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#20400 05-09-2006 01:51 PM
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This is very tough. He's having the teeth pulled Friday. He is also going to have a piece of jaw bone removed. Its not cancer but he couldn't remember what it was called but they said it should come off. The VA didn't suggest the removal of salivary gland and add it later I had read about that procedure. I wish I knew why they're suggesting all the teeth go. At first they suggested 12 teeth in the back but said it would be best to do them all. What can I do now?

#20401 05-09-2006 02:11 PM
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Is the IMRT radiation system like the mask that my brother told me he was going to have done? My brother lives in Michigan and I live in Minnesota. His wife went with him to the meetings at the VA but it seems like they both were so shell shocked I can't get alot of specific treatment out of them. They know generally what is going to happen just not the names of the drugs etc.

#20402 05-09-2006 02:34 PM
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Hello JC,
I have recently finished 33IMRT and 3 chemo, as well as a neck dissection. This was all for SCC of the right tonsil with mets to one lymph node, all of this was done between 11/05- 01/06, so not that far ahead of you. I did not have any teeth pulled but now am having some problems in fact I will be starting Hyberbaric Oxygen treatments this thursday for osteradioncrosis (ORN) as a result of radiation, this does not happen to all of us , in fact not many, you just don't want to deal with this on top of everything else, dental care is essential with this treatment. They remove teeth to prevent problems down the line. JC just remember we are all here to help and support you. Find out and gather as much info as you can , become an "expert". This is very doable, a pain in the ass but it can be done. It is scary, man I still am scared out of my wits at times, but you guys can do this many of us have, so will you and your husband. by the way most of us are in the same age group, relativly speaking, I am 48 for a few more days. Oh yeah one last thing if your hubby smokes he has to drop them yesterday, I was a heavy smoker for 35 years and it was not that hard to quit if you are scared like I was.
You will do this.
Always lenny

#20403 05-10-2006 11:32 AM
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JC - My husband's radiation oncologist (RO) recommended that he have his lower teeth only pulled. His teeth were not in the greatest of shape - no active cavities or anything, but he had had a lot of dental work earlier in his life and had splints in his lower jaw area holding his teeth in. Anyway, the reason the RO said the lower teeth only, was because he said the upper teeth are fed by a separate blood supply than the lower ones, and that having future dental work on the upper teeth does not usually pose a problem as far as the bone not healing. So my husband did have his remaining lower teeth removed. You may want to have your brother ask them to spare his upper teeth if they are in decent shape and if in fact his doctors agree with what was told to us. Upper teeth are better than no teeth. My husband survived his radiation and chemo treatments and a radical neck dissection following that, and is recuperating now. Wish I could say that he is eating, but he hasn't regained the desire to eat yet and is still using a feeding tube. Has some problems with nausea on and off as well, but overall, he is much better. best of luck to your brother.
Michele


Michele, caregiver to husband, Jesse, SCC diagnosed 1/5/06 unknown primary, lf neck mass >6 cm. Chemo (Cisplatin 2x; Carboplatin & Taxol 2x) & XRT radiation 39X ending 4/4/06. Rad neck dissection 8.5 hrs 4/13/06. 30 HBO treatments Fall 2006.
#20404 05-16-2006 08:07 AM
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hello all, reading all these letters is bringing a tear to my eye. had all my teeth removed. 39 imrt's 3 chemo's, i'm not sure of the number of amofoststien's but i do remember they were everyday. spent 5 months living in the cancer ward. had numberous infections from port's that after a while just went bad. what i tried to forget about is all coming back reading this forum. i was released from the hospital to go home and heal. i thought for sure i was going to meet my maker. day by day went by slowly, but i began to feel better. better than the last 6 month's, that's for sure. began speech pathology for speaking and swollowing. got fitted for dentures, now i have a smile i never had in my lifetime, ear to ear. graduated from speech path after 53 week's, nothing more they could do for me i was healed. 2 day's after graduation my cancer was back 3 week's after that my larynx was removed.this operation was 6 week's ago. still getting used to not being able to talk, but i still have a beautiful smile, and i'm still here, which if i was a betting man i wouldn't have taken that bet.what i'm trying to say is, having your teeth pulled (although it sucks) really isn't that bad as long as you are still here! you will learn to live a little differently, live being the main word. god bless all of us

#20405 05-16-2006 11:59 AM
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Dear Upstatesteve, you sound like a very courageous person. Good Luck. Amy


CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease

:
#20406 05-18-2006 05:13 AM
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Hello jc. The fears y'all have are normal. Without fear, we would not question. Be sure there are people out there for moral support. Just drop a note. Sorry you had to join us, but glad you found us. ake care and God bless, Curtis


The Outdoor Texan
#20407 05-18-2006 05:15 AM
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I cannot begin to imagine the trials you are going through,upstatesteve. God bless and best wishes, Curtis


The Outdoor Texan
#20408 05-20-2006 01:33 AM
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JC,
I'll be 59 in June, I was originally Dx'd when I was 55.

All H&N rad treatmenets are done with a mask to imobilize the head and present an accurate and repeatable target. It's not as big a deal as it seems. You get used to it really quickly.

They don't actually remove the salivary gland, they just relocate out of the radiation beam field. It;s a pretty new concept.


Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
________________________________________________________
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
#20409 05-21-2006 03:44 AM
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i still have my mask. don't know why, i guess i really do. when my imrt's first started i think they were 43 minutes long. at first i was scared too. after a few, it was a nice time of day to take a nap. your not going anywhere. i can recall my siliva not producing after. sure i had salagen just like everybody else. i went to the supermarket in the gardening section i found a little spritz bottle for watering plant's. this worked great, carried it everywhere. once i finally was fitted for dentures, the siliva problem went away. i guess your body respond's to a foreign matter in the mouth. my siliva glands began to work normal again, thank god. i dont know if glands stop working and then restart again. but i have a full bottle of salagen, haven't taken one in month's. now that i'm a laryngectomee, i can't smell or taste. this suck's alot. does anybody out there have a home cure for this? i'd love to hear it i'm starting to get teary, going upstairs to get out that mask, write to ya later. god bless us all

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