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How long before my taste buds recover after H&N treatments?
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: 3 days ago | Replies (73)Comment receiving replies
My husband had tonsil cancer and he still struggles to eat dry or harder things. He still hasn’t gained much weight and it’s been three months since last treatment. The dr just said it takes lots of time to put weight back on. He isn’t even feeling 100% yet, June will be four months done with treatments. Is this what it’s likes for others too? He’s nervous about his first pet scan coming up.
Replies to "My husband had tonsil cancer and he still struggles to eat dry or harder things. He..."
I had tonsil cancer back in 2008 and in looking at my notes, it took me about 13-14 months to get all my weight back. I was 222lbs when I started and went as low as 205 my last week of radiation treatment but I was pretty lasered focused as I didn't want a feeding tube.
You will get better.
I agree with Stephen and others here, it takes months to literally a couple of years before normalcy returns. And even at that, there may be issues which last for many years such as nerve pain or muscle cramps. It took me thirteen years to stop tearing up from the pain of a sneeze, the last of my painful issues to subside.
Radiation to me seems similar in recovery to a severe burn rather than a broken bone or recovery from a difficult illness. Radiation is just nasty what it does internally. In addition, in many cases radiation to the neck can injure the thyroid, which in turn can make the patient feel like crap. Have his TSH value checked at next doctor visit to be sure, an easy blood test.
The worry about an upcoming PET scan? Just something else to get used to. Not sure the worry ever goes away. My experience with others about repeating treatment? It's very unlikely. Courage.
Radiation damage is difficult. After 18 months, I still have trouble with dry foods (such as bread). But it is getting better. Over time he will learn ways to compensate for dryness.
I ate a lot of soups the first year. I soak banana bread in milk. I don’t eat many chips. But I experimented with breakfasts, and a banana with a large bowl of Life cereal has the right combo of texture and moisture to make a good breakfast.
I cooked a lot before diagnosis. It’s one of the struggles now. But a year ago I would try some food and be unable to eat it, and then be discouraged and disappointed. Now when that happens I use the info to adjust my cooking and eating.
Eating will improve, and he will adjust and learn what works for him
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@vickie1320 I don't think "scanxiety" ever goes away. The earlier in the recovery, the scarier it is. I still worry each time even though it's been 3 1/2 years. The brutality of the treatment is really fresh on your mind in those early days, plus the obvious risk of the cancer having returned, or I guess never had gone away.
The saying "don't worry about something you can't control" is absolutely accurate and logical, but it is impossible to be logical when you are dealing with cancer. Tell your husband I am hoping for the best for him.
If he ever needs someone to talk to, I can talk. Talking to someone who has experienced what he has, who he doesn't have to worry about what is said, is very useful. I know when I was post-treatment, I did not want to tell my wife my darker thoughts, because I knew that this was traumatic for her also.