Two Weeks Post Treatment - Here's an update so other's can track my progress and newbies can get an idea of what to expect in post treatment.

It's not a lot of change since a week ago, but some of it is noticeable. The suntan on side of neck is improving quickly. The dark splotches continue to decrease in size, half or more are gone now, that skin has already returned to normal skin color. I have reasonably dark skin anyway, it looks like I keep a tan even through the winter months. So that means my "suntan" was really dark.

I still use Aquaphor, but now it's usually just once a day and I use less of it than I did during treatment. Yesterday is the first day I wore a shirt with a collar since radiation began.

Rope mucous is getting better. Throat doesn't feel completely glued every morning. I don't usually need to gargle warm water to soften it so I can clear it. And the number of hacks and spits to clear it have also decreased. It has gotten noticeably better.

The mucositis seems to be improving. I still have it, but it doesn't hurt as much as a week ago, and I don't have to use the lidocaine swish as often as before. For awhile there it hurt so bad I suspended use of the floride trays, but was able to start up again this week.

None of my taste has returned yet, BUT I'm beginning to have a hot meal pretty much once a day now. I still try to do 6 cans of Ensure per day.

My dry mouth is on again off again. Sometimes mouth feels normal, like I have normal saliva production. Other times it feels as dry as a desert. Chewing Trident gum helps, but that stimulates saliva which washes away the Lidocaine.

I did go dancing last night and didn't get tired at all, unlike the fatigue that I had at New Years Eve party about two weeks ago.

I did lose a few pounds after treatment ended, but have lost no weight over last 4 days. I love the skinny belly I have now and strongly desire to keep it. I haven't been this skinny in 25 years. I'll probably catch some grief from forum members about this.

Life is good ... and getting better every day.

Tony

Last edited by n74tg; 01-11-2014 07:23 AM.
Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)

09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good