Hi there.

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis. I was diagnosed with HPV+ Tonsil Cancer a few months back and just finishied treatment. 

Depending on how they treat you, be it just surgery or if they opt to give you Chemo/Radio everyone's recovery is very much depending on treatment given, your current overall health amongst other things.

There is quite a few of us on here in various stages of treatment, I've just finished 6 weeks of Radiotherapy with 2 doses of Chemotherapy along with surgical removal of some Lymph Nodes.

I'm 32 and have been off work for a while now but starting to recover.

Hi there

I had a very similar diagnosis. HPV positive tonsil tumour 1cm and small lymph node on same side. Had surgery 3 months ago. Tonsils out, etc. Neck lymph node being treated with rad and chemo. Had 1st chemo yesterday. Rough headache, oddly enough, but sickness is OK. 

The surgery is fine but the recovery can get pretty interesting. Tiredness for about a week or more afterwards. LIKE "WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?"  style tiredness. But it goes away. Stock up on ice pops and ice creams. Soups. And stock up on whatever gets you through the day when you have the flu or a bad hangover.  Junk food, whatever. This will be one of those rare times when all calories are good calories. You can get back to the broccoli and kale all in good time.

Difflam gargle is helpful. This may be called something else where you live. Take the painkillers as you need them. No point in telling you it's not sore, it is. But it will pass. Good days and bad days. I spent the first couple of days eating fairly normal foods and thinking this is a piece of cake, and then Bang! Hot mess! . But, it does pass. You will be fine. Shelve as much work and other duties as you can. And let everyone know you are bunkering down for the two weeks. Be good to yourself.

I know we are all different. I found the stage you are at really difficult. All the not knowing. It gets better as you start surgery/treatment. You've got this. 

Think I just posted my response to you in samsamtheambulanceman...... 

Hi Ian such a positive post thank you so much, had a peg fitted 3 days ago and start 6 weeks of radiotherapy on the 28th, already feeling sorry for myself to be honest, but trying to stay positive

Hiya

Not a case of feeling sorry for yourself as its a shock to the system and also going into the unknown regarding treatment and recovery, so undertsandable.
I was told from the get go from my consultant that he was looking for a complete cure and thats what he did and thats why I had such a positive outlook as well and I think that really helps.
He also told me one of the toughtest treatments but one with the highest success rates of complete cure so I took that on board from day 1 and accepted I was about to go on a journey but I would come out the other end.

have a read of my blog as that will give you some insight/plenty tips into the road ahead and although I dont sugar coat and some challenging times, I often said there is light at the end of the tunnel and the same light at the end of the tunnel is there for you ahead.
Helps to chat to others who have actually been though it as we know how tough it can be at times but also know the positve outcomes

I feel great now and lead a normaly perfectly healthy life with no lingering side effects now.

I also started a thread on here called Radiotherapy for Throat Cancer and under Living with Cancer ( Anchor 1707 ) Lots of info/posts and shared experience from others on there as well but also quite a few new other posts around this type of cancer as well.
Plenty help and support available and will help you through your journey.

Just let me know if I can help in any way and happy if you want to friend request for 1-1 help or my email details are on my blog link if you ever want to ask any questions or seek help/advice in anyway.

kind regards
Ian

Hello, I wondered how you're doing now? My son, aged 42, had chemo plus radiotherapy on Monday, then radiotherapy the rest of the week. He has 6 more weeks of radiotherapy, with 1 more chemo day in the middle. He is sleeping more or less constantly, and not eating much at all. Is that pretty much what you experienced?

Hi I am on week 4 of 6 of radiotherapy with no chemo, it is a long haul and also very tired, I stopped eating about a week and a half ago but that's why they fitted the peg, I'm having 3-6 fortisips into my peg a day and really keeping up the loads and loads of fluid through the peg too, I'm having both sides of my neck treated, and look very sunbunt all up my neck and have lost my underneath hair, please feel free to message for any information it's nice to be able to let people know how the journey is going, I hope your son doesn't find it too hard as I did to start with x

Hi, thanks for the swift reply, the fatigue is, I think, the biggest problem. My son also has a peg, so that will provide his nutrition, though the nurse is saying that because he is still able to eat at the moment, he might need to start on ensure. He also has the cancer in both sides of his neck, I don't know if it's the chemo that has exhausted him, but he has probably only been awake 2 hours today. I know it's a tough journey, I'd take it from him in a heart beat.

Wishing you a speedy recovery when your treatment is finished.

Hi there, 

Do you mind me asking what your symptoms were?