I have been worried about this for a few days. First of all I did have strep throat over the weekend, which could possibly be a reason. I am a week post-op and and have notice that my ear still hurts and it has becoming increasingly harder to swallow. Did that happen to anyone who had surgery just on the right side. I have not had as extensive of surgery as many of you have. I am concerned about this swallowing. I also constantly feel like there is something in the back of my throat that will not get out and I need to swallow. It has never been this hard and it did let up after the strep throat was gone, but now it is back and I am still on antibiotics, but it is different than the strep throat pain. I also do know that my right tonsil is consdirabky bigger then the left, but it always has been. Is that a concern?

Angelia , I had the same problems and a lot in here did. The ear pain can get very bad and even keep you awake, It's been since Aug 3 of 2007 since I had the neck dissection and part of my tongue removed the 1st time and since 2-29-08 since the rad seed implants and I still have a throat that hurts and and keeps me from swallowing some things and larger pills. I get my 3 month scope this coming Mon and the Dr will dialate my esophagus and hopefully this will help the swallowing.If for nothing else, I hope for some of the meds that stick there nd taste terrible. I drink anything I think will wash it down.

Angelia I had the same problem after surgery. I went to Moffitt Cancer Treatment Center in Tampa. Just before surgery I asked the surgeon do I have cancer in my throat because I could feel a lump and it was hard for me to swallow. He said , no you have acid reflux get OTC Prilosec and try it, I did and it worked but only for a short time. He then suggested I get as script from my Primary Dr. which I did and it works. I never had acid reflux....Just a suggestion.

It depends on if the reflux has damaged your esophagus . Prilosec actually did nothing for me. Best to get things checked out before they get worse.

I meant before surgery sorry. I agree with Jim get it checked out.

Martin still gets the ear pain sometimes and he says he feels like crying sometimes it hurts so much, but he gets it less often than before.
As for the swallowing, he could only eat rice pudding and custard and soup for the first 2 week s post op. They said it was normal and due post surgery swelling, But ask them to take a look on your next appointment.

Ear pain is still an issue on my left side and it almost three months since surgery, My docs say perfectly normal and that's why they are still giving me Percocet prescriptions. There may be a mucous factor in the back of the throat issue. I now use a toothbrush to wipe out the excess mucous at the back of my throat, congratulations on still being able to swallow at all,
I have found that not only writing (well typing and printing) my questions out helps but I bring an extra copy with me and hand it to my doctors so we can check off each one, amazing how many times they skipped over something but the printed list lets me get answers before I leave,

Something else I have noticed is that when I talk a lot I begin to get either light-headed or dizzy, but I am not sure which one. With this then nausea. This has been going on ever since the surgery last week. Is that normal? It is bugging me a lot.

Angelia,
I do not want to scare you, but do not ignore ear pain if it persists. Ear pain is one of the few symptoms of oral cancer. It ususally means the tumor is pressing on something like a nerve. Yours most likely is due to surgery but make certain they do check it out. Are they certain they got all the tumor?

Take care,
Eileen

When the Dr. came out of surgery he told my husband that the margins were clean. That is all I know. I have not actually talked to the Dr. myself. My next appt. with him is this Wed. I wish it were sooner, but that was as soon as I could do it and the earliest he could do it as well.