|    |       Joined:  Feb 2007  Posts: 176    Senior Member (100+ posts)   |           Senior Member (100+ posts)    Joined:  Feb 2007  Posts: 176  |    My RO at Beth Israel suggested that I take 150 mg/day. All that I can say is that my taste is back to 100%. Can even eat spicey.         
6-05, Left Tonsil-T1N2bM0 stageIVA, chemo(Cisplatin), radiation(6660cGy), neck disection, no PEG. HPV negative. (Doc suspects posit) 3-9-09 last of 30 HBO treatments.
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Dec 2003  Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2    Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)   |           Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)    Joined:  Dec 2003  Posts: 2,606 Likes: 2  |    Did your RO mention how long it should take or when to stop taking the zinc?        
SCC Stage IV, BOT, T2N2bM0 Cisplatin/5FU x 3, 40 days  radiation Diagnosis 07/21/03 tx completed 10/08/03 Post Radiation Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome 3/08.  Cervical Spinal Stenosis  01/11 Cervical Myelitis 09/12 Thoracic Paraplegia 10/12 Dysautonomia 11/12 Hospice care 09/12-01/13. COPD 01/14 Intermittent CHF 6/15 Feeding tube NPO 03/16 VFI 12/2016 ORN 12/2017 Cardiac Event 06/2018 Bilateral VFI 01/2021 Thoracotomy Bilobectomy  01/2022 Bilateral VFI 05/2022 Total Laryngectomy 01/2023
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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:  Feb 2007  Posts: 176    Senior Member (100+ posts)   |           Senior Member (100+ posts)    Joined:  Feb 2007  Posts: 176  |    I don't remember exactly but I think that I took the 150mg/day for about a year or until my taste fully came back. Good luck.        
6-05, Left Tonsil-T1N2bM0 stageIVA, chemo(Cisplatin), radiation(6660cGy), neck disection, no PEG. HPV negative. (Doc suspects posit) 3-9-09 last of 30 HBO treatments.
  |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Sep 2014  Posts: 4    Member   |           Member    Joined:  Sep 2014  Posts: 4  |    I am 3 years out = I remember I was told to take zinc, but with no explanation. So I still have the bottle I'd buy anybody got any I Dia if it would help at this point?
  My page is sort of back but not really. And I'm still sensitive to spicy which I used to really love.
  thanks, 
  Gregor      |      |       |               |    |       Joined:  Jun 2014  Posts: 38    Contributing Member (25+ posts)   |      OP      Contributing Member (25+ posts)    Joined:  Jun 2014  Posts: 38  |    I have been doing 50 mg of zinc daily since a few weeks after treatment. I am now about 4 and a half months since end of rads & chemo, and am getting some taste back. Sweet flavors were almost all gone, and fruit has not been appealing, but I would say now , I'm "knocking at the back door" of sweet flavors. There not here yet, but much better        
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:  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  |    You sound like me. I am four years out and it's much better but still not great. ;o) and yes I took Zinc and it did help... have a great day        
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
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