Hi @mrsjhagen18, in reply to your response regarding mouth washes. I am very thorough regarding my mouthwashes and have been since my treatment started until now which I am seven mouths out since treatment. I clean my teeth four times a day and have a salt/baking soda mouth wash after every clean. I had ulcers in my mouth for over 16 weeks after treatment so my oncologist gave me medication to help the healing process of them. I am also very unusual as I had my spleen removed in 1980 due to ITP which now with no spleen my immune system is very low and when I got chemoradiation my immune system was even lower. I am now recovering we The last month I had another lot of ulcers which I went to my GP who prescribed pennicilan and also Amphotericin for the thrush in my mouth. The medication helped the ulcers and thrush but last week I had another lot of ulcers so rung my oncologist who said that I should not have been given the tablets for thrush instead I should have been given the liquid as the tablets actually dry my mouth out even more and create ulcers. I am always learning. My ulcers have now slowly started to heal again. I go to the ENT specialist in a week so will be asking him about these ulcers that I have been getting. I have also put myself on to Multi Vitamins and also a Probiotic to help me with my immune system so I do hope this helps. I would like to wish you all the best for your journey over the next few weeks and hope that all goes well for you.
Take care
Liz

Izzie, sorry to hear about all the complications you have to deal with. My husband was recently diagnosed with throat cancer, stage 2. He will start chemo and 7 weeks of radiation at the Proton Radiation treatment center in San Diego. Although we live near Stanford cancer treatment center in Northern California, we decided we would avoid the IMRT radiation (x-Ray version) and chose Proton and hope to spare the surrounding healthy tissues and minimize the long terms side effects. I am very concerned about the upcoming treatment though. I heard dry mouth, mouth sore, fatigue and not able to swallow are the big issues for patients with head and neck cancer. My husband is 56 and is in excellent health so I pray that he would get through treatment with a positive outcome. Stay strong and you are in our prayers.

Hi Lisa, I live in Invercargill New Zealand and I never had a choice of what treatment I was to get. I have not heard of Proton so if it is going to help spare the surrounding healthy tissues and minimize the side effects that is great. I am pretty good now just have the slight issue with no saliva glands and taste is no where like it use to but I am guessing this is because of the lack of saliva glands. but I have learnt to live with that. I would like to wish you and your husband all the best for this new journey and I am sure it will be a positive outcome for you both

Lzzie, thank you for the reply! This is very encouraging! I am hopeful as well. I will do what I can to help him through this difficult journey. In the meantime, stay strong and stay healthy! All the best to you, Lisa.