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#89078 01-28-2009 02:34 PM
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TomHD Offline OP
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In general I can't talk anymore. Not because it hurts to talk, but because my mouth is always so full if spit. Is this common? How lomg after treatment should I expect to start getting back to normal?

P.S. One of my jobs is to speak at industry events. My next one I still have slated for April 7th. Is this a pipe dream given I'll be done with treatments on the 17th of February?


51 years Old. Non smoker. Light wine (well in a few more months). T2N2bM0 SCCHN Base of Tongue. Ripped 33 Lymph Nodes via surgery. 35 TomoTherapies Total, 1 Chemo each week. Cysplatin. Last treatment 2/18/09.
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Re the speaking, it all depends on how you respond. Most of us were just crawling out of our dark tunnels around that time and were just beginning to feel as if the worse was finally over and we were also pretty weak with horrific dry mouth but remember there are exceptions and lets hope you are one of the few that bounces back quicker. For me the 3 weeks post Tx were, by far, my worse.

Re the excess spit, that only lasted a few weeks for me and then the dry mouth set in. I also totally lost my voice (or at least it was so uncomfortable to open my mouth and speak) for about a week but that was towards the end of Tx and didn't last until the timeframe you are wondering about.


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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Tom:

Unfortunately things usually get much worse before they get better especially as treatments progress. The spit will turn into very thick mucous which is difficult to deal with. Then will come dry mouth. As David mentioned, losing your voice is a common thing alot of us went thru. For me it was about 3 weeks of using a dry erase board, my kids loved it.

Its not going to be easy making plans so close to the end of finishing your tx. At 6 weeks out I was still in pretty bad shape but did go back to work only part time with light duty. I think by going back to work so soon it made it harder for me to recover. Mentally it worked wonders being around people helped lift my spirits, but it wore me out. After my recurrance, I was completely wiped out and that was only treated with surgery.

Hang in there, tx can be brutal, fatigue is a long lasting post tx side effect. Honestly, cant advise you on if you will be able to do the speach. Everyone recovers at their own pace, most arent ready to be working at 6 weeks post tx. Might want to get yourself a dependable backup speaker just in case you arent up to it.


Christine
SCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44
2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07
-65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr
Clear PET 1/08
4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I
surg 4/16/08 clr marg
215 HBO dives
3/09 teeth out, trismus
7/2/09 recur, Stg IV
8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy
3wks medicly inducd coma
2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit
PICC line IV antibx 8 mo
10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg
OC 3x in 3 years
very happy to be alive smile
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Tom,

We all recover at different paces. I finished txs 11-4-08 and the following 3 to 4 weeks was horrible. Presently, I can get out of the house and do errands and such, but, anything physical kind of beats me up. I do seem to have aches and pains I never had before or if I did they are definitely magnified since tx. As for talking some days are better then others. And my nutrition is through VHC and soups; although, my taste is getting a lot better...I just have to get use to the texture. Thick mucous, gagging, loss of speech(3 1/2 weeks), sore mouth, sore jaw, dry mouth, no facial hair, liquid diet, lost 45 to 50 pounds--I was pretty much a text book example before, during and after tx.

I wouldn't think about April, that's too far away...just take it day-by-day in baby-steps for the time being. Concentrate on getting through these txs.


7-16-08 age 37@Dx, T3N0M0 SCC 4.778cm tumor, left side of oral tongue, non smoker, casual drinker, I am the 4th in my family to have H&N cancer
8-13-08 left neck dissection and 40% of tongue removed, submandibular salivary gland & 14 nodes clean, no chemo, IMRTx35
11-4-08 Recovering & feeling better
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I believe April will come in the next century -- Too far out for planning purposes!


Age 67 1/2
Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05
Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08
Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08
Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06
Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08)
Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08)
On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.
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Yes the first year will seem like forever but as my wife likes to tell me....stop your whining and get over it. lol


David

Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.

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