| | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 131 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP  Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 131 | This seems to happen when I wake up, and it just started this week. I gag like I am throwing up, can feel a lot of irritation and pain, and bright red blood comes up with saliva and phlem. Has anyone found this to be typical? I'm going to bring it to the attention of my doctors today. But has anyone experienced some bleeding due to the radiation damage? Not the all out ruptures I have read about but from the swelling and irritation maybe?
Dx: 3/11 Stage III glottic laryngeal SCC HPV 16+ Tx Start: 7/18/11 chemoradiation 7wks - Tomotherapy IMRT x 34 / Cisplatin x 7 Tx End:9/1/11]-[as of 1/20/12 - ALL CLEAR!]
| | | | | Joined: May 2011 Posts: 287 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: May 2011 Posts: 287 | Hank, I would suggest you to speak to your doctor. I am not aware of any bleeding during radiotherapy unless some mouth sores are bleeding, even then I would worry.
Father; 67 yrs; RIP: 2012/05/26
TX:SCC pT2N1M0G2;Glossectomy+SND+CCRT(59.3Gy+6xCis.)[2009]
TX:Nodal Mets; 3xDCF[2011/05/05]
TX: RND + PMMC Flap[2011/07/11]
DX:SCC PNI+ECE
TX:Re-RT 60Gy[2011/09/21]
TX:Gefitinib 250mg[2011/12/18]
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 Gold Member (200+ posts) | | Gold Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2011 Posts: 267 | I have a little bit of red blood sometimes when I cough up mucous. I think it is from sores in the throat getting irritated. It's never been a lot of blood, though.
Tracy - 33 at diagnosis
SCC right ventral tongue Dx 4/11.
T1N2M0
1st resection 5/11.
Bilateral neck dissection: 2 pos nodes
2nd resection w/graft 6/11.
Erbitux x 11 completed 9/11. IMRT x 30 completed 8/11.
3 month MRI and PET/CT all clear.
6, 9, 12 and 24 month post treatment MRIs all clear.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 | This really does depend on the amount. I personally was blessed that my sores didn't really open up. Though my throat was sore and tight. I used to cough up phlegm all the time ( I'm an awesome spitter now) but blood - no. If it's just a little it may be related to the sores and irritation, but I would still have it checked for peace of mind losing lots if blood is never good especially when you are already immune compromised.
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 131 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 131 | I spoke to one of my nurses and she told me that its most likely due to the irritation breaking open some small blood vessels and then when I gag so hard the pressure forces some blood. It's not like a gusher, just some blood in the mucous. I only live 4 minutes from the hospital so I will keep an eye on it and if it changes or gets worse I will hit the ER.
Dx: 3/11 Stage III glottic laryngeal SCC HPV 16+ Tx Start: 7/18/11 chemoradiation 7wks - Tomotherapy IMRT x 34 / Cisplatin x 7 Tx End:9/1/11]-[as of 1/20/12 - ALL CLEAR!]
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | As your saliva production gets damaged by the radiation you will first go thru a period of producing really thick mucous which can be almost impossible to swallow and it can cause the gagging and even nausea. This will last typically a couple of weeks and when it goes away typically the worst of the dry mouth begins.
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | "It's not like a gusher, just some blood in the mucous."
My husband had that, too. Flipped me out. You should be seeing improvement a couple of week after RT. Keep hanging in there - you're almost done!
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker
First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010
TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab
PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 188 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 188 | hank, happens with my dad from time to time too, if that's of any comfort. keep getting better!
Caco
CG to Dad. Biopsy 5/11 non-op, SCC stage IV poorly dif at base of tongue with nodes, quit smoking in '85, ChemoRad began 8/2/11 ended 9/22/11 with NED. Distant mets 11/11, clinical trials. War raging on!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 131 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | OP Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 131 | Still bleeding when I gag really hard. Worries me. I have read about the damage that this can cause blood vessels. When I gag there is a lot of squeezing and pressure and then I spit and the whole spit wad is red and full of blood. And what's worse is that the gagging makes me gag again and again until I can force it under control. Makes me think every time I do this I re-injure whatever healing has been done.
Very nervous
Dx: 3/11 Stage III glottic laryngeal SCC HPV 16+ Tx Start: 7/18/11 chemoradiation 7wks - Tomotherapy IMRT x 34 / Cisplatin x 7 Tx End:9/1/11]-[as of 1/20/12 - ALL CLEAR!]
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,918 Likes: 66 | This is really normal. I did it for months. Not just blood but at the height of radiation damage� little chunks. Gross, but harmless in the long run.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.
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