| Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 128 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 128 | hello, after being on the fentanyl patch for over a year, of course dose has been lowered since the big operation in december, my father decided he was ready to get off of the 25mcg patch, and to just stick with norco for the shooting pains.. he thought that the fentanyl patch was not really doing much.. well come to find out 2days off the patch, that it was and now today my mom put one on him.. i tried explaining to him how huge this surgery was and not to get discouraged, that he will have some bad days, but to be grateful for all the good days he has had lately... any words of encouragement.. i know a lot of you have had the personal experience with this horrible disease.. thank you.. concerned daughter
Dad-55 yrs..2/2010-DX/March 2010-Induction Chemo/35Rads 7weeks concurrent with chemo once every 3weeks/6/2010-Treatments completed-October 2010-Recurrence/December 2010-salvage surgery/clear Margins/July 2011-recurrence/weekly Erbitux treatments-5/30/12, last erbitux.. Painfree and rested 6/19/12
| | | | Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 207 "OCF Down Under" Gold Member (200+ posts) | "OCF Down Under" Gold Member (200+ posts) Joined: Aug 2009 Posts: 207 | stay positive Nic, even if no one else is....lotsa love from Oz coming your way....xxxx
Jeanna Wife/Carer of Rod, 56, Dx 5/3/09, SCC Oropharnyx T4 N2, End Tx 28th 07/09, 7wks Rad, 3 Cisplatin, primary tonsil, 4cm Lymph right of neck, 1cm left, in jaw & soft palate & base of tongue. Peg 06/09. CT & PET scans 02/11 - NED. Dentures 20/09/11, PEG out 28/10/11.
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Hi Nicki! Im sure your father must be discouraged about needing the patch. He has gone thru so much! While it may seem to him that he hasnt made much progress Im sure he has come a very long way. Next time he wants to get rid of the patch, ask the doc for the 12 mg ones. That would let him step down to a lower dose and try it out before getting rid of it. Best wishes to your dad!!! 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 | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | 4 months after major oral surgery on top of radiation and chemo and still needs pain medication: hmmn, why does that sound familiar? Oh yeah, that was me two years ago. My words of encouragement for your Dad are that his recovery is very similar to my time frame and many others who posted here. True, some bounced back much quicker and some slower, but please share with him that it will get better before this year is out. Christine's sugggestion to taper down with the 12mcg patch is a very good one. It is very hard to just stop the patch and switch to oral meds without extra pain and withdrawal issues. I got impatient and did just that but it was a hellish week. Better to taper down and be patient. Again, your Dad's time frame sounds fine and within normal ranges to me. Charm 65 yr Old Frack Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+ 2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG 2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery 25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Apaghia /G button 2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa 40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 128 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Nov 2010 Posts: 128 | hello thank you so much for your responses! i did not know that the 12mcg even existed! i will bring it up to my dad's ENT at next visit... Charm, if you dont mind me asking, what exactly does the "salvage surgery" consist of? did you experience pain 4months out of surgery? i like to copy and paste these words of encouragement and email it to my dad.. he has really been down and out, and now with developing the thrush, which did clear up great about 5days of the Diflucan.. it is still a little white, but nothing like it was, and for the first time today, he looked and was able to open his mouth wide enough to see what is left of his tongue, i cannot imagine emotionally/mentally what this does to an individual BUT at the sametime he is so grateful.. also, during this time my uncle, my dad's only brother was diagnosed with liver/colon cancer in october of last year and passed in February of this year.. my father is coping in his own way, and is truly my hero.. he knows that he needs "to keep his head in the game".. thank you again for sharing your words of wisdom and encouragement with me.. God Bless! nicki
Dad-55 yrs..2/2010-DX/March 2010-Induction Chemo/35Rads 7weeks concurrent with chemo once every 3weeks/6/2010-Treatments completed-October 2010-Recurrence/December 2010-salvage surgery/clear Margins/July 2011-recurrence/weekly Erbitux treatments-5/30/12, last erbitux.. Painfree and rested 6/19/12
| | |
Forums23 Topics18,168 Posts196,928 Members13,104 | Most Online458 Jan 16th, 2020 | | | |