Anyone With Radiation On Only One Side Of Neck?

My husband has to undergo 7 weeks of radiation on the right side of his face/neck. He has the option for the feeding tube and isnt sure if he wants it. Any advice would be great.

Also, I've read many of the posts on this site, which have been very helpful. I am wondering if anyone has had radiation on only one side as opposed to both sides? If so, were the side effects and difficult as the patients with both sides? I am helping my husband (and myself) prepare for what we have in store for us.

Thank you!

Violet

I had the radiation treatment in 1995. The last couple of weeks was on liquid diet. I found that rubbing vitamin E (aloe vera) on the area of my neck and ears helped my skin alot. I also discovered that drinking pure aloe juice helps me swallow. The isde effects after the treatment is dry mouth, I find eating breads and anything dry is hard to swallow. The aloe helps this alot. I lost about 70 pounds and it took about a year to heal, all though I did not miss any work. It did effect my balance and I could not ride my bike for about 1 year. You should visit www.onlynaturesfinest.com there are lots of videos and articles on the site dealing with cancer and some natural products that help with after effects. besure to read what Dr Sanchez has to say.  Good luck

Greetings,

 

Male patient 49 two weeks past radiation therapy for SCC of the tongue and neck (lymph node removal surgery). The radiation was for my tongue on the right side as well as my right side of neck. Underwent 6 weeks of radiation and an additional 2 weeks of booster/lower level/smaller field radiation.  The radiation was done on BOTH sides of my neck although the actual tumors were on my right side. It was explained to me that this was done to 'balance' the radiation therapy. Additionally, I was told that the radiation has 'exit' points that sometimes manifest themselves as blisters or reddened areas.

Please note that every cancer patient has a different reaction to diagnosis, treatment and survivorship based on their individual physiology. Even cancer patients with the same type of cancer have different reactions to treatment. Conversely, we all need understanding, support, good nutrition and strength to make it through to the other side safe and healthy.

In my case, I got a PEG tube the first week after diagnosis. It saved my life during treatment which involved surgery, chemotherapy and the aforementioned radiation. I was glad the PEG tube was there as on many occasions I couldn't get enough nutrition by mouth. I highly recommend getting the PEG tube.

All the best with your husband's battle with cancer and your loving support. This forum is indeed amazing! There are many knowledgeable folks who contribute here. I am awed by their dedication and caring.
I wish your husband health, strength, love and a speedy recovery!

 

One Love 

 

my husband starts his treatments on Monday. He's 45 with scc of the tonsil and lymph nodes, also on the right side. The feeding tube as already kept him from losing a lot of weight, with his tonsilectomy. Apparently, a tonsilectomy as an adult is VERY painful. He used the feeding tube several times a day the first week after surgery, and it has done great. I know that making the decision on how to get rid of this cancer is a tough one, and will be praying for you and your husband.

hi, 47 yr old male right tonsil cancer and only one node.

I had 8 wks of radiation and 3 sessions of chemo cysplatin over the 8 wks every three weeks.

It is a very hard treatment and I had both sides done because that is what I was told I needed and really trusted my Dr at Winthrop hospital here in Garden city NY Dr Jonathan Haas>

I had a feeding tube put in the week I started my treatments actually I had tube monday, Mask, Tuesday, Chemo,Wendesday,1st radiation on thursday and off to the races> I would have gotten the tube a little earlier if I planned it better!!!!!

the tube was a life saver for nutrition and hydration!!!!!!!!!

I used Jevity 1.2 for nutrition it is soy based and has very little sugar, I really feel that my staying away from Milk products allowed me to miss the Mucosis which sounds like a Nasty thing I have had very very little even If I had to say I had Any! 

Also You want to get rid of the chemo from your body as fast as you can after you get it and the only way is to Hydrate I used the tude all the time because even thought I could drink you do not really want to.

I peeed every 2 hours at night and then put 1 or 2 cups in the tube and went dack to sleep for 2=3 hours till needed to pee again!! 

I have been done with treatment for 3 weeks and doing well physically (mentally will need different post) and will be getting my tube out this Wednesday one month after treatment !

and i know it is because I have had no nutrition or hydration problems during or after treatment.

I got the tube : to Be Safe Not Sorry, the treat ments are hard enough with out a surgery in the middle?

john 

Thank you so much for your post. Any and all information/feedback is helpful!

 

On 6/7/2008 Violet526 wrote:

My husband has to undergo 7 weeks of radiation on the right side of his face/neck. He has the option for the feeding tube and isnt sure if he wants it. Any advice would be great.

Also, I've read many of the posts on this site, which have been very helpful. I am wondering if anyone has had radiation on only one side as opposed to both sides? If so, were the side effects and difficult as the patients with both sides? I am helping my husband (and myself) prepare for what we have in store for us.

Thank you!

Violet

We can "ditto" the responses you have received concerning the feeding tube. My husband has right tonsil squamous cell cancer with two lymph nodes involved. He is receiving radiation twice a day and Cisplatin weekly for 6 weeks. Presently he is in the 5th week--it's rough!!! His radiation is aimed at the right side tonsil but comes from both sides of his neck inorder to cover all surfaces of the cancer. So far, his face and neck exterior burns are like a sunburn--he uses Aquaphor ointment. 

In the second week of treatment Larry lost nine pounds in one week and we knew it was time to get the feeding tube. The gastric tube serves well for nutrition. Because he constantly feels full and an adversion to nutrional drinks, the tube has been a life saver.But I still have to push him to allow me to feed him through the tube. He still has not been able to tolerate the goal of 6 cans a day of Ensure Plus, but it is better than nothing. My husband continues to require daily IV fluid infusions of 2 liters. The chemo nurses say this is common due to the internal burns causing fluid loss.   I guess what I am saying is that it is not the answer to it all, but because their nutritional and fluid requirements are so high, we have no regrets getting the tube!!!

DeniseB

Thank you Denise!

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband.

i made it thru this without the peg, it was very hard, i did not have much cemo but the head and neck rad treatments swelled my neck and throat i had tounge sores and a bad infection, could not eat, so they had feed me by veins. finding veins after a while was a problem, but i was then too sick to get it. i feel that it could have gone better maybe if i would have had the peg. nutrition is key and so important for keeping up strength to get thru the journey. i also made it thru without a port, so you can guess what my veins were like no fluid the veins were flat and hard to find.they are back now and i am cancer free so it was all worth it. thank you all out there.

My husband is 10 weeks out of radiation for tonsil cancer on the right side.  Had surgery prior to the radiation for a few lymph nodes, etc.

He opted not to have a tube put in and regretted that decision.As predicted by the nurses, from day 20 forward it was quite a battle.  I've posted many of the grueling details already, but he lost 37 pounds, and is struggling to gain it back.  BIGGEST after effect:  his tongue is not healing as quickly as the doctors thought it might.  His surgeon said he had side effects worst than anyone else he'd seen & he just has to get through it.  Toward the last week of radiation, he started protecting his tongue with cotton & we really feel that he should have started protecting it much sooner.  That is the one area no one warned him about.  But his radiation was so targeted that we feel he's going to come through this cancer free.   He did not lose his taste or much in the way of saliva or hearing.  He's 61.  He is kind of miserable most days because he forces himself to eat like everyone else and says it's like he has a constant bee sting in his mouth, as it's the entire side of his tongue - like one big blister.  It will heal, and he drinks lots of smoothies & Boost Plus.  We tried stuffing him with cheese cake & high caloric foods, but he has switched to focusing on proteins because he is very concerned about consuming all the fat.  Can't seem to get past 139 lbs, he's 5'9" and started in the high 160's.   He lives on that orange 'swish & spit' and baking soda in salt water.  he says even drinking a glass of water is a 3-step process.  But when he reads about everyone else, he says he is just being wimpy.  He is just so plain tired , but knows it won't last forever.  Just some days are harder.  He can't get back to work, because he has a hard time sustaining a conversation - the tongue really hurts & he gets dry - he's in sales.  So he is puttering around the house doing his best to feel useful.

Any suggestions from anyone else on how they might have handled this tongue thing if they had it?