My husband had his 1st lot of FLOT last week, 2 days later his swallow was much improved, now has returned to pre FLOT state. Could it have been his steroids that caused the temporary improvement, Thankyou in advance xxx
I am sorry to hear that your husband is currently undergoing chemotherapy.
I can't say for definite why his swallow improved initially and has now gone back to what it was before treatment.
As you say it could be linked to the steroids but perhaps it would be best to talk it through with one of the doctors or nurses involved in your husbands care and see what they have to say.
Swallowing difficulties is a common symptom and side effect for many types of head and neck cancers and appreciate how difficult it can be for both the patient and their loved ones to manage this on a day to day basis.
There is information about this here but do also talk through any concerns you are having about this with the team so they can assess your husband and advise how best to manage this. They may be able to refer him to a dietician as well as prescribe supplement drinks to ensure he is getting all the nutrition and calories he needs.
Please get back if you have further questions or you are welcome to call the nurse helpline on 0808 800 4040 Mon-Fri 9-5 to talk things over the phone if preferred.
