Welcome to OCF, Troy! Im glad you have found our site to help you thru the rest of your treatments and recovery.

For most, the side effect start to appear during the last third of their treatments. This is when the tough MUST get going!!! If you havent already been rising your mouth try using one cup warm water with 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt. The salt could burn your sensitive mouth so its ok to cut it back or if necessary to omit it from the mixture. Just try your very best to have some salt in the concoction as it will really does help.

The very best thing you can do to help yourself get thru this as easy as possible is to focus on your intake. Every single day your daily minimums should be at least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water. If you can push for more it will definitely help. Even 3000 or 3500 calories every day isnt too much for this phase of your battle. Also the higher calories can play a huge role in helping with your recovery so continue it thru at least the first year post rads.

Hang in there!!!

Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile