Head and Neck cancer/ Multiple Lymph Nodes cancerous

Hi Dana 

Keep dropping in here for support throughout your treatment....loads of excellent advice....as an ex drinker/smoker (30 years stopped both) I can understand your need for both....speak to your oncology support teams for advice.

Sleep can be a problem with the anxiety associated with cancer....if so speak to health professionals.

Have you been offered a feeding tube?  can be a life saver

keep us updated with your progress

Best of luck 

Peter

hi Peter many thanks for some good advice..no feeding tube required at the moment..no blpckages in my throat yet...

Hi Dana. The feeding tube is for when you can’t swallow as your radiotherapy progresses. Some trysts place these before treatment starts, others  during treatment when swallowing becomes impossible. I had a nasogastric tube placed in week four and I had it in place for eight weeks. It saved my life and made sure I made a fairly uneventful recovery. 

Hi Dana

I am sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis. It is a real shock to all of us when this happens. Even though I had never smoked or drank  and was in good health I still got jaw cancer and there are many others on the forum who did not smoke or drink but still got cancer. It is just one of those things so don't spend time blaming yourself that you caused the cancer by smoking and drinking. It may be true it may not ,who knows so it is not worth dwelling on. Head and neck cancers are very treatable if caught early and you are in good hands with your medical team. Put your trust in them.

You will get all the support you need from this forum as everyone here has experienced something similar to you and understand what you are going through.

Sending you my very best wishes. You can do this.

Lyn

wow Dani scary but necessary ..thank you

rhank you so much Lyn

Hi Dana,

I was diagnosed with similar at the end of last year and if it helps I have never smoked in my life, but do enjoy the odd glass or two. I have come across several people that have had cancers and never smoked, so while I get your thinking it certainly isn't necessarily a contributor. I went through radiotherapy as well and have had a number of operations and am now on immunotherapy.

I know we are all different, but if you can, stop blaming yourself as some people are more prone to joining this club than others.

Whatever happens best of luck and I'm sure you will be able to cope with things better once you have started treatment.

Bill

hi Bill...got very emotional reading that mate, but taking it all on board..getting focused already after only a week and its down to people like you.. how long do you think I will be out of action, not being able to work etc?

Hi Dana,

Hard to answer that one, the worst side effect I had from the radiotherapy, was fatigue and hard to concentrate at times. I guess it depends what type of work you have, the trouble is with all these things is that it effects people in different way, so I think you will just have to see how it goes.

Sorry, not much help on that particular question, but happy to try and answer any others.

Bill

Dana24 said:

how long do you think I will be out of action, not being able to work etc?

I would give yourself six months and then plan for a phased return. 
Traditionally most oropharyngeal cancers used to be caused by smoking with alcohol contributing. Most are now caused by HPV which has a better prognosis, but smoking and drinking excessively certainly contributes to not being able to throw off the viral infection. However all this is water under the bridge. What’s done is done and the only thing to do is put your best foot forward without recriminations.