My Throat

Go find a good otolaryngologist ( ear, nose and throat) doctor. My GP didnt know what I had either ( I had tonsillar cancer) but he did refer me to a top notch ENT guy who knew exactly what I had.

Best wishes,

Mike

Hi

 

I've heard too many people had a doctor say "Let's wait a few more month."

 

Go to an ENT immediately.

 

I had tonsil cancer, saw an ENT after my internists saw it a bump in my neck didn't get smaller. It was a lymph node, they took it out and was cancerous. It had jumped from my tonsil, which was cancer. DEcember 07 had tonsils out then radiation and chemo. It was tough, but not as tough as those who's doctors said "Let see you back in 6 months"

 

Wish you well

 

David 

Good Morning,

 

My husband is going for surgery tomorrow, Friday. He also was referred to a ENT doc. He was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the left tonsil (possibly right also, we will not know for sure until the doc does the freeze biopsy during surgery), and the lymph glands on the right & left side of his neck, stage 3-4. After surgery, radiation & possibly chemo, depending on his oncologist.  He also had a lump come up on the left side of his neck within two weeks, and he has been having ear problems as far back as September 07.   The Dr. said that he has probably had this condition for "sometime".

He has never been sick a day in his life (59), except for both knee replacements. On the other hand, I have been including triple bypass and stents of the right leg, and a hysterectomy, not to mention two children. My point, he has always taken care of me, and now I will be taking care of him.  I am concerned about his nutrition also. I have searched the web for smoothie recipes and read a lot. The Dr. mentioned a feeding tube.  The good news is that the PET scan revealed that the cancer has not spread throughout his body: larynx, thyroid, lungs, ect.

He is a very positive person, but I still do not think he realizes what he is about to go through; he is 6 ft. 4 in tall and about 300 pounds.   He is a sales rep for a paper distributor and calls on customers, and he thinks he will be back out to work in about two weeks after surgery. He is to began radiation after he heals, which the Dr. said in about three to four weeks. Is this really a possibility?  I am nervous. We have a large support group including: family, chruch, and friends, but when you face the unknown, as we are about to, someone that has actually been here understands what we are facing, so your input would be much appreciated. Any advice you have would be good.

Thank you in advance and Blessings to you and your family. I hope to here from you.

 

Linda 

 

 

Hi Linda,

 everyone is different...my s.o. has not worked through out this.  he has had 9 weeks of chemo and is 1/2 way through 35 rad treatments with weekly chemo.  the first two weeks of radiation aren't bad and i know many people who try to work as long as they can.

he has a PEG tube and has been using it for all his nutrition for just over a week now.  he continues to drink water all day...it is important to keep swallowing.  he has also seen a speech therapist for swallowing and neck exercises so as to not lose any function.

it is a tough treatment to go through but the good news is it is curable!

best wishes to you, your husband and family

~meesh

Hi Linda:

I had similar problems 13 months ago.  I had tongue cancer which required the insertion of radioactive seeds (bracheotherapy) and a neck operation resulting in the removal of 30 lymph nodes.  I was stage four as the cancer had not been discovered earlier and was about three tears old. When I left the hospital (the next day) I felt fine and other then the pain was in good shape although I did not drive because of the pain drugs.

About a month after the op I began beam radiation and that's when my problems began.  The combination of the seeds and the beam radiation quickly resulted in the closing of my esophagus leading to the insertion of a feeding tube about two weeks into the process.  I had the tube in for nine months. As the radiation progressed I became weaker and more tired requiring a lot of rest. I suggest you begin to line up friends for transportation assitance you can't do it alone. I had only one chemo so for me this was a non event.

The month after the op I felt fine and was able to do most things without a problem so your husbands early return to work is possible but once radiation begins I am not so sure he can continue it.  Also, if he gets a feeding tube its usage is very restrictive. That is, I had to feed four times a day and used two cans of liquid at a time.  As such the ability to travel and to carry (weight) and use (location) the feed is a big problem.  You can also expect him to lose a lot of weight, I went from 162 to 145.

I am now reported fully recovered with no sign of the cancer.  My feeding tube is out and I am eating regularly although not easily.  I am now down to 141 pounds but holding steady and have no restrictions.  You will find that no two cases are the same and this site is great for ifo so use it.

I hope my response helps if I can answer more come on back.

Good luck to you both and God bless.  Ed

 

My hubbie didn't work at all during treatments - he went into this so healthy that his docs put of dx for four months (gen phy, ent doc) saying there was no way he could have cancer. Quickly - tonsil removal, wisdom teeth, peg tube, chemo - leveled him. Then the RAD began. My hubbie was also self employeed.

 I imagine everyone is different - I didn't want him out in the world exposed to germs, etc. We have a child, and I pulled her from school and put her with a single caregiver to minimize exposure. He was getting treatment from dec - march - height of flu season, etc., so I was super cautious.

In retrospect, if he'd been doing something other than cancer, when he was able, his treatment and transition after treatment might have been eaiser.

 

Hey Linda,

My prayers are with you and your husband.  My husband like yours also had cancer on his left tonsil.  He found a nodule which turned out to be a swollen lymph node, went to our family physician who sent him for a biobsy.  It was cancer, squamous cell carcinoma.  Stage 4.  He was referred to an ent, maxofacial surgeon.  Pet scan was done and then immediately he had modified radical neck dissection on the right side (removing all lymph nodes on the right side where he found the nodule, removing the  muscle and his jugular vein, 2 inches out of the back of his throat and the left tonsil was removed, also they removed a tooth and scraped the gumline).  He did well throughout the surgery which lasted 7 hrs and 40 min.  He was put on a ventilator for 1 day.  After surgery and before radiation began he had all of his teeth removed due to being a diabetic to prevent further complications.  He went through chemo and  35 radiation treatments.  Had a feeding tube PEG for about 3 months. He is retired so his work was not an issue.  The doctor said the cancer had probably been there 10-12 years.  He was a smoker for about 30 years, he quit on the day of his surgery.  This type of cancer is treatable.  So don't give up. It is a long, hard road. Don't forget God is good and he will not give you more than you can handle.  Our whole outlook on life has changed. What used to be important is not anymore.  Every day is precious.  My husband gradually gradually got his strenghth back and by the way, he weighed 142 when he was diagnosed and got down to 117 lbs.  He now weighs more than he has in his whole life a whole 145 lbs. 

 He was cancer free until this past Dec when he noticed another swollen gland on the other side of his throat. He just finished another round of chemo and will have modified radical neck dissection on the left side of his neck next Friday, April 11th.  The chemo has shrunk it greatly and we are hoping for the best.  We are leaving it all up to the Lord.  We know he knows our future and holds it in his hands. 

Keep us informed as to how your husband does. 

It helps so much to talk to others who are going through what you are.

Remember to stay healthy yourself . It is so hard on the spouse.

Remembering you and your hubby in my prayers.

Love through Christ,

Vickie 

 

 

 

 

Linda, you will find that so many of us have been right where you and your husband are and I cannot stress enough how much help, support and information you will find right here on these message boards. My husband, too, is in sales and basically self employed. He planned to 'tough it out' and work throughout treatment. He did for the first couple of weeks. He had a severe reaction to his loading dose of cetuximab, which he received in place of traditional chemo. He also reacted heavily to the radiation and contracted thrush and skin infections. Short story is that while he's been in and out of the hospital, and the radiation treatment every day 5 days a week for 6 weeks is dreadful, he has only five days left and then he will begin recovery!  Had an MRI when they were trying to diagnose his hi fevers and a positive side effect of that was that they saw that the tumor had shrunk down to almost nothing. No one thinks they'll get through it around day 20 of radiation. But just keep remembering that everyone feels that way and we all get through it. My husband refused a feeding tube, went on megadoses of painkillers - fentynol patch and hydromorphone, - weird dreams and animal hallucinations (loved the first one was a friendly little monkey in the bathroom - a chimpanzee, I am told) but he has only lost 10-12 lbs. He kept eating and drinking throughout and was able to do some work on the phone and one in person visit until the third week or so. His voice is pretty much shot, but it should come back eventually.  It is so frightening for everyone involved.  Just be proactive.  I learned to ask his radiation nurse to give him intravenous hydration, because my husband did keep getting dehydrated, even though he thought he was drinking enough. and it was amazing how that affected his behavior and comfort level - and it cut way down on the mucous and coughing. And he wasn't getting enough oxygen, so we have oxygen at home. When he is hydrated & oxygenated ;) he feels much more positive and upbeat. We are all here for you. It's exhausting, but you will get to the light at the end of the tunnel.  Julie is a great role model.  Gwen

My tonsil cancer went undiagnosed for two years, until it was discovered during a tonsillectomy. It was stage 2 by then and I guess I am lucky it did not progress further than that.