I am 52 found lump on neck tonsil tumor and 4cm tumor on lymph node
12/19 surgery RND
1/27 had teeth removed before radiation real bummer I thought I could do this not another bump
Radiation in two weeks 60gy /6weeks

Steve, welcome to OCF! Im very sorry that you need our group but we will help you get thru your battle and recovery. Stick with us and we will give you info and support.

I also lost all my teeth due to OC. Radiation damaged them so badly they had to be removed. I know its not easy to eat without teeth but try your very best to eat as much as possible, especially having all your favorites before you begin treatments.

During rads and for at least the first year after finishing you need to take in a minimum of 2500 calories daily and 48-64 oz of water. If you can do more, say 3000 or even 3500 calories, that will only help you get thru it easier. During rads most patients begin to struggle to take in enough. I cant stress enough how important it is to hit those minimums every single day. By skimping one day it will quickly turn into a routine of playing catch up which in reality will never happen. Ive been there and ended up hospitalized a few times for malnutrition and dehydration. At the treatment center your doc can write you a prescription to get extra hydration a few times a week in the chemo lab. This will greatly help you to stay hydrated and feel much better.

Rinsing with seltzer water, using a waterpik on its lowest setting and continuing to rinse with baking soda, salt and 16 oz of warm water all will help as well. Some members have found relief with gargling with seltzer water.

Make sure that anyone who offers their assistance you write down their name and number. Tell them when the time comes you will contact them. There will be a million little things that can help make this easier. Dont be shy, people really do want to help so let them pitch in. If it were someone you knew, Im sure you would want to help them.

Here is a recipe for something I used to make and drink when I went thru treatments. The shake has anywhere from 1200-2000 calories depending on how you make it. The list of foods might help too, they mostly have a smoother texture and arent spicy which should be easier to tolerate.

Easy to Eat Food List

(All measurements are estimates)

Giant High Calorie Choc-Peanut Butter Milkshake

3 or 4 cups chocolate ice cream (regular/full fat type)
2 tablespoons peanut butter (smooth type)
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 or 2 cups whole milk (can substitute half and half to add even more calories)
1 scoop carnation instant breakfast
1 scoop high protein whey powder (check with doc if this is ok)

Blend this extra long to make it very smooth and creamy so it goes down easier. If the shake is too thick, add more milk to thin it down to what works best for you.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot prior to your rads, get a full blood panel including thyroid and testosterone levels. This is very important to get a baseline so your docs know what your normal levels are. After rads many of us have thyroid issues and men can also have low testosterone.

Hope I didnt overload you with too much info. Best wishes!

Steve,
Welcome to OCF! Great time to join and connect with so many who have been down the road ahead of you. This is the time to eat anything and everything to pack on extra weight. You will lose it during treatment.

During treatment there are three things to focus on: Hydration - Nutrition - Pain Management. Stay on top of these three things and you will get through with the fewest issues.

There is lots of info here. Go to the main board and read up and get as much knowledge as you can.

Thanks all
Getting mask fitting in am. Thanks for recipe for Shake. I love to eat and cook however with teeth being pulled it is like I am going into a fight and the last minute they told me I can,t use my hands!

No dentures till after radiation so this should be interesting we were hoping no feeding tube guess we will see
Steve

You will be learning a lot of new things over the next six weeks or so. You will find out if you're claustrophobic as being strapped down to the table inside that mask that doesn't let you move (any) is scary for some people. If you already know that you are, then tell your radiation oncologist so they can address it from the start. I am not claustrophobic and it didn't bother me being strapped down to the table. It was uncomfortable at about week two of treatment because the face can swell a little (which tightens the mask). But by week three I had lost a little weight (you will too) so the mask wasn't tight anymore.

Get yourself some Aquaphor (or Walmart's generic) and use it every day during radiation; it will help keep the skin soft and help avoid sores caused by the radiation.

There's lots more you will learn along the way.

Good luck, you will do just fine.

Tony

I am not a fan of getting PEG unless needed. If you have the ability to make shakes and drink your meals, then you can try to go without the tube until you can no longer maintain your daily intake. Powdered protein powder is high in calories and adding nuts and other high fat foods make for a calorie packed meal. Good luck.

Steve,

Sounds like you are about to embark on the trip I took. Just got my last of 30 treatments yesterday, also a relatively low dose. My teeth were extracted and a peg tube installed before treatment. My experience so far:
No teeth is a bummer for a dyed in the wool beefeater like me. I haven't had to use the peg and can't wait to lose it (they want to keep it in for about a month "just in case").

First 2 1/2 weeks of treatment were like nothing. Slight redness of the skin on the neck and shoulders but no pain. I started applying the aquaphore cream as suggested.

At about 2 1/2 weeks my taste buds disappeared. Eating was no longer fun so I basically started living on "Boost Plus" protein drink mixed with "Mootopia" chocolate milk taken very cold. Since swallowing wasn't a problem I would also have some scrambled eggs or Ramen noodles just for some texture. Dry mouth started creeping in but that hasn't been a real problem for me since I have rarely ever been found out of reach of a cup of coffee. I swear I can still taste the coffee but that may be my caffeine addiction talking.

At about week 4 I began to notice soreness inside my mouth, kind of similar to when you burn your mouth (especially the roof) by trying to eat or drink something too hot. Also began to notice a secretion kind of like saliva but thicker (mucus?) inside my mouth. Regular swishing with a saltwater/baking soda mix helped. My "sunburn" also began to get a little uncomfortable. I applied the aquaphore cream right after treatment each day and before bed, that helped. I also noticed a slight sore throat but not enough to effect my ability to swallow.

Today is my first post treatment day so I don't expect to see an abatement of side effects for a while. I'm experiencing the sore throat, "sunburn" on my neck, and mucus in my mouth. I have also noticed the last few days it is easier for me to accidently aspirate food and liquids if I am not careful. I am far from an athletic person but so far I haven't had any issues with pain or fatigue that has interrupted my normal activities.

Like I said, just my experience
couldabeenworse
Bud