CancerCompass message board discussion started by Pool Rat on 7/23/2007 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,14631,0.htm Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ Help!! Anyone with info on an injection of Ethyol amifostine that can save the salivary glands and taste buds. My brother has stage 4 tonsil cancer. They may try the shot but he has been told that it can make him sick. He does not want to take a chance of getting ill and not being able to continue with his radiation treatments and having to start the process over again. Any info would be great. DuckieDebbie@Comcast.net Pool Rat Mon, 23 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT I had daily Ethyol shots over 6-1/2 weeks of IMRT for tonsil cancer (with two lymph nodes).  I was given anit-nausea medication, settling on Zofran wiich worked very well for me (the first one, phinergan or something like that, did not work so well).Everyone reacts differently, and my RO was adament that if the Ethyol gave me any problems which would impact my radiation treatment, I would have to stop using it.  But I made it through.I am 9 months out and have very good saliva (not great).I am not aware of any specific benefit of Ethyol to the taste buds, but I have virtually fully recovered taste (I am 9 months out of treatment).  During treatment, I lost almost all sense of taste - and eating was very difficult for that reason and others.Best wishes,Chris Chrismd Sat, 28 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT  On 7/28/2007 Chrismd wrote:I had daily Ethyol shots over 6-1/2 weeks of IMRT for tonsil cancer (with two lymph nodes).  I was given anit-nausea medication, settling on Zofran wiich worked very well for me (the first one, phinergan or something like that, did not work so well).Everyone reacts differently, and my RO was adament that if the Ethyol gave me any problems which would impact my radiation treatment, I would have to stop using it.  But I made it through.I am 9 months out and have very good saliva (not great).I am not aware of any specific benefit of Ethyol to the taste buds, but I have virtually fully recovered taste (I am 9 months out of treatment).  During treatment, I lost almost all sense of taste - and eating was very difficult for that reason and others.Best wishes,ChrisI couldn't take the shot. It broke me out every where they tried to put it. I had tongue cancer. I have a little  saliva and bad dry mouth. Dry mouth is horrible. I still have a feeding tube after 19 months. My tongue want move to push the food back. The people I know that took the shot help them have saliva. Blessings  gatorgirl Tue, 30 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT