Hello Ross and welcome. It's a tough road you have started down and your body will go through many changes before it's done. Radiation will probably end up drying up that saliva and then your mouth will be dry all the time. Swinging from one extreme to the other is the name of this game. You may need to see a speech therapist at the end of tx to relearn how to swallow. I didn't even have surgery but still and even with the peg tube I lost 50 pounds (not sure what that is in grams) over the course of tx and recovery. Wish you luck and strength to fight this battle.

David R. 65 yr old male non-smoker, light drinker, stage 3 or 4, depending on which doc you ask, scc rt. tonsil, 2 nodes, 7 weeks radiation and chemo. No surgery. Teatment ended 3/20/08. PET scan 8/08 showed no cancer.
And now, as of oct, 2010, caregiver to wife, Linda, with breast cancer.
May, 2013, Linda diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Enuf already.