Hello,
I started my treatment wednesday, so 3 radiation treatments so far. Monday&Tuesday will be chemo and radiation. I feel like I am getting a cold, could this be from just 3 radiation treatments or just my bad luck to catch a cold now?

George
(still working on the sig)
1 node
1 tumor HPV+

Could be either. ((hugs)) I hope you are feeling better before Monday!

You could get a cold even during treatment. The doctors always insisted that my husband get his flu shots in the fall because if he got the flu during treatment, it would be a big deal.

I have thought about the fact that it might be better to go through this treatment during the summer and before winter because any sickness would be a nightmare. Thank goodness I haven't had a cold in probably 30 yrs and rarely pick up anything. I would hate to pass something along to husband while he is going through treatment. Hope it's just some sniffles and goes away quickly.

Hi George.
I highly doubt that the rads had anything to do with your cold. More likely, you can get a exposed to a cold just going back and forth to a medical facility where there are lots of people and germs.
As we all emphasize, every patients experience is unique, but my first few weeks of rads were so side effect free, I was fooled into thinking that somehow it wasn't affecting me as much as other people.
Now, on the chemo aspect, that brings your resistance to germs down, but even that takes a bit, I think.
But certainly, going forward, be careful to keep your hands clean, and try to minimize crowds where you may pick up germs.
My insurance company has a nurse overseeing my medical history, and she suggested during and after my chemo, to wear a face mask going in public.
I was embarrassed to do that, so I limited my encounters in public spaces.
Best wishes.

Thanks CM,
One week done.. Went to Chemo Mon/Tues they gave me a sample bottle of MuGuard and told me to rinse with 5ml and swallow before radiation treatments, nasty taste and consistency but if it will help reduce damage I'll just have to tough it out. The only thing I have noticed so far is slight throat discomfort..

it seems everyone is different but my husband has not complained much about a sore throat yet and he's doing his last treatment (#35) tomorrow. He wouldn't say it's a walk in the park but he has complained about his feeding tube the whole time though. Hang in there.

Question? Taking the medications (4-5 pills am/pm) I had before beginning treatments were no big deal, but now after 13 radiation treatments I am having a real hard time getting them down. I gag or when I do get them down it feels like they have glued themselves to my throat. I have tried using the MuGard before taking the pills but that stuff.. ewww, I just had a mini gag reflex thinking about that stuff. I see the MO on Tuesday I just need an idea of what to ask him for..

At your upcoming MO appointment make sure you have a chat with your doc about your reduced ability to swallow and how its affecting your ability to take medicine. Ask your doc for prescriptions to get your medicine in liquid form. If you have a feeding tube you can use that to take your meds, especially if they're liquid. Not all medications are able to be crushed but maybe yours are? Check with your doc to see if thats an option then you could mix it with applesauce to take the meds. Another option is to crush the pills and add a little warm water in one of those small medicine cups (the 20ml or so size that is in most over the counter liquid cold medicines) to further dissolve it then you could try drinking the medicine like a shot. Good luck with your appointment!!!

I think it may also be that your throat is dryer now after the 13 sessions of radiation.

Before you crush any pills, make sure you ask your doctor/pharmacist if the pills can be crushed. If the the pills are timed-release capsules, it is particularly important to ask. If you just open the capsule and pour in all the little granules, you may end up with an overdose. It’s a good idea to have your pharmacist’s phone number handy so that you can call them any time you have a question about your medication and you won’t have to wait to hear back from your doctor. Sometimes, some medications may react with other substances, for example, a thyroid hormone pill with calcium. It’s best to check with the pharmacist and tell them if you plan to dissolve the pills in milk/applesauce/or whatever.

I crushed a lot of mine and added water and put them through my tube, but they were okay to do that way. A few we hunted for a liquid form. (One we found smelled so nasty I was glad I never had to actually drink it ... that was definitely for the tube! Might have been okay disguised in a shake or something though.) Pharmacists are angels in these circumstances ... find ones you trust, if you don't already have them. They are worth their weight in gold.

Had a status check today with the RO and got a prescription for the lidocaine mouthwash, tastes awful but I was able to swallow some pills. I didn't swish, just swallowed. The node has shrunk enough already that my RO had a hard time finding it.

Things are not going so great right now, I had my second big bag Chemo treatment last Mon/Tues and have been getting terrible nausea. The shot in the stomach, Varubi and two prescriptions are keeping the little bit of food I can eat down but I have lost almost 10 lbs since Monday, everything I have tried to eat doesn't want to stay put and it's making me miserable. I have been drinking enough water and that's about the only thing I feel I am doing right. I am trying a weight gain powder and hoping the nausea will back down some soon, with 17 days of Radiation left, (15 are Boost treatments) and one more Chemo I really don't want a feeding tube but I have a feeling the RO may say I need it if I can't put some of the weight back on.
Taking meds is a daily torture treatment, I either gag or the pills feel like they stick to my throat, which also makes me gag and feel nauseous.

Sorry you are having difficulties, George. Has everything you tried crushing the pills and put them in applesauce? That worked for my husband.

Do you have anti-nausea medication? Take them (ask for it in liquid form). Keeping taking the doses even if you are a tiny bit queasy. Don’t wait till you are throwing up. It will be hard to control at that point.

Im so very sorry to hear you are starting to struggle!!! Im also very sorry to say this is right about when most patients will start understanding just how difficult oral cancer (OC) and its treatments can be. Its not a walk in the park but it can be made as easy as possible just by focusing on your daily intake.

One of the most important things right now is making certain you are taking in enough calories and fluids every single day. Every day you must take in at the very least 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water. Losing 10 pounds in one week tells me your intake must be starting to lag as you are beginning to feel lousy. Doctors advise their patients that losing weight during rads is NOT good, even patients who are very much overweight should find another time to start their dieting for weight loss. I know when it hurts to swallow and everything is tasting horrible that makes it even harder but in order to help you to feel better somehow you must overcome the side effects and push thru it to take in enough every day. Maybe your doc could write you a prescription for pain meds, or magic mouthwash (MM) which has many different types. I had lidocaine, maalox and benedryl. Swish it around in your mouth for at least 30 seconds then spit it out to help numb your mouth an throat before trying to eat, usually it numbs for around 20-30 minutes. It helps some but with pain meds it may be a little easier to eat and drink.

Trick is to get the most calories per swallow as possible. Boost makes a Very High Calories liquid nutritional drink that has I think 540 calories per "can" (its now in a waxed cardboard box). VHC can be purchased in some retail locations but mostly it has to be ordered which some pharmacies will do for their customers by asking the pharmacist. You can also get it by clicking on the Amazon box near the top right of any page. By clicking on that box before ordering from Amazon, it helps OCF by giving us a small kickback from any purchase. It may only be small orders but they all do add up to be a big help every month for our tiny nonprofit organization.

Being you are half way into your treatments, you may get away with having a nasal tube instead of the regular PEG tube most patients have surgically placed before starting treatments. Plus the nasal tube is more of a temporary thing which does require any type of surgery to instal it. I know how having a feeding tube makes you feel, mentally its very difficult to process the need for it. Try thinking of it as being another tool to get you thru this just like the fluoride trays or the ointment to dab onto your reddened face and neck areas after rads.

Ask your doc or pharmacist if meds can be crushed or dissolved before trying it. You could also dissolve the crushed medicine in a tiny bit of warm water. Just check if its ok first. Time released meds (even over the counter meds) are not able to be crushed or dissolved or they could cause an accidental overdose. If you had any kind of feeding tube meds can be easily taken by dissolving them in a little warm water a few minutes before you want to take them. No swallowing anything when you can put it thru the tube. Just try to remember to take sips of water several times a day to keep your swallowing muscles actively working.

Hang in there!!!

Thanks Christine,
Pain hasn't been much of a factor at the moment, I was pretty inflamed a couple weeks ago from the radiation and I got some magic mouthwash which does help. Now that you mention the Nasal Tube I remember the RO saying he was going to give a Nasal Tube next status check, I thought it was just another examination. Unfortunately (for me) he was called away last week for a family emergency and I was seen by his PA. Now that I know what he meant I will probably be getting that on Monday and I will be asking him about either liquid meds, like Gloria said, or whether I can crush my meds, actually I don't think any of mine are extended release but I will check first.
Thanks for the support..

George

Well.. I have been getting iv fluids the past 2 days and was scheduled for the rest of the week, but Monday the RO set up a consult for today about getting a PEG, went to the consult and PEG goes in tomorrow morning. Since I lost nearly 20 lbs since last Monday I can't really argue about it, either get the tube and beat this thing or starve. Now I need to get educated about PEG feeding... and the beat goes on.

my husband is finally accepting the PEG after 3 months of fighting the fact that he needed it. The nurse and doctor yelled at him yesterday. His was put in before any treatments started. He has lost 20lbs/month. He won't do the gravity feedings though he has been told to. I wish you the best! Several on here have lots of experience using the PEG

Sounds like your docs are taking very good care of you with the hydration and getting the PEG tube so quickly. Thats really great having the feeding tube done so quickly!!! You definitely need it!. Im sure you can tell the difference in how you feel losing so much weight so quickly. Its unbelievable how fast it can just melt right off you when going thru rads. Its not just water weight coming off, its muscle as well which can make you feel week and have much less stamina.

Theres many here who have gotten a PEG tube after their treatments began. Its just another tool to get us thru rads as easy as possible. You may be expecting to have outpatient surgery to place the PEG tube. Its pretty common for patients to stay at least one, sometimes 2 nights in the hospital. I ended up staying in too. You may be in some pain after the surgery so if you are hurting dont hesitate to ask about being admitted. Often patients are not given enough follow up care or support after getting their feeding tube, ask about having a visiting nurse to stop a few times a week to help you with learning how to use your feeding tube. Being new to the feeding tube you really will need a hand. You should be all set up to get your feeding tube supplies (drain sponges, syringes, paper tape and thru a medical supply company. The nurse will come out the day you first go home from the hospital and help you learn how to set everything up to do a feeding. That nurse will only be there once at your first dayThe hospital or your doc will get you set up with formula and all the accessories to go with the feeding tube. Make sure you get a kangaroo joey pump!!! Its not always offered so you may have to ask about it. By having the pump, you will be able to do feedings while you sleep or watch tv. Just make sure you are propped up with at least 2 pillows or in a recliner.

Heres a few more random tidbits about have a feeding tube...

-After a feeding you should sit still for at least 30 minutes. Ive found if you can sit still for an hour, the extra half hour will help your stomach to settle.

-Theres many prescription formulas out there. If you are nauseous or having trouble adjusting to the liquid diet you may need a different formula. I found Zofran helped tremendously with the stomach issues.

-The most common feeding tube problems can be easily fixed. If you are using the feeding pump, try slowing down the rate of delivery first. Anti-nausea meds help too. After trying these suggestions, if your still having trouble tolerating the formula you may need to switch to another formula.

-After feedings, flush the tube with at least 2 oz of water. This is an easy way to up your daily water intake.

Any questions or concerns just ask. Theres lots of feeding tube users here that can help you.

Best wishes!!!

I've read that the weeks coming up will be about like the past two weeks and I've also read that they will be worse. As far as the past two weeks, the last chemo did a number but there were other factors involved. I developed a sinus infection last Friday (three days post chemo) and for some reason they called in a prescription for Augmentin 875/125, they are pills so large that I doubt 5% of the population could swallow. The pharmacist said they could be crushed and fed through my feeding tube. Well on top of the nausea from chemo these things just opened the floodgates and it was downhill from there. I managed two days of that and the pain/swelling from the infection are gone but I know I still need to finish the antibiotic regimen. My RO wrote me a different script for a liquid and as soon as the pharmacy manages to find it I will pick it back up.
Well, I finished treatment yesterday so now I don't really know what to expect. I know everyone is different but any hints to what's coming will be appreciated.

George

I sometimes wonder why they even bother with pills for OC patients at all. Bless your heart. I'm terrible at swallowing them even at the best of times. Big ones ... not gonna happen. I hope the liquid form goes better for you.

Keep on taking care of yourself ... things WILL get better. Maybe slower than you want, maybe not (we can all hope for faster!) ... but they will get better. And we're all here to cheer you on.

augmentin 875mg are HORSE PILLS. they are hard to swallow even without OC. Oh my. best wishes on getting well. I spent 12 yrs on antibiotics for sinus infections due to my chemical allergies (hence my allergy to husband getting chemo has been an issue). They can be hard to get rid of but that's a high dose so hoping it brings you quick and completely relief.

At out hospital, the doctors recommend using a pill splitter. It’s available at GNC, or on amazon.com. However, do check with your pharmacist as not all pills can be crushed or split.

I crushed the stinking things, dissolved in water and used the peg, (I did check with the pharmacist first) they still upset my stomach and I stopped after 2 days..