Hello I am aged 49 years old n was told about 8 weeks ago I have stage 2 larynx cancer I have recently had my mask fitted which I found very claoustaphobic and I start radiotherapy in 3 weeks time I am so scared is there anyone going through the same I have to have 6 weeks of radiotherapy it is localized thankfully and was told it was early stages
Hello Kimbetly69. it all sounds and looks scary but the actual radiotherapy session does not take that long at all when i had my radio done i had a tv screen above my head where they played calming music and showed calming pictures so i just mainly looked at them for a couple of minutes. It's best to let them know if you are scared as i think they can give you a tablet to relax you, or just talk you through it all. Once i had the first couple of radio sessions i was all ok with it and it never bothered me after that , its just that initial thought, which is to be expected. That is good news they have got it in its early stages as the earlier its detected the better the chance they have in treating it. Hope all goes well for you in three weeks time, best wishes .
Chris .x
Thank you so much for replying it really does mean a lot I'm sure once I start it will be fine like you have said I think it's excepting it as Well and not being in denyal as I feel fine it's just might voice that is not if you understand what I mean? How long were you in the mask for when the radiology began as you may be able to tell I am petrified
Kind regards
Hi Kimbetly, I had t4cancer of the larynx in 2016, and had a total laryngectamy. Sadly I now have a recurrence n my neck and have had many radiotherapy sessions since, so I understand your fears. The mask does fit rather snugly to say the least, but it has to keep your head very still to make sure they target precisely. I found that the radiotherapists are very understanding, and will try to make it as comfortable as possible. the procedure only lasts about five minutes, and I found that singing to yourself, or counting down helps a lot, and asking them to tell you when the treatment is nearly over helps to calm the feeling of claustrophobia that you feel. Hope that this helps.
Martin.
Thank you so much for your reply bless you for all you are going through my thoughts are with you
Kind regards
Kimbetly
Hello
Sorry to hear of your diagnosis , my husband finished his 6 weeks of radiotherapy end of Aug and although he said it felt a bit odd being in the mask each day got a bit easier and surprisingly although 6 weeks seems a long time it did go quickly , the mask can be a tight on the eyes and after each session my husband had to sit for 10 minutes so his eyes could focus again but if you have any problems just tell the staff and they will be happy to help you
All the best
Jenny
Hello
Thank you for your reply it really does help to know I am not alone and surprisingly many more like myself and worste than me bless them ....did your husband have larynx cancer . If so did he experience swallowing difficulties sorry for so many questions
Kind regards
Hello
Thank you for your reply it really does help to know I am not alone and surprisingly many more like myself and worste than me bless them ....did your husband have larynx cancer . If so did he experience swallowing difficulties sorry for so many questions
Kind regards
Hi
Please ask as many questions as you need to I found this site really helpful when my husband was diagnosed
Yes he had larynx cancer and had to have full voice box removal and is unable to speak , he did have trouble with swallowing after radiotherapy as it makes your throat dry he also had very severe burns on his neck but there are lots of things that they can give you to help with any symptoms you have , I don't mean to scare you but it's best to know these things rather then not know.
But as I've learnt from this site not everyone's experience is the same
Jenny
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