| | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 80 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | OP  Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 80 | Thanks to all that posted; certainly a lot to consider and weigh. My goal at this point is to get through treatment (going into week 3) and live life fully after that. I'll discuss drinking further with my doctors when I get closer to the end of treatment, but thoughts for now are to pass on alcohol usage.
My best to all,
Nancy
Nancy
Age 56 at diagnosis
Neck Lymph node removed 11/2012
Tonsillectomy perfomed 12/2012 - identified as primary
SCC Left Tonsil with Left Node involvement, DX 12/2012
RX started 1/29/2013, finished 3/23/2013;
Daily IMRT (35 Sessions)
Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin (6 weeks)
PEG placed after week 4 (3/1/2013)
PEG removed 6 1/2 months later (8/12/2013)
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 | Paul, thanks for posting that. A sobering article. Pun quite intended.
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | | 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 | Here is an article from the OCF newsfeed discussing alcohol and cancer. Who would have thought that 1.5 drinks would be considered moderate drinking? OCF newsfeed... Alcohol
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: Apr 2012 Posts: 111 "OCF across the pond" Senior Member (100+ posts) | | "OCF across the pond" Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 111 | Hi Nancy, my consultant said beer or cidre was her prefered option though wine was not outlawed. However, as others have said above, wine and sprirts are not an option because they are far too unpleasant, they sting and taste fowl! But I now have a greater enjoyment of craft beers (largers are a bit fizzy)than I had before. So I enjoy interesting beers 2 or 3 times a week. I drink quite slowely so don't tend to overdo it. I think you will need to see how you feel once you are starting to recover, but it plenty of time. I do really miss a nice Scottish single malt whiskey now but I enjoy the smell now instead whihc is cheaper and better for health! Sally
Last edited by saxicola; 04-24-2013 04:36 AM. Reason: Sent too soon!
Dx 10/11 51yrs LBOT Stage 4 2nodes HPV16+. Non-smoker mod alcohol.
10/11 Induction chemox2 (Docetaxel, 5-Flu, Cisplatin) then Cisplatinx2 IMRTx30. Ended 01/13/12.
12/07/11 RIG. RIG removed 05/05/12.
4/12 CT scan clear. Visual scope checks clear as of 10/13. Learning to live with eating challenges.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 126 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2011 Posts: 126 | I have struggled a lot with the alcohol decision myself... being 26 years old and living in New Orleans now, I am constantly surrounded by it. I spoke with one doctor who told me I could never drink again, but then my primary oncologist told me it was fine in moderation.
Ultimately, I decided I needed to just live my life and do things in moderation. I will drink a couple of beers on the weekends, whether this is a good or bad decision I cannot tell, but I am in my 20s and it is really hard to cut alcohol out of my life all-together. I agree with the darker beers now; I never used to like them, but enjoy them more now.
I didn't drink at all for my first 6 months post treatment, but occasionally would take a sip here and there until I realized that certain alcohols didn't burn anymore. Really during the first year it was a toss up whether or not alcohol would burn - I would drink a beer one day and it would be fine, the next week I would try the same beer and it would burn/irritate my mouth. I just avoid anything that burns my mouth now - which includes liquor and wine.
Good luck!
Emily - 24 years old at diagnosis
HPV-, no risk factors
T2N2b Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Left oral tongue, poorly differentiated
Hemiglossectamy, reconstruction, partial neck dissection
30 Radiation treatments, weekly chemo (cisplatin)
1/13/12 last day of treatment
Diagnosed October 2011
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Wow. Well guess I was more than a moderate drinker . Still I'd say social drinker. Who did not have a couple of beers at a bar b que or party? That study posted by Paul and the OCF article linked by Christine are scary . But I am typing this on my deck having just finished putting down a bottle of beer thru my feeding tube. Yes, I finally figured out that using a beer glass would let the bubbles foam away enough to syringe the beer.
It is one of the few pleasures left to me and since no alcohol touches my oral cavity, but goes directly to my stomach, like the song goes:
I take my chances, every chance I get
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: 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 | Coming here on page 2 but my docs said due to me being HPV+ they really didn't see an issue post Tx with drinking as I was never a big drinker in the first place.
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.
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