Hi Andy! Congrats on being 6 months post rads!!! The worst of everything is well behind you already.

Recovery can seem to last forever!!! No patient can ever get better as quickly as what their own mental timeline says which can be very frustrating. The recovery phase is full of ups and downs with some setbacks here and there. Rads sure was NOT an easy process and those setbacks are like a kick to the butt to let you know you still are a bit fragile and have more recovering to do.

Im sorry you still have a ways to go before you are considered completely recovered. OC is a difficult cancer to get thru!!! A total recovery for OC takes 2 years, sometimes even a month or so past the 2 years post rads. Thats why intake of at least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water needs to be continued for at least another 6 months, preferably til you hit your 2 year post rads mark. Ask your doc about adding high protein whey powder to your milkshakes or diet to boost your protein intake which will help with healing. By the time most patients hit the 1 years or so mark they're doing great, almost back to their normal self. The dry mouth/lack of saliva and ability to taste will be the 2 things that take the longest to recover. Many patients struggle with their sense of taste. Foods lose flavor after taking only a bite or 2 but it will improve in time. After patients are 2 years post rads, they're almost completely recovered. Some patients will notice small improvements up thru around 22/24 months post rads with their sense of taste and dry mouth issues. Sense of smell fluctuates on and off thru around the same timetable (up to about 2 years post rads).

Just remember... "everybodys different!!!". Diz was one of the rare 10%-ers of super lucky speedy patients who bounce back very quickly. She also was excellent adhering to her daily intake calories and hydration minimums. Patients who can do that will almost always fare significantly better than the patients who get into the playing catch up game. If you can meet your daily minimums of 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water every single day (NO skipping either!!!) you should notice recovery will become quicker and easier. If you lose weight on those daily minimums then you need to bump your intake up to 3000 or 3500 daily calories. You shouldnt have any concerns about gaining weight even with taking in higher than normal calories. During my recovery many days in a row I would take in 6-7000 calories by drinking a few of my favorite chocolate peanut butter shakes and never gained an ounce but it did stop my weight loss. With being so busy rebuilding itself, your body is burning up calories at a much higher than normal rate.

Hang in there!!! The worst is behind you. Best wishes with continued improvements with taste and dry mouth!!!


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