Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
#112929 02-21-2010 08:10 PM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
OP Offline
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
How long before I will be able to ealk without gagging? I notice that when I talk to someone on the phone the mucous starts building up and then I gag like you would not believe.
Is that normal? I als feel like there is something stuck in the back of my throat all the time. Nothing will get rid of it.


Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
walknlite #112938 02-22-2010 04:07 AM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
To me it is normal Angelia. It sure makes to tongue hurt and burn too. I know some people don't answer calls from me because theymight not hear so good and when I talk, you need perfect hearing. LOL


Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
EzJim #112952 02-22-2010 09:15 AM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
OP Offline
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Then how am I supposed to go back to teaching next week. I am so frusterated. That is my lively hood and I love my job. I so much want to be able to go back to work. I miss my students so much. Enough of my whining. I think I have bigger things to worry about like another hard lump on my tongue that was not there two weeks ago. It is bigger then the other two were.


Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
walknlite #112954 02-22-2010 09:15 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,082
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,082
Angelia

Your treatment ended less than a month ago. What you are experiencing sounds perfectly "normal" to me. Everyone varies of course, but my guess is that you will see slow improvement over the next several months. I am a year out from the surgery and my mucous issue has improved tremendously although like EzJim
my phone conversational intelligibility could be better.
Hang in there and Keep the Faith. It will get better
Charm


65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin

Passed away 4-29-13
Charm2017 #112956 02-22-2010 09:19 AM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,082
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,082
Angelia

As an interim measure so you can go back to school teaching, consider getting a "spit bucket". It can be as inconspicuous as
one of those ubiquitous large coffee travel mugs or as obvious as what I used: a cylindrical igloo cooler. In either event, you just clear your mucous with a rinse ( I used seltzer water with great results) and spit into the container. Amazing how clear you will sound without the mucous.
Charm


65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin

Passed away 4-29-13
Charm2017 #112975 02-22-2010 02:47 PM
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Senior Patient Advocate
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 8,311
Angelia,

Just spent the day with my RO, Dr Trotti at Moffitt where I took my client for his first Moffitt visit. Anyway one thing that Dr T said that may have a bearing on your topic is in his experience the thick mucous stage can last for 6 weeks post Tx and is especially more productive on cancers of the forward part of the OC and especially those involving the forward tongue.


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
Charm2017 #112977 02-22-2010 02:56 PM
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 147
Senior Member (100+ posts)
Offline
Senior Member (100+ posts)

Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 147
Nine months post treatment I still have that "hairball" in my throat. And you are correct, nothing will get rid of it. The MO gave me a name for it, but I have forgotten what it was and I didn't write it down. Darn. However, as time goes on, it is less annoying. Good luck with teaching, it was my experience that getting back to my normal activities as soon as you can helps put these after affects on the back burner in our mind.


DX 2/10/09; Stage 1 SCC side of tongue; Partial Gloss; PEG in 3/3/09; 3 Cisplatin; 35 IMRT; PEG out 7/17/09; Eating via mouth and walking 3 miles/day 4 wks after treatment end. 50 pound weight loss; Clear PET 09/09 and 09/10
Carmen M #112992 02-22-2010 07:43 PM
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,260
Angelia, you will find that some words are easier to spell than to say but it works, I'm sure your students will help you with the talking. Kids are smart.


Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
EzJim #113002 02-23-2010 05:53 AM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,844
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Offline
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,844
Angelia,

I was like you, very eager to return to work after treatment and resume my life as I knew it. I had radiation and chemo first and had a few months in between before I had my surgery. Two weeks after radiation/chemo I showed up at my job to work and was planning on working up to my surgery date.

The first day, I made it 7 hours and it was brutal. I was sweating uncontrollably, very weak and I'm sure I looked pathetic. My staff was continually running to get water for me and by the end of the day was really concerned that I was going to drop from exhaustion. The second day I only made it 4 hours and by the end of the week the owners of the hospitality company asked me to wait to comeback until after I recovered from the surgery.

The point is that the body will tell you when it's ready to go back to work, not your mind or heart. As I shared with you in a previous conversation, there is no "return date" stamped anywhere on you, so you really have to be realistic and listen to your body...rushing back to work can set you back and cause safefy and liability concerns for your employer.

I understand and relate that it's hard to be patient when you want to get back to your life...but you are fortunate in the fact that you get to return to it soon. Others like myself have been forcibly "retired" and have had that part of our lives ripped away. The last is shared only for perspective.

keep your chin up,

Eric


Young Frack, SCC T4N2M0, Cisplatin,35+ rads,ND, RT Mandiblectomy w fibular free flap, facial paralysis, "He who has a "why" to live can bear with almost any "how"." -Nietzche "WARNING" PG-13 due to Sarcasm & WAY too much attitude, interact at your own risk.
EricS #113004 02-23-2010 06:22 AM
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
OP Offline
Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)

Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,412
Thanks everyone for all of your kind words. I know I need to heal and all. I was just wishing it would go faster. I know we all do. I have bee informed that I was given enough mroe days that I could stay out until March 9th. I may end up doing that.


Angelia
31 at Dx.
DX: 4/30/09, 10/21/09 SCC on floor of mouth,
T1NOMO, T2N1M0
TX: 39 IMRT, 8 cisplatin 11/30/09
PET/CT: 11/03/09: Lymph node involvement
PEG/PORT: 11/09
TX end: 02/01/10
PET Scan: 04/05/10 clear
PEG Out: 06/21/10
Biopsy: 12/23/10: fibrosis
HBO: 01/04/11 - ORN
Baby girl born 11-30-12
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  Eva Grayzel 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Top Posters
ChristineB 10,507
davidcpa 8,311
Cheryld 5,260
EzJim 5,260
Brian Hill 4,912
Newest Members
Jina, VintageMel, rahul320, Sean916, Megm37
13,103 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums23
Topics18,166
Posts196,921
Members13,103
Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020
OCF Awards

Great Nonprofit OCF 2023 Charity Navigator OCF Guidestar Charity OCF

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5