#48070 04-20-2007 05:08 PM | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 75 Senior Member (75+ posts) | OP  Senior Member (75+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 75 | Hi all. My dad went to see his doctor yesterday. The doctor found 3 suspicious areas in his mouth. They decided to do pre-op test right away, and scheduled him for surgery on the 25th of this month to remove the titianium bar in his mouth-jaw that has been rejecting since August(last year). At first they thought the areas might be where the bar was rubbing, but they are not sure. Could these just be abcesses or something? They are going to biopsy these areas when they remove the bar. Should they have done that yesterday, so they would know next week, and if it was something bad they could take them out while they were in there? Why wait and do ANOTHER surgery? Also, he is in so much pain they switched his pain med to methadone. Huh? For pain management? Is this stronger or just different than the patches? Another thing I noticed is that he has started to sound like he is drowning in mucus. He is on mucinex and is spitting and has a suction machine. Could the mucinex make him produce more mucus than normal? Sorry for the thousand question post.
karen and dad
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#48071 04-20-2007 06:36 PM | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 446 "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 446 | Hi Karen
Sounds like your Dad is having a rough go. I wouldn't even guess what they are thinking, but I would remain firm in my belief that they are following appropriate protocols. They can biopsy and have pathology results almost immediately, so if additional work is needed surgically, they will be ready to go forward. I don't think it really makes that much difference time-wise.
Methadone is a powerful pain medication; something we forget about. It is most known for treating heroin addiction, but it is a potent painkiller.
I believe Mucinex thins the mucus rather than causing the body to produce more. Not certain, so hopefully someone else will chime in
Wayne
SCC left mandible TIVN0M0 40% of jaw removed, rebuilt using fibula, titanium and tissue from forearm.June 06. 30 IMRT Aug.-Oct. 06
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#48072 04-20-2007 08:14 PM | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 735 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 735 | wow ,
That is interesting wayne ..That is how I thought of methadone ,was for herroine addiction, Karen , my best ad only advice is for you to discuss these concerns with his DR and make sure they are listenng to you . and asnwer you ~
Sharlee
35 year old Female Non smoker, very occasional alcohol ..Scc T1N0M0,partial glossectomy and left neck disection ,2/9/07 No rad deemed ness. 4/16 tonsillectomy ..Trimengenial Neuralga due to surgery
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#48073 04-20-2007 11:56 PM | Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2002 Posts: 3,552 | Dragan is absolutely correct - methadone is a potent pain killer and very effective, how it compares to Dugagesic (Fentanyl) I do not know but it is listed in the schedule of narcotics for long term pain relief in the NCCN adult cancer pain control guidelines.
Gary Allsebrook
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Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
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"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
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#48074 04-21-2007 01:56 PM | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 75 Senior Member (75+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (75+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 75 | Thanks all-I'll talk to the doctor this week.
karen and dad
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