Hi everyone
My husband starts his treatment tomorrow he was diagnosed last November with HPV+ remnants of tonsil and base of tongue ssc which involves RHS &LHS lymph nodes.
His treatment will be 30x radiotherapy and Chemo tomorrow and week 4 which will be Cistplatin given over 18 hours in conjunction with copious amounts of fluid.
His treatment is at the Christie in manchester and it isn't their policy to insert feeding tubes before treatment starts they try to manage it without unless you drop 10% of your weight in any week.
Speech therapy have advised bicarb/saline mouthwash after every meal and before bed.
Has anyone had this sort of treatment plan and what can I expect him to be like in himself this week after 5 radio/ 1 chemo? Did the mouthwash help? Does the anti sickness meds help?
Any advice in This early stage of treatment appreciated. Hubby not the most positive of blokes and gets down very easily.
Thanks
Gail x
Nothing much happens for the first two weeks regarding the RT. After that discomfort and pain ramp up as mouth and throat get ulcerated. He will certainly find it difficult to swallow but he’ll get food replacement drinks. My trust didn’t routinely place stomach tubes either but its criterion for doing so wasn’t loss of weight but pain and inability to swallow. I must say that a 10% weight loss seems a tad cruel if it leaves the patient struggling till that’s achieved.
I had an NG in week 4. I wouldn’t have managed without it. It saved my life.
Salt bicarbonate is good but you should have Caphosol Gelclair and Difflam from his team. The first two are protective and the last analgesic.
They tend to give the cheapest antiemetic first and it doesn’t always work so make sure you tell them. There’s always something that will suit.
My advice would be to take the antisickness whether he feels nauseous or not.
Best wishes
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Thanks Dani
We will make sure he has a tube if he needs it. They said some pts manage without but from what I've read that seems a little optimistic. He does have Difflam They have advised to use that as a suppment to the bicarb/ saline. I was just wondering how the chemo will leave him feeling? I guess tired and sick 
I guess tired and sick
Yes. But at least he has a respite. And he’s getting only two.
I remember Hazel pitching up at one RT session saying she wasn’t moving ANYWHERE till they put an NG in and she got one straightaway.
My crisis came ion a Friday night so I had to wait till the Monday but I got one without asking.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Hi Gail, week 1 shouldn't bring too many side effects. My tube was placed before any treatment started and was in for almost 41 weeks. However I had Induction Chemo and was using it before the Chemoradiation started.
Mouth wash will help for sure, albeit shorter effectiveness as the weeks go on. You can check my profile where I logged my journey. My nausea was from the Induction Chemo and lingered on.
There is
some scientific evidence that Manuka Honey (20ml x two times per day) reduces oral side effects. I used it and I didn't have many mouth problems. I also gargled and swallowed a little of the 'Gelcair' before every radiation session as everything I got was for the mouth, and my poor throat got nothing. I asked, there is nothing available for the throat apparently. Best wishes to your hubby. Tina
