| | Joined: Mar 2016 Posts: 8 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Mar 2016 Posts: 8 | Help needed - Had tongue surgery in February (squamous cell carcinoma, Stage 1), with requisite scar tissue that eventually went away. I"m now three months post radiation, five days in the hospital recently (after having personal pity party because I wasn't healing fast enough) for dehydration and high dose antibiotics for swollen salivary gland which I've had for over two months now with numerous rounds of antibiotics. Now have scar tissue along surgical scar again - could this be from high dose antibiotics? See oncologist tomorrow - just want to know if anyone else has had this problem. | | | | | 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 | Nancy, Im sorry to hear you are going thru so much!
After rads patients will have some swelling that can take a long time to go down. They will also have a compromised immune system and after rads healing will take much longer. Surgeries will always have some scar tissue left over. I would doubt antibiotics made the scar tissue worse. The swollen gland could be due to any number of factors. Please remember, Im a fellow patient/survivor without a medical background, I cant see your chart or what you are describing.
If you are seeing your doc tomorrow, I suggest making a list of questions to ask. Hopefully you have a good appointment and get some clarity to whats going on. Good luck!!!
PS... Ive sent you a private message (PM) with a link that gives instructions on how to add a signature. This will help us to help answer your questions by knowing your history. Look for a tiny flashing envelope next to the My Stuff tab and click on it. Thank you!!!
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: Nov 2009 Posts: 644 Likes: 1 "OCF Down Under, Kiwi" "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "OCF Down Under, Kiwi" "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2009 Posts: 644 Likes: 1 | Hello Nancy. Hope you had a good consultation with the oncologist. I know what you mean about pity party but heck, it's hard going through tongue cancer and radiation. It's hard to believe how long it takes to heal. Two years after rads I feel pretty normal apart from the damage done by surgery (cut nerve). I also had a swollen parotid gland a little while after treatment. It went down pretty quickly by itself but was a mystery to me.
Yes, it takes a while to heal. I don't know about scars except that I have a lot of them. I think it pays to check with your doctor if you notice any changes that worry you. It's better to over-ask than under-ask.
Best wishes
1996, ovarian cancer surgery + cisplatin and taxol.
September, 2007, SCC of left lateral tongue. Excision.
October, 2009 recurrence in scar tissue, T1NOMO. Free flap surgery from left wrist - neck dissection. 63 year old New Zealander. No chemo, no RT.
February, 2014. New primary in left buccal mucosa. Marginal mandibulectomy, neck dissection, right arm free forearm flap. T1N0M0 but third occurrence and some areas of concern: RT started 8 April and finished 19 May.
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