Hell all. New here have been on cancercompass for a while and just found this site. I finished treatment for stave IV tonsil back in Dec, then had a dissection in Feb. I've been feeling pretty good till the last few weeks. I'm tired, constantly coughing up mucus, and throat gets sore occasionally but only for a short time and usually after eating. I go back for my 2nd PET this week and I'm feeling really antsy. Last time I was relaxed and calm but this coughing has me worried. Is it normal? Anybody who had had to deal with this coming back, what were your symptoms?

Thanks.

Being tired could very well be that your Thyroid was fried by the radiation. Mine crapped out 4 months post Tx. It's called Hypothyroidism and a lot of develop it after our radiation. Have your TSH checked during a routine blood workup. If that's the case a simple one a day pill corrects that.

Being tired can also just be a part of the slow recovery that we all experience. Our recovery can take every bit of 2 years with the first year usually the worst and slowest.

The mucus is normal and remember each of us can be different but even almost 3 years post Tx I still have more mucus production today than I did pre Tx.

The coughing may be due to the excess mucus.

The temporary sore throat may be just from the amount of coughing that you are doing.

As with every thing that goes on post Tx, be sure to write all your questions, fears and worries down and get an answer to all of them at this next appointment.

Welcome to OCF. What type of treatment did you have? Radiation can have long lasting side effects.

Symptoms of a recurrance are the same as what the original symptoms are. Depends on where its located. Just being tired, a sore throat and coughing doesnt necessarily mean that you have a recurrance. The sore throat could be caused by the coughing and the mucous which could be post nasal drip.

A PET scan can also give false positives. Ive had it happen. The only way to tell for sure is a biopsy.

Worrying will not help or change test results. It will only make you feel worse. Please dont let a scare of a recurrance waste your time. Cancer can steal your days away from you. If you arent feeling well, go to the doctor and talk this over with them.

Best of luck with everything.

Thanks Y'all. I'm worrying over nothing I'm sure it's just that the mucus and everything else were gone and I was feeling great. Now the cough, tiredness yada yada yada. It's not post nasal drip, ole snoz is clear as a bell. Anyway, just came home to an air conditioner leaking from the attic and dropping a chunk of my living room ceiling so I guess I'll let that worry me for the time being.

Thanks for the replies. I get my PET Friday and meet with oncologist Monday

Your good sense of humor is going to serve you well through this "adventure." (sorry about your ceiling!)

Brickster, good luck repairing the ceiling. I had a stuck commode run water into my basement along with part of the ceiling coming down in my garage.LOL it is messy. As for thr sore throa=t and cough, this can and probably wil last for several months. I past 2 years yesterday and mine still holds my attention but meds can ease it. It's the life we live now. Good luck friday and welcome to our home.

[quote=August]Your good sense of humor is going to serve you well through this "adventure." (sorry about your ceiling!) [/quote]

You gotta laugh. If not you'll go mad. My mother always told me you have to be able to laugh at yourself, and I give myself and everyone around plenty of material!

Brickster,
I also developed an occasional but persistent post TX cough that lasted for a good five or six months. I would notice myself coughing a bit every hour or so.

My ENT said everything was fine and it was just a lingering side effect -- part of the healing process.

My cough seems to have finally gone away.

Good luck with the PET.

Pet came back clean, worrying over nothing. Thanks everyone.

Congrats on your good news

Glad everything is ok, hope you have many more successful scans.

Good job Brickster.. this will be from all of your scans.

Brickster,

Good luck on your scans...my hubby T had same type of c as you...treatment was similar too. He coughed alot after treatment and has since stopped. I thought it might be from the healing of all those radiated tissues as I am sure that the dry mouth didn't help much either. Good luck to you and speedy healing!

I'm a bit late, but congrats on a clean scan, wonderful news...how are you feeling these days?

That's wonderful news! Very happy to hear!

Brickster, I see we have a few things in common!

If your cough happens when eating or swallowing it is possibly related to radiation. I had severe problems with inhaling food or water for 3 or more years after treatments. Happily these problems have mostly resolved.