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#175818 12-24-2013 08:29 AM
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My current form of exercise is tae kwon do. I am realistic enough to know I will be falling behind over the next several months, which is disappointing because right now my husband and I are at the same rank and we are just about a year out from black belt.

I am guessing that there are physical limitations when one has a feeding tube inserted. How does it affect range of motion? I am already letting our instructors know that I will be sitting out on sparring, so I don't get kicked. Anything else I ought to be aware of? I figure fatigue will keep me out of most trouble.

Also they recommend a port if we do the chemo. Any special complications from that?

Thanks for any tips!


Surgery 5/31/13
Tongue lesion, right side
SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated
T1N0 based on biopsy and scan
Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes
12/2/13 follow-up with concerns
12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned
1/8/14 Port installed
PEG installed
Chemo and rads
2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads
March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June
2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia
Fall 2017: HBOT
Jan 18: oral surgery
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,267
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It takes a few days after surgery for the pain to subside, and and should not take a shower for a few days, and needs to be covered when showering thereafter for a week or two, and should not lift heavy objects for a few weeks also. The gastrologist or surgeon who does the surgery will give you the best instructions. Just use common sense also, and avoid anything that can pull the tube from your stomach, which can be secured several ways, as not to dangle, and get pulled suddenly. The other thing is with chemo, your immune system can be weakened, and easily catch infections from other people, pet feces, gardening, so you need to use personal protection, hygiene, for that.

I have a mediport for 4 years, and avoid being stuck by a needle for an IV in most cases, but not always, and care should be taken by those trained too do so. The downside is infections can occurr, go systemic, if healthcare personal do not follow proper access, cleansing. The peg-tube can also get infected, go systemic, and proper care needs to be taken with that also.

Good luck, and other peg/port users may add.


10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs






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I'm very sorry to hear about the recurrence. It is the thing we all fear the most. As to the port, there is general considerations to not do too much physical stressing of the upper body to avoid potential damage to the port. Since I am right handed and did want to as able as possible, the surgeon placed the port on the left side so that would minimize stressing the port.

If you get a PEG and port, I'd be very surprised if the docs allowed you do continue doing any physical contact sports until the devices are removed and you were fully healed. It just seems the risks from dislodging a port or PEG are pretty great.
Don


Don
Male, 57 - Great health except C
Dec '12
DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes
1 tooth out
Jan '13
2nd tooth out
Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT
4-6/2013
CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150
ended 5/29,6/4
All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com
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I intend to avoid the physical contact parts. But the stretching out and the forms seemed like they woukd be good exercise to continue. That is why I was not sure.

These are good care tips, and give me more questions to ask. Thank you.


Surgery 5/31/13
Tongue lesion, right side
SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated
T1N0 based on biopsy and scan
Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes
12/2/13 follow-up with concerns
12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned
1/8/14 Port installed
PEG installed
Chemo and rads
2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads
March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June
2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia
Fall 2017: HBOT
Jan 18: oral surgery
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,606
Likes: 2
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Kristen,

Sorry to hear about your recurrence. As Don says, the port may preclude a lot of physical activity including forms. For whatever reason, they discouraged me from lifting weights or doing a 100 mile bike ride when my port was put in. I didn't ask if it was because it was new and soon I wasn't in condition to consider either for a while. As far as the PEG you can get a MIC Key or button. It rides almost flush with the skin and has a detachable hose when needed that snaps in and out. You even get a thin and thicker tube for water or other.

Hope this helps.

Ed


SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0
Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days radiation
Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03
Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.
Cervical Spinal Stenosis 01/11
Cervical Myelitis 09/12
Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12
Dysautonomia 11/12
Hospice care 09/12-01/13.
COPD 01/14
Intermittent CHF 6/15
Feeding tube NPO 03/16
VFI 12/2016
ORN 12/2017
Cardiac Event 06/2018
Bilateral VFI 01/2021
Thoracotomy Bilobectomy 01/2022
Bilateral VFI 05/2022
Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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Posts: 104
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It was my experience as what used to be in very decent shape(infantry then college crew) then about 7 years off but ran a tri or two. That the PEG was very painful for the first week and a half+. The doctors told me that my there was a lot of muscle still on my abdominal wall and it was gonna make it more painful compared to someone who was relatively less active.

The Mediport feels like you shot a 10gage magnum round and didn't seat the stock properly in your shoulder, that feeling that you would normally feel for about 4-5 min last about a week. But they give you vicodine smile

I did my two surgerys back to back and it was not a very fun week. But two weeks out I feel mostly normal. I would suggest that you figure out a position for your peg tube and keep it bound up with some ace bandage for the first two-4 days.




Brian
Stage IV TxN2aM0 HPV+ SCC 38 y.o. male
9/20/13 Sentinel Node Found
12/5/13 Start of 72Gy and 5 bags of Cisplatin
1/21/14 Treatment Ends
1/25/15 1 Yr clear
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Posts: 421
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While I didn't have a port, I did have a PEG. It's admirable that you want to continue with your fitness regime however, for many including myself, the treatment hit me so hard that by the third week I pretty much hit the wall and exercise was out of the question. I can also tell you that for me stretching and even light physical activity such was a bit uncomfortable with the PEG sticking out of my belly. Definitely consult with your team concerning limitations.

Positive thoughts and prayers


57
Cardiac bypass 11/07
Cardiac stents 10/2012
Dx'd 11/30/2012 Tx N2b MO Stage IV HPV+
Palatine Tonsillectomy/Biopsies 12-21-12
Selective Neck Dissection/Lingual Tonsillectomy/biopsies TORS 2/7/13
Emergency Surgery/Bleeding 2/18/13
3/13/2013 30rads/6chemo
Finished Tx 4/24/13
NED Since
Joined: Jun 2013
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Brian, muscle will not be an issue for me. I am not in that good shape!

Fishman, yeah, I kinda figured I would be wiped out. But tae kwon do is a sanity saver for me so I was hoping. Sigh.

I promise I will use caution. I am not an athletic person, anyway. I just enjoy the art of it.


Surgery 5/31/13
Tongue lesion, right side
SCC, HPV+, poorly differentiated
T1N0 based on biopsy and scan
Selective neck dissection 8/27/13, clear nodes
12/2/13 follow-up with concerns
12/3/13 biopsy, surgery, cancer returned
1/8/14 Port installed
PEG installed
Chemo and rads
2/14/14 halfway through carboplatin/taxotere and rads
March '14, Tx done, port out w/ complications, PEG out in June
2017: probable trigeminal neuralgia
Fall 2017: HBOT
Jan 18: oral surgery

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