Throat Cancer and beyond.

My first post, just registered today.

In September 2010 I was diagnosed with Throat Cancer (only a few weeks after completing the Snowdon mountain race). Radio Therapy and
drug treatment commenced in October and was completed 31 December2010. I then spent 2011 in the recovery mode, lots of ups and downs and basically physically trashed for most of that time.

Now in 2012 I am wanting to put my life back together and start running again. The biggest single problem is that the treatment destroyed my saliva glands, so I need to drink water all the time, every time I eat and most of the time during my waking hours. From a physical point of view I'm not doing so bad, although I will have to work at getting my aerobic fitness back again.

Is there anyone out there who has had this particular form of cancer, and has managed to get back on the fells?

Looking forward to hearing from you!

Cheers
Zenrunner

Welcome. What a story. Good luck on returning to the hills.

sorry to hear of your misfortune, hope you can sort it so you can run properly again.

Thanks for the welcome manothemoors, my profile header has me down as a junior member, (wish I was) will be 71 in June!! better ask the webmaster to put it right. In all the time I was ill, the biggest single problem was coming to terms with the fact that I couldn't just put my Walsh's on and go for a belt around my local Dales, so here's hoping things will change this year!

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Originally Posted by Zenrunner

my profile header has me down as a junior member

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That relates to the amount of posts you have done, rather than your age. Welcome to the forum, hope you find a solution and good luck!

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Originally Posted by Zenrunner

My first post, just registered today.
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I need to drink water all the time

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Hi Zenrunner, brilliant that you're heading back into the hills, great effort. no experience of yr condition, sorry. regarding needing to drink all the time, (I probably don't need to mention this but just in case) a water bladder would work well for this...I find I can sip regularly to keep my mouth fresh. best of luck getting your fitness back up, Lynne

Glad to hear you are on the mend zunrunner :thumbup:
No advice on your particular condition or scenario - I guess the water bladder idea would be a good start though, get out and do some short walks or runs and just enjoy the surroundings and see how you get on. One step at a time while you work out what works and what doesn't :) The good thing about our beautiful countryside is, it's just nice being in it, so if you can spend your recovery time enjoying it, then that can't be too bad :)

Zenrunner

I have no direct experience of throat cancer but have some experience of the loss of saliva glands having seen my late father go down and succumb to Sjogren's Syndrome, an auto-immune condition common and usually manageable in women but which takes a more virulent form when the few men that suffer develop it.

The conditions destroys various soft tissue areas; my father lost (amongst other things) his saliva glands, tear glands and also his taste buds.

I recall his struggles to eat and swallow (eating when you can't taste anything becomes a dreadful business, because only texture matters) over a 2/3 year period. He permamnently had a glass of water by his side.

I recall a variety of sprays to lubricate the back of the throat but also recall he didn't find these much help.

So there may be some intelligence to be gained via those medical research charities that deal with Sjogren's. I think ARUK are funding various trials looking as much to the quality of life aspects as at finding a cure:

http://www.bssa.uk.net/

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/a...FQlpfAodtRfS7A

Sorry cant offer any specific help but if its any good to you I met up with a Swedish cyclist who was well in to his seventies on my way to Jura a few years ago - we camped side by side on the Mull of Kintyre that night and over shared chocolate and whisky he told me how he had been treated for cancer, the doctors seemed to have written him off and he thought his cycling days were over and now here he was touring the west coast of Scotland. 'I was ill. Now I ride my bike' - and he could certainly ride, full touring kit and putting the miles in. Good luck and I hope you make as good a recovery as he obviously did.

Hi, great to hear from you; you sound like you've been through some tough times.

I've a good friend who has had throat cancer 10 years or so ago and is up running and well now, completely in remission. I don't know if he's on the forum but if you want to PM me, I can ask my friend if it's ok if you contact him. It's always helpful to be able to speak to someone who's been in the same position as yourself.

Professionally, I'm sideways involved with ENT, if you've problems with a dry mouth, get back infront of your ENT consultant [or speech and language therapist/department] and ask and get and try the various therapies for a dry mouth. If the consultant isn't helpful, ask again or go and see another consultant. They're human and have their own preferences and manners. You need to find a consultant whom you can work with, remember it's your health and life!

I hope this helps.

I used to work on patient leaflets in my old job. One of the products I worked on was Xerotin: http://www.rdoc.org.uk/xerotin.html

Have you been given anything like this? I think these products are better than water.

Great news that you're trying to get back running. Good luck.

Hi Zenrunner,
Further to the suggestion of a water bladder to sip from regularly, you might also want to consider one (or two for balance) handheld bottles, which I find are easier to sip from (and refill) more regularly. The ones with the strap that goes around the back of your hand avoid you having to grip the bottle. They've worked well for me for years for any run duration.
I hope you can find a solution that works for you.

Hi and Thanks Vics
That's really very interesting about your friend, if he had radiation treatment and lost his saliva glands and is back running that sounds great.
I'm resigned to the fact that I will always need to have my "camel-back" (or similar) with me, but it would be most helpful to talk with with someone who had same condition and has actually made it back into his fell shoes!!
Any assistance will be much appreciated.

Cheers

zenrunner

Thanks BritNick,

That's good advice about the handheld bottles, I'll get a couple this weekend!

Cheers

Thanks Noel

I will check that out this evening!

zenrunner

What an inspiring person you are, Mr Zenrunner. Just to hear you're getting back out on the fells at 70 is impressive to me, never mind the other circumstances with your awful illness and treatment. I hope I can be as positive, open and forward looking when I reach my V70s. All good luck to you for many successful fell running years ahead.

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Originally Posted by Eleanor

What an inspiring person you are, Mr Zenrunner. Just to hear you're getting back out on the fells at 70 is impressive to me, never mind the other circumstances with your awful illness and treatment. I hope I can be as positive, open and forward looking when I reach my V70s. All good luck to you for many successful fell running years ahead.

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I agree, good health and good luck to you from now on Zenrunner, there's too much negativity in the world today, always inspiring to see positivity in the face of adversity, Best Wishes and respect:)

No idea what to do in your situation, but I'd just like to wish you all the best and good luck withyour quest.

I'll speak to him and will be in touch. :)