Tonsil cancer - hpv.

My wife is now 6 months post radiation (35) and chemo (3). We go for MRI and CT scan later this week. In the last 3 weeks she has had trouble talking. Went to speech therapist who suggested the soft pallet at the back of throat has been impacted by rads ad does not operate properly. Has anyone else had this problem ? She is also still choking alot when eating and still not back on regular menu.

Congratulations to you and your wife for making it through the toughest parts of this jouney.

I don't know about the palet, however most of us went through the choking and relearning to swallow. If she is violently choking I would let the doctor know. You don't want food going down the wind pipe. 

I did the relearn to swallow thing and was able to swallow pretty well but just never was able to put weight on due to eating slow and giving up. After 2 yrs, I did the barium swallow test and found my esophagus was the size of a straw. I had it stretched and now I am thinking of cutting back on the amount of food I'm eating.

Good Luck! I'm 47 yrs old and 3 yrs out of tonsil cancer treatments.

iam 3 months post radiation 35 chemo 8 i still have trouble eating and talking.i choked so much all i will eat is ensure and ice cream most days i don't even try and talk because nothing comes out.i have cancer of the epoglittis and base of the tongue.i have my pet scan july 2 and i am very scared               Teresa

NUGENT and Danny,

I am 16 months post treatment.  The quality of my voice has changed a fair amount, although I've always been able to talk.  I had never been accused of being quiet before, but now I have to repeat myself, and it's not just my husband's selective hearing.  I also cannot sing most of the time. 

Has she told her ENT about this?  I wonder whether s/he might be of some help.  Did the speech therapist offer any exercises?

She also may want to see someone (ENT or GI?) about the choking and eating problems.  I ended up with my throat being closed and was completely dependent on my feeding tube for 10 months after radiation ended.  Since October I've had 8 throat dilations, the last one today, and my throat is now open enough that I can eat most foods (but no bread and little meat) and even swallow my meds;  I was able to finally pull out the feeding tube a few weeks ago.

Best of luck to you and to her.

Susan

 Teresa, I dont remember how long I could not speak, I think a couple months, it was weak for 6 months or so and I couldn't sing for at least a year or two. Making myself try new things was a challenge, but I think doing that will help you to regain normal eating soonest. 

I also understand being scared. Unfortionately, every time I go for a check up or have something unusual going on with my body I worry about the cancer again. Focus on the good stuff. I have 2 young boys, and I appreciate every day that I have gotten to be  with them. I almost feel like I am living on bonus time! 

I will pray for you and Nugents wife. 

DannyK

Susan,

I am glad to hear you are making progress. That is great news! I know how excited you must be to get that tube out and eat food again. Hopefully, it will not be long until you will feel like you can eat with people and socialize like normal. I am still a little slow eating, but if you didn't know what I had been though, you would just think I am enjoying my food.

I will pray for you to have continued progress.

Dannyk

Lates MRI showed ulcer in the nasophanyx which is behind the nose at the top of the throat. Saw surgeon yesterday. They will do a biopsy in a few weeks as need to put my wife out. Doc thinks that cancer recurrence from HPV tonsil cancer is unlikely but can't rule it out. He thinks the recent speech and eating issues may be the result of scar tissue. Any ideas ?

I use to get ulcers frequently in mouth and nose. The ones in the nose would drive me crazy. It does not sound like she can reach it, however, it helps me to put neosporin on the ones in my nose.

Good luck with it.

Dannyk

Thanks dannyk for replying to my message