Hello All,

My name is Jack. I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in Sept 2009, started radiation on Oct 1, ended Nov 23. Still no saliva and taste is weird, but the tumor is gone. Is there anyone who can tell me one way or the other if I will ever get saliva glands back? I'm very confused by what I've read.

Hey Jack.

I'm just ahead of you. Getting my taste back and the saliva loss was not that bad for me but i still take water with me when I go out.

Some here talk about saliva improving as much as two years out. From what I hear at this site from the old pro's, those of us out here at 6 and 7 months can expect a good deal more improvement to come.

Jack,

We all can recovery differently since we are not all the same to begin with and there are many other variables that affect our level of recovery especially the field and intensity of radiation during Tx. I received 72 gys and it was dispersed to both sides of my neck and all throughout my oral cavity. I had horrible dry mouth at first, couldn't walk 10 feet without having a water bottle handy. Kept one in every room of my house. Even kept spare bottles in both cars as I was ALWAYS leaving a bottle at the checkout counter!! Anyway I notice my first improvement 4 months post, then another at 5, 15 (my biggest) and at 24 months post. Each time my saliva improved so did my taste. I estimate I'm around 90 to 95% back to pre Tx and that small difference is really nothing to write home about as they say. Good luck and just be patient as there's really nothing that you can do to speed up the recovery. At least none that any of us know about.

Hi Jack, It will be 2 years 6/20 post treatment. My mouth gets very dry. I must have water w/me 24/7. It is really a problem when you get stuffed up & can't breath thru your nose! (like gardening:alergy's, cold or crying) So I try not to clean (dust) or garden, get sick or cry! However 2 weeks ago, I was able to eat a choc. ice cream cone. Last year chocolate tasted horrible and I could not swallow the dry cone. So there is a very s l o w improvement!

Jack,

Just as Dianne points out we will all recover as much as we will when we do so just go with the flow and see where you end up.

Dianne,

Just read your signature line all the way to the end for the first time and I love your "in quotes".

Welcome Jack!

I'm a few months ahead of you and I will say the saliva is getting better as well as the taste buds. Before alot tasted like plastic to me but now things are starting to taste normal again. I get dry mouth first thing in the morning, when I'm real active, talking too much and a weird one...when I'm using my peg feeding but it is all getting better. Just give it some more time and be patient.....a hard concept for me!LOL

I won't lie. I am 3 years out and have a taste for the 1st bite then it could be cardboard and I wouldn't know except I couldn't eat it. My saliva is trying to make a comeback unless I get a little winded then I am as dry as desert sand .

Saliva can take a while to get back to near normal. There are meds to take that can help. As far as taste goes, that can take up to 2 years to get back close to normal.

Thank you for the info..I really appreciate it. Jack

Thanks to all for the very good info..it's starting to make sense now, just wish this cancer made sense...;-(. I do feel very lucky after reading some of the horror stories here, it has helped me immensely. Thank you again....Jack, Semper Fi!