Reviewer: 55-64 on Treatment for 6 months to less than 1 year (Patient)

Comment:
Age 57 male tumor above tonsils surgery not a option,chemo 6 cycles plus 25 rad.3 years remission, still have bad headaches, back pain, swallowing hard.taste 50% back .no hair loss at all.

Comment:
Age 57 male tumor above tonsils surgery not a option,chemo 6 cycles plus 25 rad.3 years remission, still have bad headaches, back pain, swallowing hard.taste 50% back .no hair loss at all.
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Reviewer: Tonsilgirl, 45-54 Female on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Patient)

Comment:
2009 stage 4 tumor left tonsil.Same day surgery, removed 90%. After G.I. inserted feeding tube, started 80 radiation treatments w/3 rounds of chemo..first day, middle of treatment and last day.8a.m.thru ,5p.m. w/8 bags of saline simultaneously to protect kidneys.Thyroid and most saliva glands destroyed by rad, now take thyroid drug daily, and lots of h2o for dry mouth.Nausea controlled very well w ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
2009 stage 4 tumor left tonsil.Same day surgery, removed 90%. After G.I. inserted feeding tube, started 80 radiation treatments w/3 rounds of chemo..first day, middle of treatment and last day.8a.m.thru ,5p.m. w/8 bags of saline simultaneously to protect kidneys.Thyroid and most saliva glands destroyed by rad, now take thyroid drug daily, and lots of h2o for dry mouth.Nausea controlled very well with meds. Scar tissue in throat has never improved, so after 2+years on feed tube, am very careful about choking episodes.pills need crushing or cutting up...also had all my teeth removed right before treatment started, as I needed extensive dental work which drs said no time to complete...they wanted me to start chemo etc immediately after surgery and feeding tube placement.Very fatigued thru treatment,with 80lb weight loss.Mouth was severely painful with very thick thrush,med.rinses etc not effective.Also, severe diarrhea and dehydration, you just don't want anything, even water in your mouth.Took me a long time to regain any energy,and not getting adequate nutrition had alot to do with that....I lived on Ensure in feeding tube. 8 years out, I'm totally clear, and very grateful.I have significant hearing loss, vision changes, memory loss. Thought these might eventually clear up, but after 8 years.....Food and beverages taste awful, particularly wine, which I was very into. All in all? I've seen alot worse experiences. I now know from all my subsequent reading and research that if I had had more time to prepare, I could've helped myself alot more, but it was a totally unexpected shock, and I was rushed into everything with my drs and all other caregivers directing me to one appt to the next in a blur! Today I would do things differently, but am very happy overall with the efficacy of the cistplatin. Most side effects were handled completely with medication.Long term? Time will tell......
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Reviewer: User, 55-64 on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Patient)

Comment:
Three high dose treatments along with 35 radiation treatments. Harsh side effects, vomiting, 20% hearing loss, ongoing neuropathy in feet, 10 days in hospital, 20 loss of body weight. Cancer free 1 year later. Weight back to normal, food still tastes terrible but I think radiation more to blame. Overall better than dying.

Comment:
Three high dose treatments along with 35 radiation treatments. Harsh side effects, vomiting, 20% hearing loss, ongoing neuropathy in feet, 10 days in hospital, 20 loss of body weight. Cancer free 1 year later. Weight back to normal, food still tastes terrible but I think radiation more to blame. Overall better than dying.
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Reviewer: rie, 55-64 Female on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Patient)

Comment:
I was predictably sick three days after infusions and it lasted for about 5 days.

Comment:
I was predictably sick three days after infusions and it lasted for about 5 days.
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Reviewer: MOsorrow, 45-54 Female on Treatment for 1 to 6 months (Caregiver)

Comment:
Husband has squamous cell carcinoma. 3 cisplatin treatments and 33 radiation treatments with surgery. VERY sick throughout! Lost 60 pounds in 3 months. One month after last chemo started having symptoms of MS. 4 months after chemo now has lost use of hands and arms, muscle atrophy throught body, short term memory loss, and back on a feeding tube because his throat muscles are so weak he can't ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
Husband has squamous cell carcinoma. 3 cisplatin treatments and 33 radiation treatments with surgery. VERY sick throughout! Lost 60 pounds in 3 months. One month after last chemo started having symptoms of MS. 4 months after chemo now has lost use of hands and arms, muscle atrophy throught body, short term memory loss, and back on a feeding tube because his throat muscles are so weak he can't swallow without aspirating. Neurologists say it is systemic nerve damage from the cisplatin and he may never recover. And now the cancer is back and he isn't strong enough to go through another chemo treatment. I would tell anyone to try another drug before they subject themselves or their loved ones to this one.
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