Neck dissection

Hi Seashell

I am so sorry to hear about your Brothers reoccurrence and your Mothers bowel cancer.

I can’t help with the neck dissection as I didn’t have any surgery( due to my T4 diagnosis) I’m not supposed that you are feeling overwhelmed by it all. I hope you also have support for yourself …..Mcmillan/GP/Counselling support groups friends Cancer charities etc all can offer support for patients and family members. …..thinking of you and your family and sending you all a big virtual hug

Debbie

Hi Seashell

Wow, you really are being put through the mill with caring for loved ones.  I have had 2 neck dissections (one a salvage) and managed to eat following both so he may not need to use the RIG.  However, if he has it then don't be afraid to use it.  I was not in too much pain and was quickly down to paracetamol only after the surgery.  However, your brother's surgery may be more extensive and invasive and may affect more nerves etc.  For the first couple of days he may be in hospital for observation and until the drains come out.  That may give you both some breathing space.  Hopefully he will have got over the immediate effects of the op by the time he is discharged and better able to fend for himself.  It is a bit of an unknown how each of us will react to the same situation.

Thanks for your reply PFJTHS,

It’s reassuring to hear you were not in too much pain afterwards and could eat. It’s been such a long road since RT last year, trying to improve swallowing and maintain his weight. We’ve been warned a facial nerve could be damaged and that his jaw may need a bit of bone removed so feeling some trepidation. He’s worried about how his appearance may change as well. Fingers crossed they can avoid the nerves, 

thanks, Seashell66

Hi Seashell

Sorry to hear that your brother is having to go through another op. Like Peter over time I have had 2 neck dissections on either side of my neck but neither being a salvage one. I think mine were fairly straight forward and was only in hospital for 2 days until the drains were removed. I did not find it painful and actually don't remember taking any pain relief. The main issue was a change to sensation where I was cut which was from just below my ear to my collar bone. This did improve over time but still I have some changed sensation and a feeling of tightness that I have got used to. The other short term issue I had was a temporary reduced range of movement of my arm/shoulder where one of the nerves was bruised. I think this is a fairly common side effect. For me this improved fairly quickly and I have no residual effects and my range of movement is back to normal. My eating was not affected.

Sounds as though your brother's op may be a bit more complicated so I have my fingers crossed for him that he has a quick and non complicated recovery.

Best wishes

Lyn

I did not have any bone removed, just all the lymphs whilst looking for the cancer.  Like Sophie I have some changes to sensation that are now more amusing than disturbing.  I can scratch my neck and it feels like I an scratching the top of my ear.  It is a standard warning about the nerves.  Often they just move and bruise them.  Recovery from that can take around 18 months to get to a point where you suddenly realise it is back to near normal.  That said there is a big step in recovery during the first few weeks and then slow but steady progress.  If they have to cut the nerve then the situation is permanent in most cases.  Nowadays they are really good at this surgery.  I have small, almost invisible, scars and no other overt signs of the surgery.

Hi Seashell66, sorry to hear your brother needs more surgery. And that you're caring for your mum too!

I hope you don't think this is negative, it's certainly not meant to be but just wanted to give you my honest experience so you can be aware how different neck dissection experiences can be for each individual, so you and your brother can be prepared just in case. I wish my daughter and I had been more prepared.

I had a thyroidectomy, bilateral neck and chest dissections for Medullary thyroid cancer with spread to lymphs. It was invasive and extensive surgery. My op was 6 hours and I was in hospital 7 days with 2 drains. I was very weak when I came home for quite a few weeks and my daughter did most things for me but bear in mind I had deteriorated over many years before this due to misdiagnosis, so I wasn't at my best going into it all. The most limiting thing was the lack of strength/movement in both arms, there was a lot of pain. This isn't unusual, as Sophie66 and PFJTHS mentioned, the spinal accessory nerve can get bruised/damaged. My neck was also incredibly tight and has stayed that way, I've just had to get used to it. A few things that aren't so bothersome are the numbness from ears down, it got better. I had a wonky lip that improved, neck skin sensation is very strange and I can't tolerate some touch or materials.

Make sure he gets referred to physio therapy as soon as possible, it helped me get my arm movement back and showed me exercises and stretches to keep the neck moving, which I still have to do a year on.

Hope this is informative as it was intended and that your brother has a much more simple and straight forward recovery. I wish you all the best x

Thanks Sophie66, 

that’s really helpful information and quite reassuring. 

Hi k9crazy,

That sounds a difficult journey. As you said, hopefully it will be more straightforward for my brother, but it’s good to be aware of all possibilities so thanks for your advice

Hi Seashell66, how did your brother's neck dissection surgery go?

Hi K9crazy, 

His surgery went well thank you. He was discharged after 48 hours when the drain came out. He has a bit of a droop of his mouth where the nerve was cut, but this doesn’t seem to be bothering him as yet. He has a bit of puffiness as well but that should subside. Waiting to see the dr post op so can find out about physio etc

thankSeashell