Looking for Feedback on Issue Starting Up 6 weeks Post Treatment

Morning, my husband is now 7months post treatment,he is still finding certain food giving him trouble swallowing or burning,especially spicy food. With only 6weeks post treatment, it's a little early to expect that everything tastes/feels the same. Give it a little more time.. Tastebuds do recover for individuals differently. It's normal that some food don't taste at all then what you expect. As to being fatigued and having a dry mouth seems to be just as common,part of  side effects,that could last past treatment. My husband still has a bottle water close by where ever he goes. So persevere, it will get easier.  Hugs fellow wife Mel.

Good evening, Db1960, it sounds to me as if it's just the side effects of the treatment along with eating, because a lot of people find that certain foods are too acidic and the food/drink they used to like becomes less favourable. Your taste will slowly return, and your saliva glands will start to recover from the radiotherapy. I very much doubt the cancer has returned due to eating to early. Maybe try less acidic foods and drinks, as it will take about six months before everything settles back down. You could ask for stronger painkillers if the pain gets worse, as there is nothing worse than having constant pain, as it drags us down and makes us feel lousy at times. Wishing you all the best for your continued recovery, take care. 

                                                                                   Chris x

Db1960 said:

5 weeks of RT everyday with every Friday being a double treatment day.

That’s novel. Getting the full 30 fractions squeezed into five weeks. Never heard of any trust doing that. Seems a good way to get more people through. Where were you treated if you don’t mind me asking? 

I finished chemoradiotherapy for tonsil and neck cancer well over 2 years ago.

I had on and off burning tongue for a good 8 months after finishing CRT,  after effects of CRT? no idea on triggers, but thankfully  Biotene gel relieved it, not an issue now.

I can eat most things, enjoy chilli con carne and medium curries, no unpleasant surprises, alcohol free ales are a nice treat.

Cancercare Manitoba (Canada). My Radiation Oncologist said studies have shown that doubling up on one day during the week (7:30AM and then again at 3:00PM) provided positive results in addressing the cancer. No specific statistic was provided. I can tell you that the day after my “double days” were tough in the last 3 weeks. 

I am seven months post radiation and chemotherapy treatment and still find that many foods aggravate my throat.  I am on a supplement only diet at the moment (Fresubin) and tried blending a banana in with it yesterday morning.  Oh the pain!  Later in the day I tried melon (which previously I had no problem with) with the same result.  I will be off to the hospital today (again) to try and get some advice.  My throat is now so sensitive it is hard to swallow anything and I have been (previously) told that this is because of the radiation therapy but given no solution.  I am sorry, I offer anything helpful only empathy and can only suggest you talk to your health care people ASAP and get advice.  I have been asking about this problem here for weeks without getting any meaningful help or answers.

Interesting about the banana. I very much enjoyed bananas in the past. Now, I can’t even touch them. They set my mouth on fire. 

Db1960 said:

I can tell you that the day after my “double days” were tough in the last 3 weeks. 

I bet!

I live some distance from where I was treated and that treatment was in January. I once asked what would happen if the weather (live in rural Wales) might stoop me getting to the hospital. My oncologist told me that they are happy to do double days to catch up but they didn't publicise that fact because when they did earlier people would bunk off on a Friday  to get a long weekend off knowing they could catch up

Db1960 said:

My Radiation Oncologist said studies have shown that doubling up on one day during the week (7:30AM and then again at 3:00PM) provided positive results in addressing the cancer

Yers, I've read that somewhere too

There were trials some years ago giving patients twice daily RT for 12 days, giving them a break for a week then repeating the 12 day regime. That must have been absolute hell.

You've done really well with eating this early. Just trial and error really. It does sound food related so plug on and get well

Hi you might find this happens re foods bananas were hard for me along side most fruit. It’s all par for the course. Our treatment very very rarely fails at the first hurdle. Just take it day by day one step at a time you’ll get there. 
we’ll find in double Fridays new one to me but seems a good way I had 7 weeks 

hugx 

hazel x

Hi, sounds like you're doing really well.  I managed to eat throughout and post treatment (so didn't have to use my feeding tube). I used to worry that maybe I was resistant to the treatment... definitely, internal mind games at play! I was doing really well and then some weeks after treatment I ate some chocolate covered peanuts.  No idea why, as I couldn't even taste them! Anyway, was something of a setback and I felt I'd injured my mouth/throat which was frustrating as my recovery had been going so well. I eased back on introducing too many new foods and stuck with soft (fairly bland) stuff (lots of spaghetti/pasta, mashed potato etc) and things improved. I was able to eat protein but kept it all fairly plain and that seemed to do the trick.  I'm almost 2 years post treatment now and can pretty much eat everything.  I do get humbled every now and then (I had some pepper sauce the other day which was a step too far!) but otherwise, I'm good.