This is my first post, hope I am not intruding. I live in France and had all my treatment here so I wasn't sure I could find appropriate resources through the net. I was surprised to find that so many people are having the same issues of neck and shoulder pain that I still have three years after my surgery and radiation therapy for stage 2 squamous cell carcinoma of the base of the tongue. I had a graft from my thigh to rebuild the tongue to facilitate eating and speech. I have done very well but the neck and shoulder pain has not improved after several sessions of physiotherapy. I have been taking acetominophen/codeine but it's not totally effective and I am rather wary after reading negative things about long term acetominophen use. I also use heat and stretching exercises which give temporary relief.

I am scheduled to meet with doctors at the pain center at the cancer hospital in Nice where I have been treated and I would like to have suggestions of treatments or medications that work for other people.

I have tried to be patient but after three years I am a bit discouraged. Thank you for your suggestions.