Difficulty stretching tongue after partial glossectomy

Hi Kitikat

I hope you do not mind me replying as I had a different type of cancer but by doing so it will hopefully bump your post.

I am sorry to hear that you had a partial glossectomy and neck dissection 6 weeks ago. How are you feeling generally now? I hope that you are getting plenty of support from your CNS and hospital.

Well done for starting the exercises. You say you are not seeing the consultant for a couple of weeks and are experiencing some pain and have a skin tag that is worrying you- perhaps it would be a good idea to give your CNS a call and mention these things. They would hopefully be able to give you some support with the exercise and reassure you whether the tightness you are experiencing is to be expected. They would also be able to say whether it is worth persevering for the next couple of weeks or whether to leave it until the consultant appointment.

I hope this helps a bit. Hopefully someone who has had similar surgery will now see your post and be able to share some advice, but I do suggest giving your CNS a quick call. We also have the Macmillan support line (number below) where you can ask one of the nurses anything medical.

I wish you well with the rest of your treatment but in the meantime if there is anything else you need, then please do ask. 

Jane

Hi KitKat

I have had a glossectomy to the front 2/3rds of my tongue and a selective neck dissection in June. My tongue still feels a bit worried but I haven't had the pain you  describe. I would ring the team to ask but in the meantime you could like on the Young Tongues Facebook page, there's a private group where we ask all kinds of things.

Dee 

Hi Kitikati

I have had the same treatment as yourself. 

6 weeks is not a lot of time ago to be fair. My glossectomy was in July and my tongue is still mending.

The tip of my tongue has been dragged over to the left and naturally because flesh was removed it is no longer the shape of a normal tongue. I cannot extend it to the right simply because it doesn't have that flexibility anymore.

I initially had a polyp on the end of my tongue too which for a time after the glossectomy looked swollen. This was because the tissue was still on the mend. 

Even now I experience loss of feeling, prickly sensation, lack of motility, issues eating and have loss of feeling and movement in the left side of my face and lower lip due to the dissection. 

Your tongue will eventually improve but I doubt you'll ever be able to move your tongue as you once could. However, you will eventually get used to it.

Hope this helps?

Tobi Le Great said:

Hope this helps?

It certainly does and welcome to our little community, Tobi