#73364 04-19-2008 06:35 AM | Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 19 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 19 | Hi,
Craig woke up this morning with an extremely sore throat which seems to be so swollen he can't swallow water (it just come right back out).
Cancer agency is closed for weekend. What should I do? Is there anything I can try to get the swelling to go down or get some liquids into him?
At what point do I take him to ER? He has no feeding tube.
Marina
Marina, wife of Craig, 52 former smoker/drinker quit 9 years ago.
dx Feb 2008, SCC Stage 4a Tongue with mets to left and right neck lymph nodes.
Cisplatin x 3 and concurrent IMRT x 35 (scheduled to end May 1/08)
We have two children, 3 and 2, and #3 is on the way.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 598 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 598 | I would keep trying water every so often for the next couple of hours, have him rinse/gargle wth Salt, Baking Soda, water mixture. Sometimes the throat gets so dry when sleeping, it feels like it is closing up. If it isn't better after a few hours, I would take him to an Urgent Care facility, or ER. Check with your family doctor as well.
Jeff
SCC Right BOT Dx 3/28/2007
T2N2a M0G1,Stage IVa
Bilateral Neck Dissection 4/11/2007
39 x IMRT, 8 x Cisplatin Ended 7/11/07
Complete response to treatment so far!!
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 939 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 939 | Marina,
The Cancer Center gave you no emergency number to contact??
Jeff is right, keep trying a little sip or two but if not better soon, I would consider this emergent.
Deb
Deb..caregiver to husband, age 63 at diagnosis, former smoker who quit in 1997.
DIAGNOSIS: 6/26/07 SCC right tonsil/BOT T4N0M0
TREATMENT START: 8/9/07 cisplatin/taxol X 7..IMRT twice daily X 31.5.
TREATMENT END: 10/1/07
PEG OUT: 1/08
PORT OUT: 4/09
FOLLOWUP: Now only annual exams. ALL CLEAR!
Passed away 1/7/17 RIP Bill
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 19 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 19 | Thanks. No the Cancer Center tell you to go to the ER (they are next door). Our doctor's office is closed to so we would have to call and find out who was on call (there are several doctors who rotate).
Marina, wife of Craig, 52 former smoker/drinker quit 9 years ago.
dx Feb 2008, SCC Stage 4a Tongue with mets to left and right neck lymph nodes.
Cisplatin x 3 and concurrent IMRT x 35 (scheduled to end May 1/08)
We have two children, 3 and 2, and #3 is on the way.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 939 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 939 | Oh Jeez Marina,
Doesn't it always seem to happen on the weekend or over a holiday??
Is Craig doing any better yet?? I wonder if humidity like in the shower would help??
So sorry you feel so alone...wish I could help, Deb
Deb..caregiver to husband, age 63 at diagnosis, former smoker who quit in 1997.
DIAGNOSIS: 6/26/07 SCC right tonsil/BOT T4N0M0
TREATMENT START: 8/9/07 cisplatin/taxol X 7..IMRT twice daily X 31.5.
TREATMENT END: 10/1/07
PEG OUT: 1/08
PORT OUT: 4/09
FOLLOWUP: Now only annual exams. ALL CLEAR!
Passed away 1/7/17 RIP Bill
| | | | | 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 | Every time I got desperate it was on a weekend or worse a Holiday weekend.
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: Feb 2008 Posts: 19 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 19 | Yes, I've been warned by you guys about weekends and evenings, that why I wanted him to get the PEG tube (that he didn't get). Dryness doesn't seem to be the problem because he's spitting constantly.
He managed to get down a small amount of water, ginger ale and 1 of the Resource milkshake things yesterday (couldn't update because of the server problem).
Today he's not managed anything and it's almost 4.30pm although he's been asleep most of the day with the morphine.
Last edited by MazG; 04-20-2008 01:27 PM.
Marina, wife of Craig, 52 former smoker/drinker quit 9 years ago.
dx Feb 2008, SCC Stage 4a Tongue with mets to left and right neck lymph nodes.
Cisplatin x 3 and concurrent IMRT x 35 (scheduled to end May 1/08)
We have two children, 3 and 2, and #3 is on the way.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 | Marina, he has to get more hydration than that each day or he can get seriously dehydrated. I would consider a day when he was un ab;e to swallow any liquids an emergency. I hope if you didn't take him to the ER yesterday you will take him somewhere today. Many of us, even those of us with G tubes (because of nausea), needed extra IV hydration during treatment from time to time but if he isn't getting any nutrition, he also needs a g tube. Unfortunately, it will be a harder thing to get now than before he started (but easier than getting seriously ill from consuming no calories).
Nelie
Nelie
SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
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