It may not feel like it, but you are doing quite well three months (12 weeks) after radiation. If you wish to put on weight, you can consider taking supplements like Boost or Ensure which are in liquid form and they can add to the calorie intake. (I don't know if you have Boost or Ensure in India. The supplements may have a different brand name.). Have you had a CT scan? Sometimes doctors wait a bit before they order a scan as the swelling post-radiation may mean that the scans are not that clear. Have you asked your doctor about that? Here in Toronto, Canada, doctors don't necessarily order a PET scan although it seems to be done quite frequently in the States.

Good for you that you are trying to be positive; that's really important in the recovery process.

Its great to hear for you!!! Im sorry you have had some difficulties with your recovery. When doing rads, it makes patients' immune systems low where they cant fight off even minor infections. Im sure your blood work white counts are still very low, making you susceptible to pick up all kinds of illnesses . A complete recovery takes a LONG time! It cant be rushed. Just remember... no patient ever can bounce back as quickly as they think they should.

If you have lost weight then you are not taking in enough calories. This is something most OC patients struggle with due to radiation to the mouth/throat areas affects our capability to eat and swallow. Every single day you should push yourself to take in the daily minimums of 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water. Since you said you had a big weight loss, you need to increase your intake over that amount. Even if taking in 3500 calories daily you probably would not start to regain any weight for many months. For your own good heath and to make your recovery go smoothly, I would say to push to take in as much as possible over 3000 calories every single day until you hit your one year post rads milestone. It took me about 6 or 7 years after finishing my rads until I was able to gain any weight. Thats with some days taking in well over 5000 calories, sometimes even over 7000 calories daily. I would make and drink huge chocolate peanut butter milkshakes every day. Im not sure if your country has the same items so you could make these? Here in the US we have many different nutritional drinks available in grocery stores and pharmacies. Its even available to purchase online, no prescription is necessary. The Boost very high calorie is one of the most calorie dense drinks available with 530 calories in 8 oz. Drink a few of these per day and it will greatly help you to recover.

Not all doctors send their patients for PET scans. Some doctors avoid post treatment scans of all kinds to keep their patients from getting any extra radiation.

Best wishes with your continued recovery!

Thanks a lot for suggestions.

Hope everyone is doing good.

As I informed you in my last post in month of April that I am suffering from infection in operating part, and still I am not able to recover it my doctor advised that it will heal after some time, but I didn't see any recovery and I am quite worried about this. Is this kind of infection is common for everyone and does it really takes this much of time to heal, or something else please advice.

Im so sorry to read you are still having trouble!! If you still have an infection weeks/months after finishing rads then you should be still taking antibiotics. If you have been on them for more than a couple weeks and nothing has changed then you need a stronger antibiotic or a different one that hopefully will work on whats going on. Your doc should swab the infection and send it to the lab for testing to see exactly what type of infection or problem you are having. Then he can know how to best treat it. If I remember correctly, I think you are a few months post rads. I also suggest besides the antibiotics, your body need the fuel to recover in order to kick the infection. Radiation treatments are HARD on a patient. It takes a full 2 years to make a complete recovery. After rads, your body has been worn down so much that the only way it can rebuild itself is thru pushing yourself to take in better nutrition and calories. I know eating is NOT easy at all after rads and the sense of taste for most patients has been greatly affected. No matter what things taste like, unfortunately you still MUST push yourself to eat and drink. The daily minimums are to take in at the very least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water every single day right thru at the very least your first year anniversary of completing rads. Thats the minimum! For patients who are struggling like I think you may be doing, you should take in at least 3000/3500 calories daily and the same 48-64 oz of water. This must be done every single day. This will help your body to be strong enough to fight the infection and recover from all the damage rads has done.

Good luck!!!



PS.... Please add a signature asap. Going back to reread all thru your posts to figure out where you are right now isnt easy. By having a signature it greatly helps us to help you as we will instantly know where you are coming from and at what point you are in your recovery. My memory isnt always the best (lately its been awful!), after talking to so many different people over the phone and so many patients on here Im just not able to remember all the details of every member. Detailed instructions have been sent to you thru a PM or you can easily get the instructions on how to make a signature under the "New Here, Read This First" section in the Posting Etiquette thread.

Although rare, Osteomyelitis is an infection of the bone, since you mentioned it's in the mandible, which I had with ORN, Osteoradionecrosis. The bone can be infected a number of ways such as during surgery, and other means. Chronic conditions like diabetes can increase risk, as well as weakened immune system, poor blood supply and others, and can be acute or chronic, which the last can be difficult to treat.

Mine was found during CT scanning of the jaw for ORN surgery, one way to remove it, and was placed on antibiotics, Augmentin, once again until I awaited surgery. As mentioned, a biopsy or culture can help determine the orgasm causing the infection, and the appropriate medication prescribed. Antibiotics can be pill firm or by IV that are more potent.

Also helpful is controlling medical conditions like diabetes, adequate nutrition, as mentioned, increase blood supply, oxygenation,,and have read that HBOT is helpful with osteomyelitis, although some doctors, not all, may not advise it until there is a clear scan.

Good luck

Hello everyone!

Yesterday I meet with my ENT surgeon for infection,that is still there. He has done Biopsy of scar tissue samples taken from inside lining of mouth and hopefully we got no malignant cells i.e (-VE) report.

For infection he suggested me a minor surgery which is scheduled tomorrow.

Thanks alot.

Hope everyone is doing good!

finished small surgery for infection but no positive sign till date as infection is still there.

Now little bit Saliva formation starts, now my mouth is not that much dry. But Saliva is very thick sometime feels like cough don't know clearly that is Saliva our cough. My oncologist told to drink lots of water and it will be alright.
Is this recovery of Saliva formation or healing does everyone feel like me?

Still on liquid diet.

It has been six months since you finished radiation, how come you are still on a liquid diet? Do you have swallowing difficulties or is it due to the infection? Can you swallow soft food at all? What do your doctors say?

Since you finished rads several months ago, at this point in your recovery I would expect to hear you have dry mouth, not thick phlegm. Yes, drinking extra water will help think it. Every single day you should be taking in 48-64 oz of water and having at least 2500 calories. A diet high in protein (check with your doc if its ok) will help to speed up your healing. Unfortunately, patients never recover as fast as they think they should. A complete recovery takes 2 full years after rads. The better your diet and adherence to meeting your daily minimum calories and water, the easier the recovery will be. Most patients notice slow improvements with their saliva returning around from 6 months post rads thru the 2 year mark.

Hang in there, the worst is behind you. Best wishes with your continued recovery.

Hello everyone!!

Hope everyone is doing good.

I am came back again with a very bad news..

I had a PET scan on 13 Aug 2018 after pleural efflusion on lungs doctor had drain around 2L of pleural fluid form my lung and samples were sent for analysis and all the results were negative for malignancy,but still fluid continues to accumulate on my lungs then doctor suggest me for PET scan which has shown one lesion on my left lungs and rest organs are clear. Doctors told me high possibility of metastasis.

waiting for further line of treatments.

Sorry to inform you.