Hey welcome! 7 surgeries is a lot wow... I was where you aare 10 weeks ago.
as of today I am 3 weeks out of radiation treatment and chemo - they did not start me on chemo the first day - they started me a week later which is normally okay - but my WBC count was low before the second so they bumped it a week and because of that they couldn't get my last treatment in. So I had two. Cisplatin is not bad - mostly causes nausea - if you take your meds it will help. In Canada they keep you in over night for the chemo because it's very hard on your kidneys they run 24 hour iv. If they don't do that for you where you are remember to drink lots! It can also make you tired.

The advice given to you by David is great - do see a dentist. My hospital has a dental clinic with dental oncologists on staff so I was referred there. Since I have dental coverage it was covered.

I had 6.5 weeks of radiation 33 in total - it sounds like you are getting 35. It's not easy and everyone has their own different experiences - but it is doable. It traditionally does take up to week four before you begin to really feel the treatments I was lucky - it got really bad at treatment 30 for me. The two weeks after treatment are the worst - then you slowly start to feel better.

Radiation is a whole bag of tricks. You do get mouth sores there are different pain meds offered - magic mouthwash to numb you so you can eat and drink - look up Manuka honey - it helped me get as far as it did with minimal pain, sores and meds. Your throat feels much tighter - and does get sore as well. So swallowing can become hard - not sure if you've had a neck dissection - if you have - those muscles and scars tighten too. You become fatigued the further along you get - it's worst the two weeks following treatment. I was a drooling fool. It's finally easing up. But it's likely because of all the irritation from the radiation. Use a good cream on your neck from the beginning and keep your mouth as clean as possible. Not sure if you are getting a peg - if you are remember to do your exercises and keep swallowing. Don't want to lose the ability.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me... It isn't easy but you will get through it.

Take care and good luck.


Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan