Hi Tony

I will admit total ignorance of the after effects of rt, so I can't answer that question.

Food, however, is, was and ever shall be a favorite topic. I agree with Cookey--gravy and mash are tasty and gentle. Macaroni and cheese is also good. I replaced regular milk with soy milk whenever possible. My favorite breakfast was CoCo Wheats (chocolate porridge) made with equal parts water and soy milk; since it was kind of thick, I usually ended up adding enough soy milk to make it cool and drinkable. It was quite soothing and yummy.

Go ahead and moan!

Julia

Hi there!

I am sure your voice will return, but don't know how long it takes - suspect that depends on precise field.

Chaz got into cheesy scrambled eggs a few weeks past treatment and I think he began to taste them within about a month - but he only had treatment to one side.

Well done you.

Cath

Hi Anthony
I'm sorry I can't even drag up one of Trevor's favorites to help you at this point because he couldn't eat anything for 21/2 months post r/t. When he did start eating though he absolutely loved porridge.
All the best~ and moan away you have the certificate of entitlement!
Love
Deborah

Tony, I'm in your boat, man, and it's a bad boat. First off, YES, your voice will come back. Maybe it has already since you posted your question. I lost mine about 3/4 of the way through RT and it wasn't until nearly 2 weeks after the end of treatments that it began to creep up from a whisper.

Now I'm finishing my third week post, and I can finally speak full voice without much pain. Can't offer you any advice on what to eat... I'm still strictly on liquids and even the thought of something solid and savory turns my stomach (and mind you, I'm also still nauseated all the time, which of course is great fun). Yes, plain old water tastes awful. But I slug it down... though I must admit that since ending RT I've gone into the treatment center on two occasions for IV fluids. The dehydration is no fun.

So stiff upper, old bean! (isn't that what you say in the UK....?) We're both more or less at the same stage I think and we can have a race from here to see who feels better first.

David

Hi everyone just reporting in - still little in the way of a voice. Still on the shakes though I am now forcing down the odd bite or two of soft food - taste coming back slightly. I am drinking lucozade now which is good - and other drinks, I can highly recommend Dandelion and Burdock as a great start after radiotherapy - once you can drink of course. I found I could actually taste it and it went down easier than water or milk - let the bubbles settle first though.
Throat still very sore - and though I have cut right back on the oromorph I am still having the odd swig at nightime. Night is a bad time I find - I tend to cough a lot and wake up choking.
Skin is improving well - still some sore areas but it is getting there nicely - but I am getting a lot of pain in the shoulder area - I wonder if this is connected to the nerve endings in the neck?

Well that is my report in. Less of a moan than usual as I am now living in hope that the rt has killed off the cancer - we will see! Won't know that for a while yet!

All the very best to everyone and I hope I am in more pain than you are!

Tony

Hey Tony

fruit is a hard one as the acid content is the worst thing for a burnt mouth.All i can suggest is you avoid citrus and blend any fruit with either ice cream or custard somthing to take the edge off the acidity.You are no wuss honey,rads get everybody differently.Rob was in trouble after a few days as well and we put that down to him having fair skin and red hair,and the fact that he was being zapped on both side and the floor of his mouth.Its a rough ride and i hope with the help and advice you will get here,you will manage ok.

love liz

Hello - I'm still here - still improving. Had my first hospital visit since the treatment ended yesterday and they were amazed at how well I am doing. I'm not but they were so that's a good thing. Still in pain and struggling to eat but I'm greedy and forcing it down. Even if it hurts. Now that is greed!

I was a bit dismayed to be told they won't know if it has actually worked for about 6 months - unless of course it has obvioulsy returned in the meantime. But being positive - it will have and that will be me cured for a third time - and hopefully third time lucky!

Thanks for everyone's comments and I will stop moaning and sulking for now at least and let this particular line end. I will be back with news when I get it - possibly in September which is when I go again - I should go before then but I am going away on hols and they were pretty certain not much is going to happen between now and then. HOPEFULLY.

So it will be back to work in September - I'm a teacher so I better have the voice fully operational by then and the skin fully recovered - grow my hair over the new bald patch that sort of thing.

Hope I am in more pain than you are

Tony

Great news, Tony. Have a great holiday and I look forward to hearing your next installment.
Onwards and upwards
Deborah

Tony,

It sounds as if you are doing really well. I hope you have a lovely holiday.

Best,

Cathy

Hi Tony

Good to hear that you are doing well. Hope the eating gets less painful, but good on you for sticking with it - I don't call it greed, I call it perseverance!

Have a great holiday and keep us informed.

Best wishes

Gwyn

Thanks Deborah, Cathy and Gwyn
In my usual sulky mode today as since my last - this is the last of my moaning post - I sem to have relapsed a bit and the pain has got worse. Not sure why this is happening probably me rushing things and refusing to be a patient patient. Even had to go back to the opromorph a couple of times as the pain has been severe. Considered going back to the hospital but can't see that they will tell me anything other than keep taking the painkillers - and I can tell myself that. Stamina improving and skin doing well - feels prickly a lot of the time but I guess this is normal. Actually baby soft skin since no hairs will grow anymore, and makes me look years younger. Some benefits then! But throat been really sore and had a lot of earache. Ulcers on tongue - just on huge ulcer actually - is hell and seems worse than before - possibly down to my eating things I shouldn't. But hey ho - life goes on and I promise to try and be positive. I am at the stage now where it is just aall a nuisance and I want to get back to being me and doing what I want - and I can't. Determined to have a go at singing today - I've got a song called 'Radiotherapy Fun' to write!!!
JOy and best wishes to everyone and all have a wonderful holiday where ever you are going. I am going to Wales. Don't laugh! Hope I am in more pain than you are

Tony

Hi Tony

Whereabouts in Wales are you going to? I'm off to Carmarthen on Saturday.

Lets hope the weather's good and we both have a great time.

Gwyn

Radiotherapy of the oral cavities, neck and the neck dissection itself caused all sorts of strange sensations for me! Much pain and discomfort too.
I got an ill health retirement from teaching.Why don't you go for it Tony?
4 and a half years from my last treatment and having a fairly normal life is now mine(I think!) but it saddens me to read about those who don't achieve it. To think - a kick in the teeth may be just around the corner. I won't sleep easy tonight.

Good luck cheers Tony - look after yourself.

tony k

Hi Tony

Just read your posting about the "giant" tongue ulcer, I know how you feel had the same and they hurt like hell my heart goes out to you.

I used a product called Adcortyl it like a paste you coat the ulcer with it, it then form a protective coating a bit like a skin over the ulcer it does give some relief.

Only down side is it comes off easy with a warm drink, my ulcer that was on the side of the tongue which rubbed against my teeth drove me mad.

Adcortyl is available from most chemist as an over the counter product, I would try a little at first to make sure you are happy with it.

Take care


Tony

Okay here's where I am - pain worse - as bad as during the treatment or the two weeks after! Don't know what is going on but I can't swallow - and the pain shoots into my ear and aches for hours - and down mny shoulder. I had a radical dissection 5 years ago so the nerve endings are all over the place. Oromorph doesn't seem to be working and stings like hell when I take it.

I have a feeling this is something to do with my eating too much "proper" norraml food - probably too soon - but who knows? Maybe I have an infection?

I have made an appointment for the hospital tomorrow but if anyone has any advice/ ideas or has experienced this let me know. I was getting better - it's weeks since radiotherapy ended. Trying not to get too down but hard to be positive when in agony. Fed up and monaning again - I get on my own nerves I really do!

Hoping I am in more pain than you are - or God help you and that's a fact

Tony