Getting back to normal?

Hi Samanatha well done in getting through treatment .i was nibbling around 3 weeks post treatment. But it was at least 3 months before I could so anything substantial ,and 6 month before food was pleasurable. For a while food is fuel nothing pleasurable  it was eating to live rather than live to eat

Its a case of keeping calories up by any means and keeping hydrated .

But as we say we are all different , 

Hazelx

Hi Samrobdog It sounds like you are doing great. I was ill the other week feeling queasy and am 71 days out of treatment. We are all different , I had a hose fitted on my 5th week as couldn't drink or eat properly and had a load of tablets I could not swallow. I would suggest keeping on top of medication and make sure you dont let yourself get dehydrated as it really puts a spanner in the works. My taste buds have not come back yet but have vastly improved. I have had some tiny pasta bits with tomatoes and fish fingers and nearly threw up. I am trying anything really except meat which tasted vile a few weeks back . Good Luck Regards Min

Hi Samantha

Sounds like you've coped really well with your treatment - you're already doing better than I was at that stage so congratulations.

As a general rule of thumb it's around the 3 month mark where most people seem to find some improvement in what they can eat but in the meantime eat what you can and use food as fuel as Hazel suggests.  You can gently start to experiment with different types of food as you recover to see what suits and remember to eat smaller amounts but often.

All the best with your recovery.

Linda x

Well done Samantha.

 I can’t offer advice as just about to start my 6th week but following with interest as I am not far behind you.

Sounds like you have managed very well so far and similar to me as I can still eat Weetabix and rusks etc.

My dietician said that introduction of soft foods is usually about 3 weeks post treatment but I know that each person is different and individual. I can’t eat a lot of things such as ice cream and yogurt simply because they taste vile in my mouth so looking forward to my taste getting back on track.

Good luck with your recovery and I bet you are so relieved at not having the daily jaunt for treatment 

Michelle x

You too Michelle! I’ve managed to eat quite a lot really. Spaghetti hoops. Soups, yogurt, tinned peaches & pears, rice pudding, porridge, even just managed a bag of Frazzles.  I’m hopeful it will return quicker as I’m eating things I never thought I would. 

I never expected to be quite this good after week 6.  Shocked actually. Can’t wait for chippy tea though!

message me how you get on !

cheers

Sam

Thanks for that very hopeful post Sam, I am about 10 weeks behind michelle and 11 behind you, it's so hard to know how we are going to be through treatment.  Neither you or Michelle have had feeding tubes which I am holding onto!  I wonder how much of treatment side effects come from original site and where radiation is targeted because of that??  Wonder if any of the others who have been dealing with these things for a lot longer have any idea?

Hope you carry on ok.  It sounds like you are managing to eat a lot of items, is it the ulcers that are causing you your main eating problems?  I am thinking my recent tonsillectomy and tongue base removal will be good practice for how my mouth is going to feel!  I did find the bicarb / salt mouthwash quite refreshing.

Julie x

Sounds like you are doing fabulously Sam. I can’t eat peaches, yoghurt, ice cream etc because they taste really nasty to me. Good for you if you can and I hope you carry on being able to.

 I can’t have my 5th chemo due to my white blood count still being very low. I am on injections so hopefully they will help.

Good luck, got everything crossed for you xx

Hi Michelle

I also found all those things tasted awful.  I did however find fresh pears OK but they had to be conference as they seemed less "bitty" in texture.

Linda x

Hi Julie

My treatment was targetted at base of tongue, quite a long way down as it couldn't be seen other than with a scope.  I didn't suffer really with mouth ulcers but my throat was incredibly sore so it was that, combined with the effect on my taste buds, which made eating the most difficult for me.

Linda x

Thanks for the tip Linda. I will try that because I love conference pears. I am going to try spaghetti rings too, fancy them with the yolk of fried eggs for some strange reason so taking Sam’s tip on board too.

Weetabix and rusks is really boring lol xx