Hi;

I wish I had run into this group a few months ago. I am now done with treatments. I had SCC of the tonsil, spent a year fighting an ear ache that the doctor thought was an allergy. I felt something hitting my tongue one day, looked and saw the papilla of my tonsil were swollen enough to hit my tongue.
I kept trying to convince the doctors that I had something else, but a biopsy showed cancer.
The tumor was golf ball sized, lymph nodes under my jaw and behind my carotids were all involved.
35 radiation, 7 carboplatin treatments and it seems to be gone.
I did not get the PEG, which forced me to keep eating. I lost 25 lbs, but kept going OK.
I feel(and my doctors agree) that I went through treatment quite well. I'm just hoping I can get to where I can eat hot peppers again.

Flip

I finished tx 11-4-2008 and I just started to eat spicy food about 3 or 4 weeks ago...I believe you'll be fine

Welcome!
I've learned so much from reading the home page and from everyone here. There's a wonderful mix here and I'm glad to be here too.

A hot steaming cup of coffee and some spicy chili are on my list of things to do! LOL I'm just glad that one day I'll get there.

Welcome. Glad you finished treatment and are recovering. This is an awesome place for support and I love it here. This is my second home.

I was able to do coffee again after 8-10 weeks. Mouth is very dry. I might have to get used to that. But, hey, I'm alive.

Flip,

Did you get tested for HPV?

Oh and congrats on surviving the Tx. I see you had Carbo. It's about time they switched from Cisplatin.

Where were you treated?

They just assumed it must be HPV. I am uninsured so they stayed away from any tests they did not deem vital.
They used Carbo because my hearing was already bad and cisplatin is supposed to really impact it. Carboplatin still did a number on my ears. I am hoping to get money together for a hearing aid. In the office, I see lips move but sometimes cannot make out the words.

I was treated at Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, MI.
They are a wonderful bunch up there, and other than the payments I will be sending them for the rest of my life, I have no complaints. I do computer contracting and own a campground. When my contract ended, I lost my coverage and could not afford COBRA, thhen the diagnosos hit me.
I am working in Orlando now, 1400 miles from my wife and support.

Hi Flip and I am another in debtor that will make payments the rest of my life LOL . I hate to sat welcome, but seeing as you are here and are one of us.. Welcome to the fold. These people are all fantastic and between eveyone,, we have all bases covered. Seems you did pretty good.

Hi Flip, I am a new member here also. Every second that goes by, the closer our recovery progresses. May your desire to eat hot peppers be the only issue you will ever have to face again !!! I am so happy for you ! What a trooper you are to have not needed the peg tube. To me, everything tastes spicy & hot, so if anything, I'm always trying to tone it down ! Keep growing stronger & healthier with each new beautiful day ! Dianne MH

No one can assume your cancer was caused by HPV and it's a shame they didn't get your cancer slides tested so you would know for sure. If tobacco was not a factor then statistically there is a 70% chance your cancer was HPV+ if that's any consolation.

Anyway, I'm glad you made it and I also did not have the PEG so I probably know what you went through as I lost 30 pounds myself. Even with the PEG others have lost many pounds so it just depends upon the individual.

I have never heard that Carbo can also cause hearing loss. I had Cisplatin and I also suffered permanent hearing loss and I was told Carbo wouldn't have damaged my ears.

THey said they would not change treatment based on the HPV test, but offered it if I wanted. I didn't see the point then.
My Dr wanted a hearing test before using Cisplatin, Carbo is supposed to be easy on the ears, but I did some research and there are reports of hearing loss, even in kids with Carbo.