 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 6 | Sandy, now is when the side effects usually begin to appear. They will progressively get worse as time goes on, even continuing the first few weeks after finishing treatment.
What you can do is to focus on your intake. That is what will make this easier. Every single day you need a minimum of 2500-3000 calories and 48-80 oz of water. Every single day! No skimping!!!! That quickly becomes a bad habit and before you know it you will become malnourished and dehydrated. You do NOT want to end up hospitalized for that. I went thru it a couple times and it was horrible!!! So please push yourself to always take in enough every single day.
Rinse your mouth at least 4 times a day with a mixture of 16oz of warm water with 2 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp salt. the salt will probably burn but try to keep it in there by cutting back to 1 tsp or even 1/2 a tsp. Salt water helps with healing those mouth sores. The baking soda helps neutralize your ph balance in your mouth.
Hang in there, we are here to lean on if you need us.
ChristineSCC 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  | 
