| Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 | Why is the patch easier?
Have you experienced any dizziness, headaches or throat pain.
It appears the pituitary is right behind the nose and was possibly affected in my case, too though the Th was pretty targeted and the Endocrinologist was not sure it was. I'll ask the RO.
[quote=Brian Hill]The patch is easier to use than the cream. I noticed a difference in 30 days, and one year later have only adjusted my levels one time. I was floored to find originally 8 years out from treatment that my testosterone levels where in the toilet. I mean the family jewels are a long way away from my area of radiation. But the pituitary is the master and commander gland, and it was near enough to scatter radiation from treatments to go south. That throws off all your hormone levels. [/quote]
Dx 10/06 Adenoid Cystic carcinoma; Stage I. Soft palate/minor salivary glands. Tx surgery 11/06 Tomotherapy (targeted IMRT) 3/07
| | | | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 | I had dizziness when standing up, but what had happened is my high blood pressure dropped as I lost weight. I had to start taking less meds for hypertension.
Age 67 1/2 Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05 Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08 Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08 Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06 Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08) Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08) On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.
| | | | Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | OCF Founder Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 4,916 Likes: 63 | Dosing with the patch is exact every time. It doesn't get all over your hands. It does not get on your clothes. The dizzyness comes from the narrowing of your carotids from scar tissue in them from the radiation. Very common in head and neck cancer patients that have had radiation. The only good thing about this kind of partial occlusion of them is that it is scar tissue, wall thickening - Not a fatty plaque that is going to break off and cause a stroke.
Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant. | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 | Is the dizziness also related to Testosterone shots. I started having strong dizziness a few weeks ago and it's not constant.
[quote=Brian Hill]Dosing with the patch is exact every time. It doesn't get all over your hands. It does not get on your clothes. The dizzyness comes from the narrowing of your carotids from scar tissue in them from the radiation. Very common in head and neck cancer patients that have had radiation. The only good thing about this kind of partial occlusion of them is that it is scar tissue, wall thickening - Not a fatty plaque that is going to break off and cause a stroke. [/quote]
Dx 10/06 Adenoid Cystic carcinoma; Stage I. Soft palate/minor salivary glands. Tx surgery 11/06 Tomotherapy (targeted IMRT) 3/07
| | | | 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 | I never had any testosterone shots and I was dizzy for a while post Tx.
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: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 | I had major dizziness during radiation. I had some light dizziness before shots and Post Tx. It was minor.
The new incidence of diziness one occurred about 3 weeks ago,about 4 weeks after starting shots. I also had headaches and throat pain/discomfort as if from a virus.
I saw the RO and she thought that Tx never affected the pituitary gland or any part of the brain. Does that make sense or is it possible that it somehow got whacked. i.e. is it possible to avoid the pituitary gland when treating the inside of the mouth. (Tx was to soft palate, left cheek, I had hair loss at the back/bottom of the head/hair and left side of the face.
I wonder what caused the testosterone levels to drop if it was not Tx.
Dx 10/06 Adenoid Cystic carcinoma; Stage I. Soft palate/minor salivary glands. Tx surgery 11/06 Tomotherapy (targeted IMRT) 3/07
| | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 | ok so testosterone is now at 500 which is normal however I don't see much change in ability to recover from exercise and fatigue.
I guess it's something else then or could it take longer than 2 months for other changes to take effect.
Dx 10/06 Adenoid Cystic carcinoma; Stage I. Soft palate/minor salivary glands. Tx surgery 11/06 Tomotherapy (targeted IMRT) 3/07
| | | | 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 | I was weak as a kitten for perhaps 4 months post Tx and then I was Dx'ed with hypothyroidism and started taking meds which helped.
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: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 149 | I am now 18 months post Tx, but 2 mos since starting hormone supplementation.
[quote=davidcpa]I was weak as a kitten for perhaps 4 months post Tx and then I was Dx'ed with hypothyroidism and started taking meds which helped. [/quote]
Dx 10/06 Adenoid Cystic carcinoma; Stage I. Soft palate/minor salivary glands. Tx surgery 11/06 Tomotherapy (targeted IMRT) 3/07
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