new diagnosis of Nasopharyngeal Cancer NPC

Can't help much other that to ask how many salivary glands are you going to lose? I have been told the ones at the back of my mouth have gone but I still have some at the front, it is a nuecence but not to bad as you learn to only eat foods that go down well.

PS. Some foods can make me dribble but that is more to do with the fact that I can't seal my mouth than anything else.

Others will offer you more thamn I can so keep coming back.

Thank you for replying.  I am so new to this, I've just heard salivary glands can be removed before treatment to save them. I need to read through the threads...but thanks again for replying.

I can't help with that as my cancer was front top of mouth and my salivary glands I believe were destroyed by the radio.

Hi Ladybug, 

I imagine you are now well into your treatment or even nearing the end as you last posted nearly two months ago.

The symptoms and stages of recovery follow pretty much the same lines for many of us with Nasopharyngeal Cancers, and I won't go into too much detail here because it's well documented by me and others on here outlining the stages of our journey and what to expect recovery wise ( which is very very very very long ) tediously so, but you will come out the other end eventually, it can just be laborious and exhausting to say the least, but you will turn that corner in the end, that much i can assure you.

I am two years this Sept 2019 out of treatment, I would say a good 18mths of that was getting back to a semblance of my old self, but to see me now you wouldn't think it was the same person who looked and felt wretched after six continuous weeks of Radiation and Chemo.

To answer your question, we all lose some of the functionalityof our saliva glands, some of us will of course be slightly different to others depending on where the radiation is targeted, I lost nearly all of mine, but over time chewing gum, drinking plenty of fluids, and generally getting to know what is good, and not so good for my mouth has helped enormously, don't despair, it is nowhere near as bad as it sounds, and a very small price to pay for what is a very worrying and daunting time.

I can eat virtually everything ( and I love food and drink and everything that goes along with that ) and there is little i cannot drink maybe some wines ? which is real shame to me, but maybe not others ? but generally i have returned "almost" to my old self.

I keep in contact with others on here who went through the same, and we all help and talk with each other,  never be afraid to ask, rant, moan, share, or feel you are on your own with this, there will always be someone on here who can relate to what you are going through and hopefully give you some positive answers and encouragement.

Right now you may be feeling the full effects of the treatment, or maybe you are coping really well, whatever it is, I am sure all of us on here wish you the very best and have you in our thoughts, on this forum you are only ever a click away from good people willing to help, chat, or just listen..

All the very best to you .......

Marcus