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Hi Basbas, there is no point in thinking on how you "brought this on yourself".  Many people drink and smoke and don't get it.  Almost all the population have HPV at some stage of their adult life; most of their bodies deal with it and it never worries them, a very few get H&N or cervical cancer.  They did not do anything wrong except drew the short straw.  Try to look forward to a time when you are cured and able to stop worrying and enjoy life once again.

Thank you so much 

I definitely will listen to you all lovely people 

i gave up smoking a few years ago, but I do vape 

what do you think about it 

I've never smoked a single cigarette or vaped.  I got cancer...  Speaks for itself - luck of the draw. 

However, I think we would all agree that if you can give up then that makes sense.  I only had surgery and could not imagine smoking during recovery and the additional pain that irritation would give to my throat.  I can only imagine that having radiotherapy would magnify that discomfort.  Try to give up before treatment if you can I know that will be tough, but the treatment is really tough and you need to do whatever you can to make it even a little bit easier.

As has been said, smoking and drinking to excess aren't the best lifestyle choices when it comes to health in general, but no point in beating yourself with a stick.

I was a seriously heavy drinker when I lived in London but gave up totally for fifteen years when I moved to the westcountry in 1994 before becomming a social drinker; and I smoked from the age of sixteen until I gave up in 2001 (at 41). My team didn't think either habit played a part in my cancer.

I've only come across one person who carried on smoking post treatment, she was in my acupuncture group and she swore blind she'd given up, but she reeked of the stuff!

Hi if  I was you i would try to give up now I went through 35 radiotherapy sessions and my throat hurt too much some days ti sip water. Last thing you need is trying to go cold Turkey half way through treatment. Ask you cns nurse fir advise am sure they will have cessation classes. Better to start now. 
that’s my thoughts i smoked years ago socially coukdnt imagine anything like smoke going in my throat even now 3.5 years later. 
Hazel xx

I smoked many years ago , started when I was about 14 but I  quit when vapes were brand new and pretty much unheard of and could only be found scarcely online .  I used vaping to quit smoking . What I found was I didn’t actually  enjoy the vape at all and my habit was more the smoking action , hand to mouth , socialising etc but I wanted to quit vaping too as I had little love for it so swapped the vape for a pen and pretended.  Slowly I found I was pretend vaping less and less , not being able to find the pen or where i had left it helped lol … try swapping that gadget for a pen and see if it is just the habit of action rather than  the love of the vape .. I think the vapes were pretty yuck , odd when you think how grim tobacco smoke is but vapes have all weird and wonderful juices now but I bet they aren't that nice

 Jo

x

Hi again 

I have my results T4N2M0 

awaiting next steps, my CN told me to enjoy the life before treatment: radiotherapy and chemotherapy, she told me about pain, peg feed ect 

please tell me what to do/expect 

many thanks

Your CNS is right, but once you have recovered from the treatment you will also enjoy life again.  At least you now know what you are up against.  Surety certainly helps settle the mind.

We've got your back when you need us!

Basbas said:

please tell me what to do/expect 

Your team should take you through all the side effects and what to expect. There is a lot to take in so either take somebody in with you to your consults or make a not of what is said. Take your time and make sure everything is explained to you.

Have a look at some blogs. You could start with Mark's diary HERE Hazel has a blog HERE and I have one linked at the bottom of this post. Have a read then come back with any queries. We've all got your back here. It's a difficult road but doable a day at a time. I'm three years clear and I managed at 67

Hi Basbas. I was T2N2NM my blog below willgive you an indication of what I went through. I didn’t have a peg but had a n g tube fitted at week 3 which was my lifesaver. I was 61 when diagnosed now 65 happily  living my life   Treatments hard recovery can be long but if I can do it anyone can keep off google trust your team ask us on here. 
remember we don’t get all the side effects 
Hazel xx