| | Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 33 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2012 Posts: 33 | I have finished three rounds of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5-FU. The oncologist actually lowered the cisplatin my second round and then cut it out entirely for the third round. I got unplugged from the 5-FU last Friday and I just want to feel better again. I want to be able to eat again. In between rounds, since I had 2 weeks off, my mouth sores would heal and my throat would open up a bit so that I could have some soups, smoothies, Ensure, etc.. But I want to get beyond that. I've had the feeding tube in since December and I imagine it will come out next month. I just wish my throat didn't feel like it was the size of a straw. How long did your throats take to open up again? I had a lime-sized tumor at the base of my tongue so only the radiation and chemo could wipe it out. Is it just scar tissue and inflammation? Forget about not tasting much, it's this damn inflammation that makes eating unappetizing. Unless it's baby food consistency I'm going nowhere near anything that feels like it will get caught. I made the mistake of trying a tortilla chip, even washed down with water. It totally got stuck and I had I had to make myself puke it up. Sigh.
10/2/12 Surgery Dx Stage II SCC RLT
11/12/12 Further tongue resec and SND. 3 of 22 lymph + SCC Stage IVa
11/22/12 Hospitalized for infection incision at neck
12/5/13 PET scan tumor at BOT
12/26/12-2/27/13 RT and Cisplatin
4/1/13-5/17/13 3 rounds of Cisplatin, Taxotere and 5-FU
7/19/13 Pet Scan possible recurrence
8/23/13 2nd op at MSKCC, CT Scan
8/31/13 MRI. Both show sizeable mass
9/11/13 CT-guided needle BX + SCC
10/1/13 Erbitux, Cisplatin and Taxotere
2/14/14 Passed away
| | | | | 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 | Congrats on finishing your treatments! Some patients need to have their esophagus stretched to help with swallowing. If your has shrunk that dramatically then maybe you should ask your doc about that procedure.
Let the heeling begin!!!!
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: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,260 Likes: 3 | Congrats! It's a long haul but you'll get back to a normal place in time be patient with yourself,
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 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | Tarceva is also called Erlotinib. It's a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil
11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp
01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks
06/11 30 HBO
08/11 RND PNI
06/12 SND PNI LVI
08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy
10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux
10/13 SND
10/13 TBO/Angiograph
10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI
12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo
11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO
03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN
09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy
04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site
06/17 Heart Attack Stent
02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 168 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2011 Posts: 168 | Hi there. I am two years and three months post treatment. My throat did open up again, though never like it was before treatment. I'd say that by 6-9 months after treatment my throat got larger, which made swallowing easier. I still have trouble though, and need to chew well and often swallow water to get food down without choking My ENT did say there was surgery to widen the throat, though he seems to think I am okay without it. I do, too. Congrats on making it this far. This treatment is brutal, but it's possible to get through it with our integrity (and your throat) in tact. -Michelle
SCC left tonsil, stage IV, HPV+, metastatic to one lymph node. Biopsy 12/23/10; tonsillectomy 1/13/11; DX 1/25/11; Peg in 1/28/11. Peg out 6/29. TX 1/31/11-3/21/11: 35 IMRT plus 3 Cisplatin. Pet-Scan 6/20/11 = CLEAR! Three years out, learning to live with the long-term side effects of radiation while reminding myself to feel blessed.
| | |
| Forums23 Topics18,170 Posts196,933 Members13,106 | | Most Online458
Jan 16th, 2020 | | |
|
