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What is your quality of life after a partial maxillectomy?
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: May 25 4:48pm | Replies (41)Comment receiving replies
One other note. Stretching the jaw is imperative after surgery and especially after radiation as trismus will be lessened with jaw exercises. Therabite or a OraStretch device most likely would be covered by insurance. Tongue depressors are easy to come by possibly achieving the same results but I didn’t like them. Stretch stretch stretch those jaw muscles from the beginning of your treatment. I cannot stress enough how important this is in lessening trismus.
Replies to "One other note. Stretching the jaw is imperative after surgery and especially after radiation as trismus..."
@nnurse I am 2 years post surgery. I have the orastretch and use it not daily but very often. It really helps. I also do swallowing exercises and had therapy at Pardee Cancer center in Midland, Mi. for most of the time since surgery. Radiation has caused a lot of problems including excess saliva and pflegm'
I have definitive obturator and have more problems than I had with the previous two. But reading this I see I am not in the minority.
My life has changed totally in the last 2 years. I have trouble swallowing so my diet is not a healthy one and foods that slide down are usually not healthy. [ice cream etc] I have lost over 30 lbs and I was always on a diet. Now I hate to get on scale in case I have lost a pound. I have all the problems mentioned. I don't think I had a choice with radiation. I did not want it but my surgeon said it was necessary even though margins were clear. I still am monitored 3months but hope I will be on the move to 6 mo surveillance when I go May 27. I have to travel to Ann Arbor [U of M] which is over 2 hrs away. I have to pay a driver each time as my husband wont drive. It is a hard battle but am here to talk about it.
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Hi Ellen2007!
Thank you for your comments - so helpful! It sounds like you have adjusted to your new life with determination and gratefulness. What you said dovetails with the comment made by joylondon. So great to hear from people who have been through this!