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Is anyone experiencing osteoradionecrosis (ORN)?

Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Sep 16 6:20am | Replies (37)

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I now have feeding tube. Ugh GJ I am unable to swallow anything. Very challenging. The worst part for me is the phlegm. I have a phlegm machine that helps suck it up. I have to feed 9 hours daily and am maintaining my weight of 69 pounds. I do my feeding mostly at night and try getting a few in during day but I’m a busy woman. I love to walk and cook for other people. Im hanging in there but like I said before it’s a challenge. I do get worried sometime about what’s going to happen next with this ORN. It is progressive but I understand slow. Thanks for sharing with me.

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Replies to "I now have feeding tube. Ugh GJ I am unable to swallow anything. Very challenging. The..."

Sad to hear things are not going well for you. If it’s not the cancer that ends us, it often is the side effects from the treatments that tears us down. As I understand it, the only way to stop osteoradionecrosis is to remove the affected area and have it replaced if possible. But in some cases that isn’t possible either.
I don’t like some of us having to suffer. I take comfort in the knowledge that we don’t have to suffer alone. Hugs out to you.

I had orn surgery a week ago today. I was in the icu until yesterday and am in a regular room now. It was 12 hour surgery and recovery is proving to be very difficult. I did have 6 posts inserted on the bottom in hopes of getting a permanent denture in 4 to 8 months.
I'm being told that the healing is going well. My face and neck are so swollen I look like a cartoon character!
They put the feeding tube in my nose and I have a trake.
Im hoping they will both be out by the weekend and that I can go home. I'm doing swallowing test and the trake is red capped.
This may sound good, however it's been a miserable painful experience.
I will keep you all updated.
God have mercy and bless us all!