Hi Brian. Well done on getting six-month post treatment as a dry mouth. It does continue. I’m almost 5 years at the end of August and I still get dry mouth xymelts at night sip water occasionally now during the day and that as much as I also into orbit, sugar-free gum. Others are available to make sure that it’s got xylitol as one of the ingredients Sensitive mouth. Many they do stop and they can eat. Normally I am one of the unfortunate ones one day I can eat  x y z the next time as all of the ball of fire in my mouth. Well done on a glass of wine. I’ve just managed an odd sip of a gin and tonic we do whatever we can to mitigate what  we have left after treatment. I found also find some fermented foods yoghurts and cheeses acidic vinegar citric can I’ll set off burning tongue that’s a separate entity all on its own. It is really early days for you at six months. I know you might not feel that it is  great that the thread has helped me at all treatment and pop on with any other questions or if this doesn’t make sense just let me know ti all  you this on here if anybody else is looking. Best wishes, Hazel 

Thanks Hazel

yup , thanks to you I’m on xyimelts at night, really sound advice. I’ve found chewing gum burns my mouth , perhaps I’m taking the wrong sort ? Will remember to bring my glasses to shop and get strange looks now reading ingredients of chewing gum! Your blog v good, I know early days.

during treatment I thought my mouth be better in a month or so , the neck nurse agreed but later confided she didn’t want to dash my hopes, I actually thanked her for doing this. Baby steps is best approach I thinks

Hi Brian Sadly we all get told the magic 2-4 weeks in reality my lovely oncologist said he would cure me he also m said he woukd take a year if my life which he apologised for. As one if my blog viewers  thank you I will be updating it soon.  I have my last ever ent scope fingers x 24 th July myn5 years finish 31 August. I will be sticking around as we are a small bunch who go through this brutal treatment. Can’t beat first hand experience. As fir food just keep trying my hubby niw no longer eats my leftovers do that’s a bonus. Tips mince is hard processed East’s for a good while . Chicken breast forget thugs kegs easier. Eveneguakky battered down with a rolling oin chicken cpbreast help. Gray or mild sauces will become your best friend. Get used to looking at menus and choose soups as starts at least that way yiu will be abke to partake sometime 2 starters are easier then pudding I was ng a sweet pudding person but anything with custard. Anyways iff for he sun in Sunday for a cheeky trip over ti Spain one life live it. any help just shout Hazel so my typos are still bad. 

Hi Hazel, I don’t know if you remember me but you and so many people on here gave me sound advice on my journey, I’m now 18 months post treatment, still take my Xymelts every night and I couldn’t be without them, saliva is improving very slowly but my water bottle is never far from my side, my taste is gradually improving but mince is still tasting like metal, I do get a stinging pain in my jaw / neck which lasts about 10 seconds then goes I’ve been told off other people it’s the after effects of the radiotherapy would love to hear if anyone else on here has suffered with this , will be asking my consultant when I’m next up hospital but atm my appointment is 8 weeks late ( I know they’re very busy) , keep up the good work Hazel on here you do a fantastic job 

Best wishes Chris x

HimChrus yes I remember all my cancer buddies in here great to hear from you. I’m almost 5 years now scary where time flies. Yes we do get late onset side effects. I’m starting g now with more fibrosis in the neck and jaw area I may have got a bit lax with jaw exercises so have upped them. I do also have burning tongue with fermented foods noticbly cheese pickles and citric. So yes what you’re feeling isn’t unusual but as always mention to consultant and please chase up your appointment  a we still need to be seen. As for xyimelts I still use when at night admittedly only 1/2 of ine. We’re out in Spain at the minute lol just for a change. Ps I still can’t type. Keep in touch Hazel,xx we have the cancer that keeps on giving little bits but at oeastbweee here 

I am now 8 months post treatment and I'm finding it difficult to eat anything. 

Everything  tastes different and it is still difficult to swallow unless I drink milk or water with Everything. 

The consultant is now saying that he is now looking at sectioning me to force feed me.

Believe me I have tried everything has anyone had the same problem?.

Any advice welcome. 

Hi Amigo. Sadly what you’re going through is right. I still even now 5 years on almost always have a warm drink as side of me to help food go down it not all food but meat in particular   It’s really a case if forget food for pleasure it’s all about getting calories into you. I was around 15 months before I derived any pleasure. It was s case of eat to live not live to eat. I aimed for 2500 calories each and every day to maintain weight. Treatment depletes our bodies. It’s a case if adding calories ti what you can eat. Soup fortify with doubie fresm poached eggs on top of avocado high cal trifles. Shop made lasagna.  It takes time I also orally drink the ensure compacts to add calories. It all return geaduslkt. But if now I’m struggling I sip warm peppermint tea. Spicy food crisps etc are still no no for me have you had your swallow checked ? Have you had your Thyroid checked as well 

Sorry  news not brighter but it’s deffo worth it Hazel 

I wish I could get that stage.

My swallow has been checked but not my thyroid.

I was admitted to hospital last month as my sodium and patasime was dangerously low but food just doesn't intrest me no matter how hard I try.

I have a peg but I just hate it.

Hi foid grld no interest for most of us for a good year ir even longer in sone cases. I forced my self to ear I forgot about 3 meals a day I ate little and often. I tried to make it 6 small meals a day. Porridge coujd take me 45 mins but I made myself eat it. An ensure  then af 11 maybe a poached egg at 1 a Jaffa cake or custard cream si Jed jn coffee i couldn’t drink the coffee just used it as a softener. Tea woujd be either eggs or maybe hone  made soup toast was easier than bread I still can’t do crusts by the way I used to cut sliced bread inti quarters and nibble to crusts. It was whatever I coujd manage. You need sustenance ti get better otherwise you will go backwards. Treatment is brutal recovery  is long  but I’m living a giid life my blog might help there’s links on there.

Hazel 

www.radioactiveraz.Wordpress.com

https://www.workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/66263025/cookbook-by-andrew-gaylor-head-and-neck-cancer-survivor-2022