chefron
Member
Member # 2289

posted August 08, 2005 11:03 AM
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Good morning, everyone. I am brand new at this, so please bear with me. I am a 54 year old male, who was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth and mandible (lower Jaw) last July. I had surgery replacing my infected areas with a free flap (the fibula and surrounding muscles from my left leg were used to make a new jaw bone and floor of the mouth). I went through extensive radiation therapy (6,900 rads) for six weeks, twice a day, every day. I was told I would be able to have dental implants in my new jaw within a year or shortly thereafter. Now they are saying my radiation levels were too high, and they may have to wait for another YEAR OR SO. Has this happened to anyone else? I am so frustrated, I could scream.
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Posts: 3 | From: Southern California | Registered: Aug 2005 | IP: Logged


Moved here by mark

Dear Chefron, your diagnosis and tx. sounds alot like John's, altho you had more surgery than he did. His surgeon told him to expect at least a year's wait beore he could start on dental work. He is also very frustrated. Wish I could tell you more. Amy

Hi and welcome. I have no answers for you but you will be in my "good" thoughts. Hopefully someone will stop in who can help you.

Take care and blessings,
Barb~

Hello chefron and welcome to the Oral Cancer Foundation. You have been through alot since dx. I don't think anyone can predict recovery time
in a very precise way. Each of us may react differently to the same treatment? Go figure!!!
All I can add is to be patience. This battle is a life time thing.
Do you have a peg tube in or are you able to input enough orally to maintain your weight?

There have been many days when we all felt like you do now. It passes. We all have to adjust to our new post-cancer lives. What other option do we have?

Hoping for the best for you,

Danny Boy

Hello Chefron,
I had the same diagnosis and surgery as you, other then any floor of mouth cancer. I had it in my lower left jaw bone. The jaw bone was removed and rebuilt as yours was and I then had radiation. I was also told one year and implants would be good to go and that would have happened at that one year mark if I could afford to pay for them out of pocket. My insurance company has been like a storm, willing to pay, not willing to pay, now not willing is their final answer. I do know that the deciding factor for me to have implants was the thickness of my jawbone, it had nothing to do with the amount of radiation I had. I did my 30 dives of HBO (Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment) and my jawbone has the thickness it needs. I was told that this surgery was done so that I COULD eventually have implants. Using the bone from the leg is what makes it possible.
Is it possible for you to get a second opinion on this?
Hope this helps,
Minnie