Getting frustrated with throat pain post radiation

Posted by srm @srm, Nov 26, 2021

Now 5 months post radiation. 33 treatments of targeted radiation plus chemo therapy for my stage 3 Metastatic Squamish Cell Carcinoma back of tongue R/S. A few weeks ago my throat pain was subsiding enough whereas I finally started eating soft foods with some good success. This week the pain increased to where I have had to go back on liquids. The pain is either on the left side, right side or back of throat. Sometimes the entire throat hurts like strep. The pain is always present but is really bad when I swallow something. Seems to be 2 steps forward and a few back. My oncologist claims that the pain will eventually go away but cannot provide any kind of time frame. Has anyone with similar treatment experienced throat pain for an extended period post radiation? If so, how long did it last? I was getting really excited and optimistic for a couple of weeks while eating very saucy soft foods. I was finally making progress and then things just got worse again. Nobody said this was going to be easy but it gets discouraging when I appear to be making progress just to fall back again.

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thomason | @thomason | Nov 28, 2021

Dear @henrytimmins, I suffered from esophageal (Pyriform Sinus) cancer and proceeded with the 33 radiation treatments. Before going, I tried every type of health regimen I could find...to no avail. Please, do not wait much longer. Starving the cancer does not work, neither does the Baking Soda & Molasses (I still shiver remembering drinking that horrible regimen), or the animal de-wormer, Fenbendazole. While I played around with all these so-called "cures," the cancer was growing. If I can make it through, so can you! This is life or death. Yes, there are many complications from the radiation, but everyone is different. The bottom line is having life. I know without a doubt I would be long dead if I had not gone through with the radiation, as the pain was getting unbearable. The chances of Chemotherapy helping me would have been a 2% increase, with many side-effects. I chose to forgo the Chemotherapy, and God-willing, am cancer-free. It is going on two years now since the treatments. If you have any questions, please message this page. God will see you through.

henrytimmins | @henrytimmins | Nov 28, 2021

I have the same thing however I have to decide next week whether I proceed with these 33 radiation treatments and attending chemotherapy treatments. it doesn’t sound like it works I have done a fair amount of work already since the diagnosis of cancer in September I have been doing the best I can to starve the cancer. I have lost 33 pounds in two months In my attempt to starve the cancer by reading my diet completely of sugar. now I can eat and drink everything. And I wonder whether I should be following the protocols of the five or six oncologists that I spoke to. I would prefer to wait and see.
God bless you

Editor's Note:
When considering complementary or alternative treatments, be open-minded yet skeptical. Learn about the potential benefits and risks.

There are many articles on the internet and books proclaiming that sugar feeds cancer and that avoiding sugar will prevent the growth of cancer. To set things straight…sugar does not cause cancer on its own. Giving sugar to cancer cells does not make them grow faster and depriving (or starving) cancer cells of sugar does not make them grow more slowly. Read more from Mayo Clinic here:

– Sugar's Role in Cancer https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/cancer-education-center/newsfeed-post/sugars-role-in-cancer/

srm | @srm | Nov 27, 2021

@hrhwilliam
Thanks for the honest response. Two years is a long time but at least it puts some perspective into my situation. Hopefully I won’t need to endure for two years (or longer) but at least this may help with becoming less discouraged over believing it should be different. I can just learn to grin and bear it when things are tough. And learn to enjoy the days when my pain is more manageable. I do realize at some point in the future I will need to own “my new normal”.
Going through the big C definitely gives a person a different perspective on life.

William Olsen, Volunteer Mentor | @hrhwilliam | Nov 27, 2021

If I suggest to you my throat pain did not subside for almost two years, would that help you to understand the battle in which you are still engaged? And if I could add, especially this time of year, there is nothing written in stone which says you cannot have a cold, strep, or sore throat just because you have had cancer. The healing takes time, lots of time. The pain is normal and so very annoying. The days seem endless. Life at times seems dreadful. The plans you make are disappointments. Eating is a constant challenge.
The chemo probably, in my opinion, slowed your ability to heal. Take what nourishment you can, ice cream if it works. How about lemon drops, custard, soup?
This pain will go away. But it may take many months. You are drafted into the cancer recovery army and there isn't much you can do about it until your time served is done.
Two months after 9-11 I ended up having my cancer lump removed and my battle begun. I too was drafted. Two years later I began to feel normal, or what my new normal was to be. The twenty years since then I wouldn't trade for all the world's gold and horses. But I will say that every little issue you will face will make you think that the big C has returned. Fact is you can just get sick like everybody else and that maybe all it is. And it should be noted it wasn't always easy street. The damage done has been a constant battle since day one, much like a wounded vet who learns to function and enjoy life as it is. In fact just 14 months ago I had a surgery to repair cancer damage to my jaw from radiation. But as fun as that was, life goes on. I am doing just fine.
Hang in there. Two steps forward and one step back as we say is still progress. This whole experience will change you and as a general consensus, change you for the better. We cannot hug you and make the pain go away. We cannot carry you to life before cancer. All we can do is encourage you, listen to you, and pray for you.