Will I be able to eat again after radiation to my neck and head?

35 radiation treatments to my neck and head . One year later and I still can’t eat normal food .

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Profile picture for linda90 @linda90

I just have a question to others who had head and neck cancer treatment for tonsil cancer. I was stage 3. I had 5 chemotherapy treatments and 35 radiation therapy. I went to CT scan and MRI but were all clear. My biggest concern is that I didn’t get my weight back until today when I finished treatment last year October. I’m now stressed 😰 is there anything wrong again? I had blood tests done and they were negative

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@linda90
I too have had clear mri . Pet can and blood tests . So , far I am clear . So , that is good. It has been 2 years of recovering the side effects from radiation . Being clear is a step in the right direction. I just need to keep tolerating these days of nasty sickness from the radiation. Take having clean results as a positive . Easy to say but hard to embrace.
I wish the best for you !

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A nutritionist told me that patients with head and neck cancers have difficulty gaining weight. Science does not know why this is so. Do the best you can. I’ve been trying to adjust to my new body profile which is quite thin.

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Profile picture for ernierogersquamus123 @ernierogersquamus123

@linda90
I too have had clear mri . Pet can and blood tests . So , far I am clear . So , that is good. It has been 2 years of recovering the side effects from radiation . Being clear is a step in the right direction. I just need to keep tolerating these days of nasty sickness from the radiation. Take having clean results as a positive . Easy to say but hard to embrace.
I wish the best for you !

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@ernierogersquamus123 Has your medical team tried various nausea medications to help you feel better? I was on a very expensive 5 day patch for nausea during my later chemo weeks. It was very helpful and insurance covered it. After my initial surgery I had dizziness and nausea and a fantastic nurse took in upon herself to suggest Dramamine to the doctors, after all other nausea meds failed to help. Of all things, this is what helped me get through the nausea and dizziness. I reduced the dose when using it and that reduced some of the sleepiness for me.
Have you discussed this with your doctors?

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Good afternoon , during radiation I was on Zofran (spelling? ) it barely helped , first subscription.
Second subscription a few months later , barely helped .
Called for more and they told me I cannot be on that any longer . So , I have had no nausea medicine for the last six months. I just threw up minutes ago and calling today for an endoscopy to see if there is something wrong inside .
I am on a feeding tube, and have been for almost a year .
Unfortunately I get little help from my throat cancer doctor . Strictly business!
Thank you for your concern, I will ask for Dramamine in the mean time .

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Profile picture for linda90 @linda90

I tried taking beta vitamins to see if I can get my weight back but it only went up with 5 kg of which is still not good enough. I used to weigh 78kg but until now I only weigh 73 which is where I’m currently stuck and it’s really frustrating me because I can’t fit in my clothes anymore and the body doesn’t look good. To make the matter worse it’s the comments I get from people about how I lost weight. So sad 😭

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@linda90 Don't despair, I get that too. And are you OK ? you're so skinny. I just tell em no need carrying extra weight around, not that I had any extra to begin with.
Having trouble putting any weight back on too.
This could be the new normal for now .

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