hellol dr joshi
i am enduring really bad neck and collerbone pain 3 months post neck dissection is this normal i have been prescribed oramorph and amitriptyline could it be the nerve endings as no amount of painkillers improve it i see my consultant this week
bev

Good Morning Bev,
Long time no cyber speak!
I think it is true to say that after neck resection most people experience neck/shoulder pain to some degree.
I was given an exercise program which took a total of several hours per day and I followed the instructions with an almost religious insistance. After a few weeks the pain was getting worse and at it's height for about one hour after the exercises.
I discussed this at the max fax clinic and was told to stop the exercises and I was given a four week course of anti inflammatory pills.
This did the trick but even now three and a half years down line I still have a little pain from time to time,not the sort of thing to get too excited about.
I'm sure I don't have to mention that you should only change treatment with the approval of the experts.
Be warned that anti inflammatory drugs increase stomach acidity. I take 20mg Omeprazole (Losec) each day as a nomal thing but I had to increase the dose to 40 mg for about eight weeks.
Discuss the problem on your next visit to the clinic.
Keep us posted.
Keep Smiling
John

hi john
thanks for reply i am on my way to clinic as we speak i will let you know how i got on
bev x

hi john
my consultant was very pleased with my progress everything seems to be healing well as for the pain he said it would be worse before it gets better it is nerve pain as i thought the nerves are starting to heal so i will continue with the anti imflamotrys and amitriptyline at night it is a long slow process but i will get there. how are you 3 years down the line how often do you have check ups i have monthly checks at the moment i will never forget you telling me about the operation and that it would be a nightmare but i would recover looking back it was just that a very nasty dream !!

Good afternoon Bev,I am pleased to hear about your good progress let's hope it continues like that.
I too have just returned from the oncology clinic with an A1 for the next 56 days.
In general my health and quality of life are pretty good, I can eat most things and I have little difficulty with speaking,it took a while to remaster these fundamentals which other folks take for granted (you and I did until recently)but with determination it can be done.
I have a vascular problem which limits my mobility to about 100yards before the pain starts so I have decided not to enter the Olympic games in 2012.But so what? I can live round this problem, when I settle down at 8pm each evening for a little red wine and a wedge of pork pie I don't notice any pain at all, the kitchen is only ten yards away and that is well within the "pain perimeter"
I hope things continue to go well for you Bev.
Keep Smiling
John

hi john
i am sat here at this late hour worried sick you have been so supportive in the past regarding surgery ect well the last couple of days i have developed an ulcer in exactlyly the same spot as the last tumour i do not have an appt for another three weeks and ias i have had cancer twice do you think there could possibly be a third time i know that you have encountered this dreadful thing 3 times and the very thought of even having this ulcer investigated just scares me to death i dont know what to do
bev

There are no options Bev.Get it checked out like NOW!!!

Good Morning Bev,
I have had exactly the same problem so I know how you feel,in my case it was an ulcer I hope you have the same good news when you see the experts.But you know that you can't afford to wait so ring the clinic today (or wednesday morning at the latest) and ask for an earlier appointment.
If the receptionist is non too cooperative ring the McMillan nurse who was there when you were first diagnosed, these ladies are very good at pulling strings.
You ask if I think it could be another cancer, I think you know that the answer to that question is maybe, maybe not. Only the experts can judge when they have had a look so pick up the phone and start the process which has become all too familiar.
Today is the last day of what has been a bad year for you, when the clock stikes midnight let's hope you have left all that behind you and 2008 signals the start of a new and better phase in your life.
Bev, I will keep my fingers crossed for you please let us know how you get on.
Keep Smiling
John

Thinking of you Bev. Keep us posted.
Isn't that Mr Spencer inspirational!
Love from Down Under
Deborah

Hi Bev
I only had my op in October but I have already been back once in between appointments to maxfax when I found a suspicious lump on the roof of my mouth. I rang up and spoke to the nurse who told me to come in the next day because no-one could say what it was without seeing it. Fortunately they were able to put my mind at rest (and I really hope it will be the same for you). It is not worth sitting around worrying. Please get it checked out.
All the best
Gwyn

hi everyone
thank you for all your replies i will get this thing checked out by the dr at the hospice tomorow bev x

Hi Bev,

Was wondering how you'd got on.

Lorraine

hello loraine john deborah gwyn and cookey
thank so much for your concern
i saw dr in hospice today and she has nmanaged to get me an earlier appt with consultant i will let you all know how i get on the dr thinks it may just be imflamed scar tissue as it is so thin fingers crossed anyway
thanks
bevxx