Just to give a little balance here:

Bill was the odd one that started doing better immediately after his last rads. I keep trying to analyze how quickly he made progress.

The last week of treatment, he was hospitalized (three days) with a high fever and neutropenia (very low blood count.) While there, he was on heavy antibiotics, morphine, fluids, and a feeding pump thru his peg. He missed three rad appts and one chemo which he made up the next week and then he was finished. I can only assume that the extra fluids and antibiotics helped kick whatever (mouth sores??) and gave him a boost to start healing but he was off any pain meds two days after coming home and never needed them again. In fact, I think he stopped the pain meds too abruptly as he had insomnia for a week. He never had any worsening symptoms or mucous...just started feeling better and stronger each day. He was eating by mouth starting around the end of week two after treatment.

Just thought I would add this as a way of saying that everyone is different. I do think the majority of patients have a rough go for a few weeks after treatment ends...we just thankfully didn't.

Deb