End of week one Chemoradiation

Staggabee said:

I was under the impression side affects built up and really wasn't expecting one so quickly but it's impacting my speech a little which is disappointing as that's what I'm really trying to work on. 

Well they do sort of. 
My cancer was different but after two weeks my throat just felt scratchy then practically overnight BANG! And I couldn’t swallow at all with the pain. 

I had 6 weeks of chemoradiation, side effects kicking off after the second week, life got a bit uncomfortable afterwards, pain relief and antiemetics helped get me through. 

My speech deteriorated to the point where I couldn't be bothered with making the effort to talk,my CNS and speech therapist helped me through, keep sipping water often seems to be the greatest thing to help.

I was diagnosed with head and neck cancer over 2 years ago, the treatment was far from easy, recovery quite difficult also, doing OK now.

Hi Dani,

Thank you for sharing I sort of feel like that's what happened to me just overnight swelling occured.

Thankfully I still have my swallow currently. 

I have both sides of the department telling me radio or chemo is worse but it appears the swelling and ulcers can be caused by both.

Hi Micky,

Thank you for sharing too it's much appreciated I'm sorry to hear your issues with speech too 

I am trying to persist with talking will see how that goes. 

I'm also the same 33 fractions 6 cisplatin.

So pleased to hear you are doing okay now ️ 

Thanks, time passes and we improve, chemotherapy gives an additional layer of security but comes with its own issues.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment, make sure you tell your team about every issue that appears.

Good evening, Kellie. It is a bit early to have side effects, but as we say,y we are all different in how we react and recover. You may find that your side effects will not get any worse, Hopefully, it's great that you are pain-free and still swallowing, but monitor your pain so you are ready if it kicks in. I found that the radiotherapy was worse than the chemo; some people suffer from nausea, which never affected me. it was just the soreness from the radiation, although i did have surgery before the treatment. Sounds as if you are doing everything ok at the moment, fingers crossed it stays this way, take care.

                                                      Chris x

Hi Chris 

Thank you for your reply I spoke to my team yesterday as my new tongue was also a bit sore rad number 8 chemo 2 

I agree with you around radiation discomfort I've had a nauseous feeling the evening of chemo and the following day which is taken away by antiemetics but the radiation soreness almost like a papercut feeling is pretty persistent again not exactly too painful but I've started to take cocodamol now (day 8 of rads)

Swallow still going strong which I honestly hope I can for as long as possible I am topping up extra fluid via peg with my am and pm meds though.

Thank you again

Kellie x

Keep up the good work Kellie, you are welcome.

                                    Chris x

Staggabee said:

I have both sides of the department telling me radio or chemo is worse but it appears the swelling and ulcers can be caused by both.

Hi. They can but RT is responsible for most of it. I had awful mucositis in the absence of chemotherapy. I don't think Cisplatin is a big cause of oral mucositis. There are other drugs that are notorious for it

Yes Cisplatin does seem to amplify the.mucositis, no fun , I was glad when the chemotherapy run finished, I was totally wasted by it.

But had a few laughs with patients and staff in the Chemotherapy day ward, picked up a few tips.