Feeding tube and likely consequences of RT

Thanks everyone, its not that i dont like the thought of the feeding tube, its actually the fact i hate the idea, its sounds like another thing that can go wrong, ie infection , scarring et, i can see me pulling the thing out in the night.

why insert a tube into the stomach when you can insert one into the nose, is the nose tube something that they keep in, ive seen people walking around with them taped to their face

im 100% im not having the peg, this may sound stupid or even unfair on those treating me and i certainly do not want to inconvenience people, 

Is there anything i can do to prevent or reduce the effects of the RT In my throat, over hydration for example.

if im say 4 weeks into the treatment and i have to be admitted to hospital what then? do you continue your treatments and have a drip fitted to your arm

Christopherpole : im ex RAF did 23 years, its good to see the army have obviously looked after you through out your treatment, because of several errors so far with bupa and the nhs i cant help but think id be better fighting this while still in the forces,  like you ive kept myself fit, active etc even though ive been out for 14 years now. that doesnt mean im not expecting the treatment to be very rough of course or that ill handle it any better.

Hi I never had feeding tubs but was unwell after 2 dose of chemo lost 10% of my body weight in 5days was in hospital for last 12 days of treatment was on a drip, in ward with 3 others who were all in due to feeding problems with tubes etc I an assure you I was not the most unwell. Its your journey follow the path that's right for you no one has the right to judge you good luck you will get there x

Mums treatment continued even though she was on a drip. Everyone tells you how bad the treatment will be, and mums mindset was that whatever it was it was better than the alternative and she thought her  determination could get her though it. But without her peg she would have given up. If they told you how really bad the pain and sticky mouth was you probably would not take the treatment on. She wouldn’t be able to take any pain relief now if it wasn’t for the peg. Please do not underestimate the situation you will find yourself in and take their advice. 

What most annoys me about all of this is BUPA, firstly i will say this, im no more important than anyone else however im in a position to pay my taxes (nhs contributions) and pay for medical insurance

but what happens when you get cancer, they abandon you, looking back i should have admitted myself to bupa london, for the RT and stayed in their accommodation at my expense, i didnt even know this was an option until recently.

Hi. I know my experience is very much in the minority but thought I would let you know. Age 60 diagnosed orophanrygeal cancer (poss tonsil but no primary found), 30 RT sessions and 2 Carboplatin chemo. I was told I probably would need a tube at some point, and then it never got mentioned again throughout, possibly because I only lost around 6lb in weight in all. I ate throughout although it did get very difficult around week 3/4 as everything tasted of metal for a couple of weeks. I like you was petrified of a tube. I drank at least 2 litres of water a day and steamed 2/3 times a day. Ate little and often with Fortisps and high energy ice cream shakes with peanut butter Had ibuprofen/paracetemol as well as the chemo drugs. I am obviously very greatful I endured the treatment a lot easier than others, and if I could pinpoint anything that made it easier, I would do so in a heartbeat. I was told that I'm obviously made of strong stuff as I am in the small few percent that got through the way I did. I am not sure what I would have done if I suddenly found myself in need of a peg/ng and it was more awkward for them to fit one at the time, but I just went along with whatever was suggested and it never did get mentioned again. All hospitals are different in their approach and my diagnosis totally different to everyone else. Good luck.

Hi Piya, thats really interesting thank you, what do you mean steamed? sauna?  i think the water is vital and im going to try and intake as much as i can, i think their concern is that i will be having what amounts to twice the treatment although im unsure as to how they can arrive at this conclusion before my final scan

basically they have told me that i will be having RT from both sides, and that RT Targets the cancer cells, but if the cancer on my Right side was removed totally how can they target nothing? i thought the chemo sorts out the rogue cancer cells.

It would be great to manage eating throughout. I have read Piya’s story a few times with great admiration and envy. It just shows how different we all are. Chemo potentiates the RT. Lots of people don’t have any. It’s the RT that does the job. No surgery can guarantee complete removal of  all cancer cells which is why you are getting radio to the surrounding area. 
i had treatment both sides. I think the total dose is the same unless you are having 7 weeks. I had 67Gy which I think is pretty standard. 

I had bought myself a small facial sauna for colds years ago and just used that (towel over head and a couple of minutes). I had RT to both sides but, more was targeted to my left where I had a squamous cell carcinoma that had spread to 2 lymph nodes. I was actually given the choice as to whether to have both sides zapped but was told if I had no RT, the cancer would come back. I'm not sure whether just their experience said that possibility would be high but, I think emotions are running so high, that you just take everything they say as gospel. I thought the RT and chemo mop up rogue cells, but I'm not scientific enough to know if that is true.

Piya10 said:

thought the RT and chemo mop up rogue cells, but I'm not scientific enough to know if that is true.

They do. My tongue SCC was inoperable so that was zapped as well as the surrounding tissue and some neck nodes as a precaution 

Hi Piya, 

can i ask who gave you the advice on drinking so much water and the steaming, thanks