Great to hear you're hanging in there! My 4th to 5th week was the beginning of Hell Week for me so I hope it'll be different for you.   I found that Shrimp-the precooked and pre shelled kind, went down real easy with various sauces.  You know I'm a bit extreme, so I'd microwave the shrimp in lime juice and dip them in various garlic or other sauces depending on mood.      I know that dairy goods are anathema to us Mucosa Downtrodden, but when the throat slashing was extreme for me, shakes were the only 300 plus calorie drinks I could stand.  My favorite is 6oz milk and 3 generous scoops of Blue Bell ice cream.   Once you get through this chemo and rad affair, you might want to check into using Apple Cider Vinegar to control your blood pressure.    My next battle is with Kidney Disease, which gives me high blood pressure.  I started using Apple Cider vinegar teaspoon twice a day and it helped crash my bp to levels that allowed me to pass my Trucking medical exam.  I swear by it.    I've got now two more Zap Sessions and one more Chemo.  Though my throat feels better I've been feeling more exhausted after each session. I did begin to do situps, pushups, squats and half hour yard work...but still going easy.    I'll let you know how it goes.  But know that One Did Fly Over the intuber's Nest and so can you! ... View more

Joe, Bugzapper...how are you doing? ... View more

A little exercise goes a long way improving energy level, no doubt.    I had stopped my normal routine of situps, pushups and kata when my calorie intake dropped below 1000.  Getting now tasteless stuff past mouth pain, swollen raw throat and heaving stomach was a fight a bit beyond me.  It took a week before experimenting with different food items got me over the 1000 calorie mark and soon to the 1200-1400 calorie safety net.    My ideal weight is 150 but I went into Chemo/Radio treatments at 162.  Being an Over The Road truck driver (Yah-you sit and stress for 11 driving hours, eat and snack then sleep for 10 hours) doesn't make for staying trim, so I have always had an exercise regiment to follow in the truck.    My problem with eating started during the 4th week, by the way, and discovering acetamynophen really helped alleviate throat swelling on the 5th week made the difference.    Just 2 days back into exercise mode-and no, I'm nowhere near my activity level-I already feel more energetic.    By the way-the old formula of multiplying your weight x 10 (in pounds) and adding about 400 calories does come close to calories needed to maintain my cancer patient weight.     I mean-how many calories does one need to to from the couch to the kitchen to the loo and back to the couch? 😁.    Last week of Radio, 1 more Chemo.  Do whatever it takes to get through each day and remember to smile because this is harder on the ones we love that it is on us... ... View more

This is the home stretch-last 4 Rads and 2 Chemos.    It occurred to me that maybe the way to beat fatigue is to get back to exercising.  Just situps, pushups and yard work today.    Went nuts yesterday and ripped into a kettle cooked potato chips bag.  Boy can you spell Day After Throat Pain?  But i tell you-oh they tasted wonderful...thank God for Acetamynophen!          ... View more

Hey BugBugzapper...    Yah I'm doing the Chemo once a week.  I've got two more weeks to go come Monday.    Uh, the only thing that eased back after i started taking acetaminophen was the swelling of the throat at the soreness in the mouth.    Their Px for Oxycontin didn't help at all with the pain.    Now ending week 6 i can tell you i can already eat solids...just my soddy appettite won't cooperate so I'm still struggling to eat around 1600 to 1800 calories a day.    What i am finding is that i am basically living on the couch.  Hard to explain...it's like that's all i want to do...read and sleep, eat a bite, hit the Loo and back to the couch.     ... View more

Just curious..    Dave I am familiar with depression from my younger years but never had much to do with anxiety.    I was actually manic depressive, found that the manic states were a lot more conducive to exploiting my inner creativity.  Eventually i learned to really dwell on successes (however small) to ignore setbacks...which really helped allay depression.    Your returning to help makes me suspect you have come seeking small victories that will inevitably give you a more positive outlook.   Welcome back.       ... View more

Hey Bugzapper,    Week five caught me with a nasty case of nausea in public.     They (my esteemed Quacks aka Drs.) had prescribed ondansetron for nausea but I hate medications from the establishment and tried chewable Ginger tabs.    They work great and only had to use them twice or thrice to allay nausea.    P.s. i know that dairy products are supposed to be anathema for us Mucosa guys...but 6oz of milk and 3 scoops of ice cream pack about 350 calories that slide past a sore mouth and throat... ... View more

David...i respect your decision but let me share this.    Alongside the throat cancer i am also diagnose with stage three kidney disease.  Next stop is plugging into a dialysis machine...which I WILL NOT do.    But if the treatment allows a few more days before the inevitable where something more can be accomplished, i believe its worth the Hell Trip.    You sure that what you have is terminal? ... View more

You can do it! I'm now at the 6th week with Radio and chemo and the throat pain is manageable now.  I tore up into a Rotisserie chicken this week and i can tell you it felt like heaven!     The mouth ulcerations and pain is pretty much behind, but appettite is a big issue-non existent.  The problem after that 4th week for me was just forcing myself to eat. Better now but changes daily.    I found during those painful swallow days that precooked  shrimp microwaved in lime juice then smothered in a garlic butter sauce really went in and down easy with minimal pain or discomfort.  ... View more