Hope please ?

Hi Sarah, you are very early in your recovery, and things can take a while before you feel any improvement, but it will come with time. Try drinks with no sugar, the sugar is what burns, water, milk, sugar free fizzy drinks (let them go a bit flat first). Recovery can take a while, with ups and downs along the way, let your body heal itself, it needs time, it can't be rushed. You will get there.

Ray.

Hello Sarah

There definitely is hope, so don’t despair! You are in the worst phase for pain & low spirit, but it definitely will improve! I had the same treatment as you for the same cancer ( TN3 M0N0)  over a year ago ending in  August 2023. I drank a lot of water, very milky coffee, and sometimes hot chocolate. Wait til they cool down first though! Take the pain killers regularly too, that way you can face trying food/drinks. You are probably feeling v tired too, so get plenty of rest, your body needs to repair after what it has been through. For me, taste returned fully about 5 months post the end of treatment. Certain things still taste too acidic for me now, eg Apples. I used to love them! Most things taste normal though & l can drink anything ( inc acohol ) with pleasure. It is a slow process that can’t be rushed… But hey, l’m still here & life is good, as many others on here will say! 

Wishing you well! You can get through this phase & get your life back on course again. It can be done, one day at a time. X  

Hi Sarah.

4 weeks is still early  I was on morphine till 12 weeks and I didn’t have chemo, only RT, and chemo makes effects more profound 

I was tube dependent for six weeks after treatment end 

Do you have a feeding tube fitted? Have you been given meal replaced drinks? 
Raging thirst is awful. It took me ages to find something to help but I finally settled on diet cola and fizzy water 

Hi Dani 

yes I have a tube ! 
I feel the hospital are trying to rush me into drinking and eating and I just can’t do it yet. have anemia am very tired and my legs and feet are swollen so can’t wear shoes either! Just feel a mess lol ! Normally I’m funny and love life - this has got me stumped tho !   

S x

I love ……very early in your recovery !  I do feel it ! But still want to get on with it now and feel better quickly ! I suppose I just need to be patient xx

SVi said:

yes I have a tube ! 

Use it Sarah. Don’t let the hospital rush you. 
You will be ready to move on when you feel you can. We are all different. 
The journey is a long one with steps back as well  by as forward. 
Radiotherapy really knocks your body badly. It’s not just recovering from the physical damage to your throat but your metabolism takes a huge hit. That’s why you feel so awful. 
Have you seen your GP about the anaemia and your swollen feet? Is there something else going on? We do get stuff that’s not cancer 

Hi Sarah

I had Chemoradio for Tonsil cancer in 2023....took about 12-16 weeks to break through to better times...and yes I did feel low.... many times....many of us did....sleep quality suffered...pain was very annoying but well controlled...feeding tube annoyed me but aided my recovery....things will improve just takes time.

Stay on the forum ...plenty of support from others who have been through or are going through the same.

Guinness alcohol free was one thing that I could taste...and enjoy....still have one daily.

Peter

How are you coping with tube feeding

Thanks Pete . I finished treatment 6/12 and I so thought I’d be better by now - well a little bit better ! But not a bit ! In fact mouth getting sorer. I’m getting so moody ! Argumentative and grumpy too . I hate it so much and I do feel frustrated and miserable too 

Yes Sarah that sounds familiar, my wife had to put up with my moods, tantrums and moans...the mouth pain is not easy, speak to your oncology team about pain management, do not suffer in silence...I had a couple of short stints on low dose sleeping pills which helped me get through difficult times....I finished CRT treatment in June 2023 and the problems seemed never ending...by late October 2023 my feeding tube was out, I was swimming, eating quite well and went to Tenerife for a couple of weeks...things do improve...just takes time.

Peter