is so terrifying.. God bless everyone.

please share your symptoms and the time having them. Before being diagnosed. Ty kindly. 

Hi everyone. 

First of all I just like to apologise for not posting for so long. As you can understand things were a bit hectic last year. 

Just to update everybody I had two operations on the tumour in my tonsil, and a further operation called a radical neck dissection, to remove lymph nodes. That's left me with quite an impressive scar on my neck. LOL. 

The consultants are keeping a close eye on me, and now see me every couple of months to examine my throat and nasal cavity and check my neck for lumps. 

I've also made some major lifestyle changes I'm lost a lot of weight. I've given up sugar which is pretty hard because I love the stuff. 

Fingers crossed that everything will work out fine. 

I also send my best wishes to everybody is going through the same thing. The only advice I can give, is to stay positive. 

My very best wishes to everybody here. 

hiya Gazza so sorry to hear what you have been through and everyone on this site . I hope you don’t mind if I asked u a few questions on how you got your diagnosis. I have had trouble on my left side for what feels like a few years. On off poorly especially with tonsillitis. Always tired with sleep apnea and choking in my sleep. Had glandularfever a while back and now constant left ear pain and face pain and my tonsils are again huge and been told assymetry and left tonsil much bigger than the right. I feel lumps on my left side of my neck. I’m Only 31 but have smoked since I was 12 on off and love a wine. I have been given an appointment to see ent next week so quite quickly and my bloods came back fine. I wondered can they diagnose tonsil cancer through blood tests?? 

Hi Everyone... So against my will I've joined your club. I've been diagnosed with head and neck cancer.  I just found a lump on my neck one afternoon. I had an Ultrasound Scan and FNA Biopsies done privately as I couldn't wait 2 weeks and I was given the results of just those by my new NHS Consultant.

Since then I've had all the usual scans, more neck biopsies and I've had tonsils and teeth removed and biopsies taken from my tongue.  I'm still in loads of pain although this was 8 days ago. 

I've been told that probably it will be 7 weeks of radiotherapy and 3 weeks of one session per week of chemo. 

My MDT meeting is tomorrow and I have a meeting with the cancer nurse on Thursday to confirm the treatment. I also have to get the date for the feeding tube. 

The Consultant did say that it was 'treatable and curable' so I am clinging to that hope. 

I was wondering if anyone has changed to the Alkaline Diet? 

You all have my greatest respect and I have been following a couple of your journeys over the last month or so. 

Thank you xxx

Hi Lillie sunshine

welcome to the club that really no one wants to join you are right with that one. It’s exactly a year ago since  I had my biopsy which also confirmed tonsil cancer with several affected lymph nodes I haven’t tried alkaline diet to be honest the last 12 month s have been about putting weight on loosing over 2 stone them eating anything my mouth could take , i am not medically trained but remember dieticians telling me when I has much as mentioned I had bought a nutrit bullet to basically forget about it in no uncertain terms to which I though why !!!! it’s was only when treatment kicked in making or anyone making anything with it wasn’t going to pass my lips lol. I can laugh about it now but that’s because I understand that my body took a battering and any thing  I can eat it accepts it. Yes I e read about alkaline but speak to your dietician when you get one .

re M D T meeting take someone with you if possible to write notes copious amounts if they can as when you walk out your brain will turn to mush I had 9 people in my m d t basically fighting over me as females with tonsil cancer are fairly rare as it’s 97% a male diagnosis.

At some you h p v 16+ ? I was ask if you don’t know.

i have a blog if you haven’t read it www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com with links to Anchor 1707 who also has a thread on here Radiotherapy for Throat cancer 

where I go through my experiences just remember we may have the same diagnosis but we all react differently.

good luck lots of people on here to help if you want to rant.

treatment is tough but if I can do it anyone can  positive mental attitude is what got me through it. Hold your head up high remember ask questions. Which sounds like you are doing 

best wishes

hazel

Hi Malcdp

I hope you're feeling well?

I stumbled across your post whilst googling (I know I shouldn't) a week after my husband has been diagosed. His treatment appears to be the same as yours...7 weeks of radio 5 days and week incorporating 1 day of Cisplatin for 6 weeks.

I'm curious as to the severity of your side effects...I know everyone is different but would be great to know how you coped and anything that would have made your 7 weeks more comfortable.

Thanks, Mel x

Hi Hazel 

Yes I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's the HPV as it appears to be easier to treat. 

I've smoked for 40+ years up to 10 per day and never really been a heavy drinker and I've always eaten healthily. The consultant says if it's not HPV then it's usually heavy smoking and drinking that is the cause. 

You didn't mention a feeding tube? Does that mean you didn't have one?

Because I'm 'Staff' they did tell me quite a lot based on the FNA Biopsies I had privately before I had all the usual scans etc so all will be confirmed on Thursday and I'm hoping it's what they said originally.

Did you have tonsils and teeth removed and tongue biopsies taken? If so how long did it take to heal? Is the radiotherapy pain the same as the tonsilectomy and tongue biopsy pain or worse?

You're so brave 

Thank you xxx

Hi Hazel,

I just wanted to say thank you....I'm going to be supporting my husband through the exact treatment that you've been through (he's having 6xchemo) for the same diagnosis you had.

Your blog has made things much easier for me to get my head around...whilst hes the one that has joined your "club" he is so positive and upbeat whilst I am the anxious worrier!!

Thanks again and I hope you're keeping well

Mel x

Hi 

At my m d t we discussed feedingbrube and peg my oncologist was confident that the radiotherapy I was having although it was 70 g.y I’ve a 7 weeks period because my tumour amd lymph nodes we all on my right side he would direct 75% on the eight and 25% in the left target wise,therefore I woukd be able to maintain swallow hence no peg .i know some hospitals routinely do the peg but mine wasn’t one of them I did have to sign and agree to a nasal feeding  tube if I needed it. Which I did from week 4 radiotherapy up to 4 week starts post radiotherapy.although I could drink I just couldn’t maintain sufficient oral food intake. Hence the nasal feeding tube.

Re pain the actual radiotherapy you don’t feel anything at the time  maybe a slight tingling some days in your throat but not pain .

i was lucky I didn’t need any extraction and my biopsy my right tonsil  where the tumour was wasn’t taken away just hacked in the surgeons words ,but they Radiotherapy eventually melted it away. pain was always management quite well after biopsy paracetamol and codeine for a few days .later in intreatment I was 6 ibuprofen 8 x30 mg do codomol amd uo to 40 ml oramorph. Like my oncologist used to say the clue is in the name painkillers your body need some them when the rime Ian right you will know to come off them  I did and used a phased withdrawal over several weeks now take nothing. 

, I did have a radiation burn full length of my tongue and a 3 rd degree burn on my neck during last week  nothing to do with how I looked after it was all about margins my oncologist knew from day 1 what would occur but chose not to tell me in week 1 which like he said I couldn’t do anything abiy it onky worry I was in their hands and had every faith that all would turn out well and if you look at my blog I a more niw living my life riding my bike and visiting  our Rental apartment in Spain quite frequently  

Radiation tiredness is in my case the worst thing that you have no control over eveeyine getis it some more than others I am quite fortunate a 20 min nap once a day now sorts me out. Some don’t need any some need much more we are all different.

like I say pop along and look at my blog it’s a honest account I’d what I went through.

Please keep in touch and will be thinking of you at your met tomorrow.

i haven’t really drink for about 10 year s even now I haven’t as much as toasted alchol my mouth is a bit too delicate but I know some who are same time frame as me and are back to enjoying a drink  I was an  occasional smoker  stopped in 2003.

good luck

Hazel