Side effects of radiotherapy

Hi joanna

First, it’s not in her head at all. These side effects are normal. Some of us take a long time to start recovering. If it is painful eating she needs to stay on tube feeding and have her analgesia sorted out. She also has to have her doctors alter her antisickness medication to suit. 
I had no appetite for months and made myself eat to get better. This is normal too. 
The dry mouth will take a long time to improve and we are never as we were. Can she chew gum? This stimulates what function she has left. A pocket water spray to moisten her mouth is helpful and there is a big variety of saliva substitutes and mouthwashes for her to try. Get her to ask her nurses to find something for her. I don’t know what is available in Poland. 
Spots in the mouth are what we get. They can be ulcers or blocked salivary ducts. They come and go 

Recovery is backwards and forwards. That’s the nature of it I’m afraid but it’s normal. 

This esssy about recovering from cancer may help too. Have a read of it. 

https://workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

Thank you so much for all and I will read.How long it took you to start to eat or feel better?

My NG tube “fell out” at 6 weeks so I was forced to eat soft food and drink meal replacement drinks. But it was slowly slowly. I think I turned a bit of a corner at 12 weeks but I wasn’t well till a year 

Thank you.Did you feel nausea and no taste?

Hi Joanna I remember you from your early posts about yiur mum pleased she’s got through the treatment. Cat add much to what Dani has said it’s certainly nit in her head we all react differently see if she can uo take her feed as it’s nutrition that will help her I was in 2500 calories every day maybe she can try to sup the high calorie drinks. Has she been checked for oral thrush ? Ask her and if not she needs checking and flucozonole  prescribing. Mouth was I still use bio xtra and night time xyimelts from Amazon or other suppliers they aren’t on prescription. It was a good 6 month before food held any appeal I was drink8ngbyhe high calorie drinks from z3weeks I was dogmatic and made my self eat and drink. It was a good year before any pleasure but I’ve friends who are still peg fed 8monyh later there’s no right or wrong way 
hugs Hazel x

Thank you so much to remember me and my mum.She finished her treatment 8 weeks ago.

can I asked how much you weight when you was eating 2500 calories ?

and can you write me down name of highly calories drinks please becuse I couldn't read?

Hi Joanna

T2N1M0 HPV+ tonsil cancer Chemoradio (30+4) finished June 2024..PEG tube fed for approximately 14 weeks.

Patients and carers are definitely mentally and physically drained by the treatment, I spent 12 days in hospital due to rapid weight loss....no appetite.... wanted food but couldn't get it down...very dry mouth....badly ulcerated throat and mouth....3 episodes of painful oral thrush....

By last August things started to improve ...slowly at first....by September PEG was removed and I was eating solid food....my weight stabilised and I now have a healthy BMI....appetite and taste are still improving....going out for meals now....3 times a week.....eating slowly with plenty of liquids to wash food down.

I still suffer from a dry mouth....but this is improving month by month....hydrate often...and use Biotene Gel at night

It does feel like one step forward and two steps back at times....for most of us life does improve..... eventually.

Take care and good luck

Peter

Joanna44 said:

and can you write me down name of highly calories drinks please becuse I couldn't read?

Fortisips and Ensures

Joanna44 said:

Thank you.Did you feel nausea and no taste?

Nausea yes, for a good few weeks. It’s why my tube fell out. I vomited it up. 
Tase almost always disappears. It slowly improves over a year for a lot of us.