Hi I am newly diagnosed - lump on throat biopsied malignant. Finding out Tuesday explanation of biopsy and treatment. It is my understanding treatment will be radiation to the throat and chemo later. Anyone have tips as how to deal with treatment side effects etc.

Thank you
Connie

Connie,

Welcome to the boards and a great big sorry that you have to be here. A lot of folks will welcome you to our merry bunch and be here for sound advice. The most vocal of us will ask you where you are being treated as we hope that, if possible, people that join us with a positive biopsy will consult with a major Comprehensive Cancer Center.

My biggest advise right now is to take a few days and read, read, read all the topics on this board as well as the main OCF pages. While everyone is a little different, this will give you a good view of treatment modalities and various approaches to getting thru treatment and recovery. Once you have read a bit and hear from your doctors, you will have questions that we all can try to answer. We are not doctors but, we have been thru the gauntlet and have learned a lot from our experiences and from others here.

Best of luck as you start this journey.

Deb

Welcome to OCF! Sorry to hear of your diagnosis! You have found the very best place to help get you thru the next few months. We will provide you with current, correct medical info and lots of moral support.

You will soon become very busy with appointment after appointment, and doctor after doctor. What made it easy for me was to take a notebook and at every appointment get a business card and staple it to the back of the notebook. When ready to begin treatments, remove any cards from doctors who are not treating you. This makes it very easy for a caregiver to quickly find the correct doctor to call if you should need them down the road.

Right now you will want to eat like crazy. Its ok to gain a few pounds so dont worry about gaining weight. Right now that would be a good thing. Eat all your favorites as your sense of taste will probably be changing. Dont worry its only temporary. Also it may become very difficult for you to eat so you dont want to go into this craving your favorite Mexican dishes, enjoy them now.

Go see your dentist and get flouride trays made, this takes a few weeks so its best to get started right away. You will want a full check up and any questionable teeth will probably need to be pulled.

Get a full blood work done including thyroid. When your doc requests this, make certain he includes thyroid.

Stick with us and we will help get you thru this. Read and educate yourself. An informed patient is a smart patient! The main OCF pages are full of all the info you could possibly need to understand about this horrible disease.

Best wishes!!!

Hi there - chances are it wll chemo and radiation at the same time. You have one of the top CCCs in in the country - in your state - md Anderson - I would advise you receive treatment there of you can - this cancer can be tricky you want to deal with a team that sees it all the time - best of luck!

Hi Connie, welcome. If you have someone to act as caregiver for you, 2 heads are always better than 1 at doctor's appointments. There will be an overwhelming amount of info coming at you and i9t will be hard for you to remember all the questions you have thought of. Write down your questions and then have a 2nd pair of ears to pay attention and take notes. I thinki most of us have had chemo and rads concurrently. Best wishes to you.

Welcome Connie,

Sorry you had to join us but you are in good hands here. As stated start reading here, not doing wild Google searches. There is solid information here that is quite reliable and of course, many members here have been through the battles and survived, so lots of hands on experience so to speak.

Best, don

Welcome, but sorry your here. To get the most out of this forum, share as much info as you can. Odds are, someone here has gone thru what you a facing. The better the info you provide, the better the suggetions you will get. Good luck, Stay off Dr Google, and stay possive. Treatment is tough, but doable.

Connie, you have arrived at the right place. This group guided me through a difficult time and gave me wise counsel. I am 11 days out of treatment and asked questions and shared information on what my doctors told me or what I was considering doing. Never was I given bad advice. To get the most and survive this journey read and take to heart what is shared with you. Be strong and of great courage. You are not alone.

Connie,

We will need to know your exact Tx plan and type of chemo to give you the best advice but as Christine and others have said please indulge yourself starting NOW and enjoy whatever food and drink your heart desires.

Do get Fluoride trays.

Do get blood work which includes TSH levels and keep that number in a safe place.

AS Deb said do read our information pages.

Do ask every question you can think of.

Do not get overwhelmed. You will get through this and we will be there 24/7 to make your trip as easy as possible. I guarantee it.

There is so much information in this forum, real good practical information, from people who have "run the course". Much of it, you will NOT get from a doctor's visit.

As far as we are concerned, this site could be called OCF University, and many have "graduated" Magna Cum Laude - "living life large" as "Uptown" signs off with!

Take some time, to read and be encouraged and glean hope.

Barbara (CG) of Richard (with 2 weeks of treatment left)