Hi all - have searched through posts to see what the different experiences have been with radiation and one that my sister Cathy is experiencing is that her whole face has swollen (in addition to the sore mouth, raspy throat sunburned skin and now these cracked open sores on her neck).

Has anyone else experienced the swelling during treatment?

Hi Carol, my face became swollen during radiation, too. In fact, the left side (surgery side) is still swollen a bit. The overall swelling got better over time. I didn't have the sores that Cathy has but I had the others (sore mouth, raspy throat and sunburned skin) my skin actually darkened a lot on the lower part of my jaw during radiation. It has gotten better over time. Take Care and God Bless both of you, Carol

Carol, I think that is pretty normal. I insited that my reluctant husband take weekly head shots of me during treatment and healing, so I could track the progress. I can see that my face and lips were very swollen. As I healed, they receded to normal contours. Just a part of the package, and unless it is pronounced and sudden, not a cause for worry, I don't think.

Carol,

My face was also quite swollen during radiation, and for many months after. It was kind of a lopsided swelling -- more on the left side which received the most radiation. Eventually when the swelling went down, I ended up with wrinkles I never had before -- I call it the reverse facelift effect.

Cathy

Hi,

My face is swollen, and I finished radio 3 months ago. I saw one of my radio doctors at hospital the other day, and she said I looked well, put on weight - even though I had lost 6 kilos since I last saw her!

Fat face, "lovely jowls", thinner body

Cheers!

Tizz

Thank you all - that's what the radiation techs have been saying too but I tell you, this is the best place to check these things out - where else do you have access to so many people who have actually "lived it".

Carol (in RH),

I had the open sores on my neck too and used a product called Domeboro. It is an over the counter product and you mix the powder in water, soak a wash cloth in it and apply it to the burned area for about 15 minutes. I only used it once and it completely cleared up the sores. I also have a brown area on my lower jaw and neck from the radiation and I don't believe it will ever go away since it has been there about 9 months. I usually tan easily but don't want the sun beating down on that area any more so I haven't "blended" it in.

Ed

Ed - what amazes me is that the doctors and nurses are looking at the sores and scratching their heads - I want to desperately give them all the link to this discussion board and tell them it's not unusual!! Look at these peoples' experiences!

Hey Carol,
They gave Dan silver nitrate to put on his neck and throat area after it started bleeding and seeping. I don't know how much it helped then but as soon as the treatments ended, his neck started healing.

Also, Dan lost his voice completely for 6 weeks during treatment. It started coming back within 2 weeks of treatment ending. It was a very hard time, but remember things get better!

Continuing to pray for you and Cathy!
Debbie

Carol in RH, Go ahead and give them this forum link! If we can help ANYONE I think we would. Collectively there are more patients here than many doctors would see in several lifetimes. They probably could use some real-time survivors input.

ALSO remember that we shouldn't put ANYTHING on the radiation burned skin unless the radiation people know about it. There are some things that will make it worse.

Hi,

The radiation people gave me a cream called "Diprosone" to help with sores, a steroid I think. It worked magic after a whole weekend of agony, and being told to take antihistamines!?!

One of the nurses said it's also good for mosquito bites - I tried it and it seemed to work!

Cheers!

Tizz