Hey Robert. I can completely relate. The first couple-three months post treatment I was sure it was coming back. I'm about 5 1/2 months post-treatment now and the fears have subsided enough that they don't dominate my every waking moment. Hopefully the further out from treatment you get, you'll catch yourself not thinking about being sick or it coming back. This should happen more and more as you begin to pick your life back up. I don't really think about it much anymore even thought I still have pain off and on, here and there around my mouth and such. The doc says he's only interested in pain that lasts longer than two weeks.

Try to remember that whether you worry about it or not, it's beyond your control if it reoccurrs or not. Try and allow yourself to relax and enjoy the fact that you're done with treatment. Hang in there, it does get better.

-Brett


Base of Tongue SCC. Stage IV, T1N2bM0. Diagnosed 25 July 2003.
Treated with 6 weeks induction chemo -- Taxol & Carboplatin once a week followed with 30 fractions IMRT, 10 fields per fraction over 6 more weeks. Recurrence October 2005.