Side effects of radiotherapy.

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Just last Wednesday I finished 5 palliative radiotherapy sessions for a squamous cell cancer which started in the right side of my jaw and spread along a nerve to my ear, numbing the area up to my eye as well. The eye won't shut and I will find out soon if they can do anything about that. The lid is sewn shut due to an infection developing. My problem is that the low grade tinnitus which I've had for years has increased over this weekend to an unbearable pitch. When I talk my voice doesn't sound right, like when you have a bad cold. Has anyone else suffered a similar experience? If they have, did it settle down again? It may sound trivial but this noise is driving me crazy. I hope I don't sound too desperate!

  • I've been talking to my lovely Macmillan nurse today. She's asked my GP to prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation in my ear. I'm so grateful to have found a possible method to calm down the noise. It' doesn't sound like much but it's really getting to me. x

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to AnnaMary

    Pleased you got sorted  . Hope the steroids help. 

    A x

  • Thank you, sistermoon. I would never have thought of steroids but if they help I'll be delighted. I hope you are well too. x

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to AnnaMary

    I've not heard of steroids for it either. I have tinnitus but try to ignore it, it's got worse since treatment but my radio was last June so doubt it's that really, in my case. Good luck, hope it works x

  • Thanks. I've had tinnitus for years and mostly accepted it. Then suddenly after the radiotherapy ended it reached a whole new level. If it's due to inflammation the steroids may help. It's worth a try anyway. X

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