I finished radiation treatments 3 weeks ago now and my throat is still the sorest it's ever been... when will this start to heal? I can only eat about 5 different things without it making me cry. I'm on long-lasting morphine with some short-term one as well to help at mealtimes but it's still a struggle. At least I'm eating normally (by mouth).. gotta look on the positive side but I'm so sick of being in pain.

Please give me some hope that this will stop soon.

Right now is the worst part of this for most of us. Radiation continues to work even after the patient finishes. Im sorry you are having a difficult time of things, very soon you will turn the corner and begin to slowly feel a little better. Recovery can be a very long and frustrating time, full of ups and downs. Keep trying to see the positive in everything. If you think back to when you first finished, you should be able to recognize some very minor improvements. If not, you should see them any day now.

Keep taking in a minimum of 2500 calories and 48 oz of water every single day for at least the first full year after finishing rads. You will need to rebuild your body and it takes lots of calories to heal. Hang in there!!!

Meli,

We have been through it and know the discomfort, pain, and struggle it creates for you.

Pain meds you need to stay on top off. It seems you are taking both extended release and quicker acting forms which is fine but if you are feeling excess pain, it seems you need to check with your doctor to make adjustments.

I was able to keep the pain under control with MSContin, extended release morphine and hyrdocodone for breakthru pain. A number of patients needed fentanyl patches which are stronger. Maybe your doctor can evaluate that for you.

I created a blog that posted nearly every day of my treatment so there is lots of details in there but quite to slog through. I now post once a week and just a little update now.

Best luck, don

Wow, I'm just amazed that you are getting a few foods down at all! That is just great so don't get discouraged! Drink frozen slushies and it will help numb as it goes down. Work on keeping up the calories while the effects from radiation start going down. You will get better! Even though it has been 11 years since I had my treatment I remember those days well. You are on the upswing of the battle just remember that! - Love and prayers - Kris

I agree you're doing good at 3 weeks. It can take much longer in some, but everyone is different, and so is their treatment, other factors. It took me longer than 7 weeks from radiation, and would say my biggest meal was 8 months later on Thanksgiving.

Hi Meli,

Yep... those first few weeks post treatment were pretty much a blur. I was totally feeding by PEG and in a drug induced stupor the vast majority of the time. Sleeping was problematic and I "napped" for a few hours at a time.

It was about the 4-5th week out that I finally turned the corner. Remember, your progress will now be measured in weeks and months as opposed to days. It will get better I assure you.

Positive thoughts and prayers.

"T"

Here we go gain with the oft used phrase, "everyone is different" but it is true. I just finished week 8 post treatment and do most of my nutrition by tube. I had an ulcer on my tongue that is now 75% healed but makes eating difficult. All other areas I feel ahead of the curve. Look for small improvements and try to evaluate weekly. Trend Line is sloping upward overall but you can have daily swings. Patience will take you far.

Hi Meli, just want to say I hope you start feeling better soon. If it weren't in the name of healing, this entire regimen would be against the Geneva Convention!

Wow, I think you are amazing if you are able to eat after 3 weeks. It took me two months before I could even drink liquid. A couple of suggestions about the pain. There are many different types of pain. For muscular pain and most surgeries the narcotics you are taking work fairly well. It is a matter of trying to take enough to stay out of pain but not so much that you are out of it all together. One thing I might suggest is that you back off of hard foods and stick to various kinds of soups at first. I found that as long as I could incorporate ground beef or some protein in the soup I healed much faster. Also, you might ask your doc about other types of pain meds. There are many nerves inside your mouth and this radiated area. Some of your pain may be coming from that. My doc recently put me on something called neurotin which is usually used as an anti-convulsant drug but they have found that it is very helpful in chronic pain situations as well. What it does is slow down the speed with which the body processes nerve impulses. It might be worth a try if your doc says its a good idea. Don't get discouraged, the pain will go away but it will take a long time. I was on Tylenol 3 for over a year after my radiation. Good luck. Keep the faith.

I also found that milkshakes are a big help in the pain once you start eating. I would eat a real milkshake made with real ice cream and milk in a blender with each meal. I also supplemented it by adding vanilla flavored protein powder which you can get from any health food store. It makes it taste more like a malt. One bite of food one drink of shake. Another bite of food and another drink of shake. It is baby steps. Believe me you are doing really well at this point in your recovery. Keep the faith.