Hi. I'm Steve from Memphis, TN. I was recently diagnosed with Stage 2 oropharyngeal cancer. I begin radiation treatments this Monday. I got this site from Facebook and I appreciate the huge amount of information and support.

I've been reading everything I can find about my cancer online and I feel pretty confident I can beat this. I had a major surgery last year and I came through that pretty well too.

I am looking mostly for information about dietary concerns and side effects from the treatment. Feel free to contact me. Thank you for the site!

Welcome Steve, Sorry your here but glad you came. I can't answer your questions, I never had radiation. But alot of people here have and will. So take care all I can say for now is EAT, EAT, EAT everything you can for as long as you can.

Steve
OCF pages on side effects of radiation are here
OCF side effects radiation
For a more general overview of radiation
OCF radiation
Basically the radiation will burn the heck out of your mouth, and you will have increasing difficulty swallowing. Some people get a PEG or feeding tube, others do not and just switch to Ensure Plus or a liquid diet for the duration. Nausea varies, and the first week is a breeze, the second week not so much, and by the third week you are really feeling it which continues for about a month after the TX is done.
So your dietary concern is to get at least 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day and not vomit it up. You can search this forum for posts on any specific subject with the search box on the upper right.
Finally, radiation TX is very doable, heck I even did it twice.
Charm

Steve, welcome. Wendy and Charm both offer great advice. If you're starting rads in just a few days, since you didn't say anything about it, I'll assume you're doing it without a PEG, something I believe most people get in advance if they're using one.

I too went through the cycle without, although it was difficult. As Charm says, your mouth and throat will burn, both inside and out. I found it impossible to swallow anything without first numbing my mouth with viscous lidocaine. Even that was only partially successful, but I made it through. As with everything else about medical treatment, we're all different.

There are plenty of topical creams and such for neck burns. Aquafor is good. Ultimately I was using silver sulfadiazine, an older line medication. It's a thick cream and really helps, especially in the later stages of treatment.

Depending on the kind of radiation you're getting and where, as I'm sure your docs have told you, your parotid (salivary) glands will likely be affected. Again, I don't think there's any way to predict by how much. A lot of us have essentially lost our ability to produce saliva although for many, myself included, some function does indeed come back over time.

Whatever the case it's likely that you'll be dealing with the dreaded twosome: xerostomia aka dry mouth; and mucousitis, aka too much of the stuff. There are various sprays and balms for the former, which you can ask your docs/nurses about. The latter is something you just have to endure. Rinsing your mouth with baking soda in water is helpful for both conditions, but not a cure. Many here will be able to offer specific tricks. I just kept a couple of emesis bowls/cups/plenty of kleenex handy in every room!

Don't tolerate the pain. No reason to live life that way, and there definitely will be pain. Ask your doc for painkillers - as many as you need. Percocet/oxycodone worked for me, I was eating it like candy. I also had a Fentanyl patch for the last few weeks of treatment.

Mainly, just plan on lying around a lot and, hopefully, sleeping! It's a tough treatment but you sound like a guy who's got the right attitude. You don't mention whether you have people to help you - wife, girlfriend, family, etc. Expect to lean on these folks. I went through my treatment alone and I wouldn't recommend it.

And lean on all your new friends here at OCF. These people are the best. I still get tears in my eyes just thinking about them.

Courage.
David 2

Hi Steve. Welcome to OCF. Im glad you found us thru facebook. I have a post going under the friends tab that lists OCF members and their real names who are on FB. If you would like to be added to the list, let me know. I dont add anyone unless they request to be put on our list.

You will find tons of info here. There is alot of support for people going thru treatments. Feel free to ask questions and to search for info. The main pages have tons of info there too.

My advice would be to eat what you can now. Enjoy those steaks, ribs, mexican foods now. Your sense of taste will change and your mouth will probably get sore. This way you will have no regrets. Best of luck with your treatments.

Hi Steve, welcome to OCF. So glad you found us before your treatments began. I have to reiterate EAT, EAT, EAT as much as you can stand today and throught this next week. As about the third week in you wmay start feeling pain and it may get harder to swallow. I had a PEG because after the 4th week, I could not swallow at all. Most people do not go through what I went through. I am just the abnormal duck who got all the side-effects even the less common ones. Make sure they control your pain. That was my big problem, I tried to be tough because I hated taking medications. I no longer hate taking medications for pain because they got my through the worst of it. Good luck and ask any questions you have.

I'd like to add my welcome Steve. Great advice already. You are setting off on a tough road and will need to put on some wait because yiu will lose a lot. Also if you can get family and friends to go to your appointments with you for a 2nd set of ears to pick up on things you might miss, help think of questions to ask or for moral support, it's a major help. Good luck and strength on your journey.

Steve:
Welcome! You already are being given some great advice. The two things you can do for yourself right now is continue with your research and learning (What a great resource in this site) and eat as much as you can as often as you can. Do not worry about calories or fat, etc. Your body will burn it up as your defenses come up for not only the cancer but the treatment. If you have a PEG tube let it become your friend! You MUST continue to take in calories and keep strength. All of the advice given by the group is important as you begin your journey towards getting better!!!
Stay in touch and best wishes!
Steve F.

Hi Steve

I am also in Memphis. Feel free to jump in and ask away. I was treated at UT Cancer.

Kevin

Hi there Steve,, as you already know these members have all given you good advice. Keep a positive attitude and as you have EATing is the best thing you can do for yourself. I was never one to just sit and sleep but kept busy outised or in and igored the Drs adivce to take it easy. The Drs didn't like it at 1st but now say they wish all of their patients would keep busy, drink a lot of water and keep the smile going. I never have complained to any of them and still don't > Hell I'm no Dr and just let them do what they have to. You have many great boosters here and trhe list will grow as time passes. If you ask, someone will give you the answer. Good luck... Jim

I could have added that I'm sure no typist, LOL but I think you can see that.