Your experience with side effects from head & neck cancer treatment (radiation / mucositis)

[Azjoetrucker]

CeeDee

   Unfortunately, depending on your health status coming out of Rad/chemo you may not heal as fast as you'd like.

   I had squamous cell (head and neck cancer) and yes, even now, a year out, I still get bouts of (very) sore throat (and sores in throat).  

  There have been times when excessive coughing have expectorated pinkish phlegm.  Comes and goes.

   Do keep your health team adviced...but unfortunately the Laundry List of side effects becomes a reality we live with.

   Cheers, Joe

[Azjoetrucker]

CeeDee

    Funny you mention weight loss, since I've been losing a pound a week lately.  Mine (I hope) has to do with a mean bout with neck lymphoedema and Reflux from making wrong decision regarding my eating habits.

   A year out I was well on my way to normal eating then the Reflux restarted an ulceration at an old site under the tongue and esophagus.

   I'm back to using the Ninja and drinking my food (which I absolutely hate 😞) while the ulcers heal (they are).

   The lympho complicated into fibrosis so makes for mechanical difficulties coordinating chewing, directing the globulus and actually swallowing.  There's also the little detail of esophageal constriction, apparently common to hnc post treatment patients.

  If you have facebook (I didn't til about a month ago) let me suggest their Head and Neck/Oral cancer and support chat group, of which I am a member.  Fantastic people and very very informative-great place to connect with others with s similar symptoms and problems.

[Azjoetrucker]

CeeDee

   Sorry to hit the send button.  

I was not able to use the magic wash...something about lidocaine did not agree me.

  Just plain baking soda and salt and bear thru the pain.  Lost 22 lbs thru the Rad/chemo 35/10.

   Again you will find some really helpful advice at the fb group.

   Cheers

[MikeR]

Hi all. I was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma unknown primary stage 4 spread to lymph node in my neck last year. I was treated with standard radiation and chemotherapy. In addition it was suggested that I use medical marijuana which I've been using for over a year now. I just recently discovered an article correlating marijuana use with squamous cell carcinoma (HPV related). Yikes! Anyone else using RSO?

[Azjoetrucker]

Hi Mike

   No but I was thinking of doing so.  Do you have a line to that article?

   Thanks

[MikeR]

Here is an article regarding latest research on MM and SCCHN: https://www.curetoday.com/articles/marijuana-impacts-the-progression-of-hpv-related-head-and-neck-sq...