Ongoing health

Important information about your weight, height, blood pressure, heart, blood condition, temperature and skin condition is recorded regularly. In my case, particular attention is paid to changes to the condition of my mouth and teeth and the skin around my neck and face.

There are quite a few side-effects to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Not all patients experience them all and everyone may experience them a little differently. Some patients report side-effects ceasing quickly after treatment finishes, while others report continuing problems for years.

Base data on my height, weight, blood pressure, and temperature was acquired prior to treatment a number of times by different Doctors and Nurses. During radiation therapy, I will have these tests and a consultation with my Radiation Oncologist every week.

I’ll have blood tests every week, a couple of days prior to my next chemotherapy course. These are mostly to check that my white blood cell count has returned to a level suitable for further treatment, but red blood cells and platelets levels are also checked. The tests also check if my kidneys and liver are working normally.

One cancer patient I spoke with mentioned that his final chemotherapy course had to be delayed because his blood work showed he had not recovered sufficiently from the previous dose. He told me that he never had that final course. He finished his radiotherapy and chemotherapy program 18 months ago.

Possibly the most significant and noticeable change is likely to be in my weight. Radiation therapy in the neck region has a significant impact upon your mouth, teeth and throat. I have been told by a few people, including a couple who have been through it that you just don't want to eat because a lack of saliva makes swallowing difficult, the food tastes terrible and often is laced with a metallic flavour. In addition, swallowing can be painful. As a result of not eating, weight is lost.

I have been told that a drop in weight greater than 10% is considered dangerous and action will need to be taken.

As such, I will be keeping a close watch on my weight and will be recording it each week in this blog. Prior to treatment my weight was 88kgs.

Although no-one has told me I have to cease drinking alcohol, I'm not a big drinker anyway, generally having a glass of white wine with dinner and typically only on weekends, so I decided to cease entirely for the duration of the program. It seemed to me that I ought to give my body every chance to protect itself and recover quickly. I felt alcohol may compromise this.