| | 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 | My moment of triumph came when I ate a whole slice of Pizza Hut pizza, crust and all, without taking a sip of liquid (I couldn't because we were in the car and didn't have any drinks but nonetheless). This was months post Tx but I was as proud of myself after that as I am completing a Century.
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: Jun 2014 Posts: 38 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2014 Posts: 38 | Hi folks.
I guess I am pretty lucky, compared to most in treatment. I have 6 more doses of radiation, and one more whack of Cisplatin, but I am still eating more or less normally. I can't taste any of it, and most nights, sitting down to dinner is a grim slog akin to "shoveling the driveway" for those who live where it snows: I must shovel and shovel until the area is clear, then I can rest. I do get hungry, but much less than normal amount of food solves the craving. I am augmenting with higher fat in general: whole milk in my cereal, light cream in coffee instead of half fat half & half, etc. I also do Ensures with a couple scoops of coffee ice cream in between, and have kept my weight within 10 pounds of starting weight. I am starting to get some strange throat symptoms: normal pills will sometimes get stuck while swallowing. This elicits a gag reaction and loud "gack!" which, curiously, resolves the issue by sending the med down the right way.
Also, I'm getting to be "Colonel's Extra Crispy" looking round my neck from the rads. What I thought was dirt on my neck was a layer of skin sloughing off. Yesterday it looked like it was going to blister, but calmed down after a dose of Aquaphor & Eucerin.
Most food is flat out tasteless. My sense of smell is pretty normal, and I could smell some great fresh pineapple, but could taste no sweetness, though my wife assured me it was "right on the money" --same with watermelon or other fruits. We bought a NutraBullet, but I never use it, as fruit or yogurt are both pretty awful right now. I do use it for ice cream & Ensures once or twice a day.
I was feeling energetic the other day and cooked a "Beef & Beer" Italian stew. My wife assured me it tasted great, and I have to take her word for it. It was tolerable to consume, but devoid of usual pleasure I'd get from it.
All in all though, reading here, I think I'm luckier than most.
Head and neck cancer,
Squamous cell carcinoma,
HPV p16, Stage 3N (6/14) Occult origin;
58 year old male 35 rads & 2.5 doses Cisplatin chemo 7/10/14> 8/25/14
1.5 years clear of cancer, at this point.
"This, too is part of Life's Rich Pageant!"
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,293 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,293 Likes: 1 | Fantastic JD! you are fairing far better than most so keep it up. The tasteless experience is common for all and turns the joy of eating into a chore. Hang in there, things will be getting better soon.
Don Male, 57 - Great health except C Dec '12 DX: BOT SCC T2N2bMx, Stage 4a, HPV+, multiple nodes 1 tooth out Jan '13 2nd tooth out Tumor Board -induction TPF (3 cycles), seq CRT 4-6/2013 CRT 70gr 2x35, weekly carbo150 ended 5/29,6/4 All the details, join at http://beatdown.cognacom.com | | |
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