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Alpaca Offline OP
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Hi! My query is really about instant pain relief for uncomfortable procedures. I have a tongue bite inserted during RT. It's always uncomfortable but today it was downright painful, AFTER I'd given the team the thumbs up and the pain didn't recede as it usually does. I had a CT as well as RT so had to endure it for about 20 minutes. For the first time I took Oxynorm before I went into the RT room and it did no good at all. Therapist said to see the nurses about pain relief because my jaw might get more painful as the treatment proceeds. I didn't have time to see them today so thought I would start researching what I can do to make treatment more tolerable.


1996, ovarian cancer surgery + cisplatin and taxol.
September, 2007, SCC of left lateral tongue. Excision.
October, 2009 recurrence in scar tissue, T1NOMO. Free flap surgery from left wrist - neck dissection. 63 year old New Zealander. No chemo, no RT.
February, 2014. New primary in left buccal mucosa. Marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection, right arm free forearm flap. T1N0M0 but third occurrence and some areas of concern: RT started 8 April and finished 19 May.
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"OCF Canuck"
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
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"OCF Canuck"
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Maybe ask if you can have a swig of magic mouthwash before inserting it. It will temporarily numb you enough to get through the procedure. magic mouthwash usually has lidocaine or something in it that is immediate - but usually short term.

hugs.

Last edited by Cheryld; 04-24-2014 07:22 AM.

Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
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Alpaca Offline OP
"OCF Down Under, Kiwi"
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
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"OCF Down Under, Kiwi"
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Joined: Nov 2009
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Thanks. I've got some lidocaine which is great before I clean my teeth but it's the trismus (I think) that causes the jaw ache with the tongue bite sticking out and being dragged down by the tight mask - even though there's a hole for it. I wondered if anyone else had had this during radiation but maybe it's peculiar to me. they had to make me a customised bite because my tongue is so strange now:)


1996, ovarian cancer surgery + cisplatin and taxol.
September, 2007, SCC of left lateral tongue. Excision.
October, 2009 recurrence in scar tissue, T1NOMO. Free flap surgery from left wrist - neck dissection. 63 year old New Zealander. No chemo, no RT.
February, 2014. New primary in left buccal mucosa. Marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection, right arm free forearm flap. T1N0M0 but third occurrence and some areas of concern: RT started 8 April and finished 19 May.
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 559
Likes: 1
"Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
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Ask the RT if they can enlarge the hole in your mask a little so the tongue bite can float just little more freely.



Tony, 69, non-smoker, aerobatics pilot, bridge player/teacher, avid dancer (ballroom, latin, swing, country)

09/13 SCC, HPV 16, tonsillectomy, T2N0.
11/13 start rads, no chemo
12/13 taste gone, dry mouth,
02/14 hair slowly returning
05/14 taste the same, dry sinuses, irrigation helps.
01/15 food taste about 60% returned, dry sinuses are worse in winter.
12/20 no more sinus problems, taste pretty good

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Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
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Ditto n74tg if you feel the pain because the tongue thing is pressing against the mask. Lidocaine primarily works as a topical oral pain killer, If the pain is coming from deeper and underneath the skin you would likely need something else.

Try the mask adjustment first; quickest and easy.

Good luck,
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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"OCF Canuck"
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
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"OCF Canuck"
Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)

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Yup - ditto what they said... Hugs my dear,


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan

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