Hi there ..

Maybe a call to his oncology team, or G P ... sounds like something they could help with ..  here's hoping they do give him something .. even if it's something like physio... bless him .. chrissie x

Hi I am 6 month post radiotherapy justvremebervwe are all different but I still have mucus problems niw caused by lack of saliva , it’s mainly due To my parotid gland in right side been blasted by radiotherapy,this isnthe gland that produces thin saliva the other gland said are working ok but they produce thick  saliva. 

Your hubby at yhe moment the mucus he is making is protecting his throat  the radiotherapy damage s the lining of the mouth and throat and we create additional mucus to protect it. Do you have a nebuliser I used one constantly to  help clear the mucus the hospital loan them out. Also in the bedroom a humidifier helps .

also drinking plain or soda water will help to thin itbdown as he started to sip water ? It will be difficult at first but swallowing function needs to be started .

inhabe a blog that explains various things also with  a link to Anchor 1707 s blog.my blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com

hopemit helps I have got the all clear on the 14 th of January this year but am still on the long slow road to recovery but eating and drinking   Coffee .

any question s please ask

Hazel  

Hi there 

As Hazel says everyone is different and so their recovery times are different. My husband had chemoradiation for tonsil cancer just over 3 years ago and has been cancer free and in remission for 2 1/2 years. He had copious amounts of thin runny mucous and saliva so different to the sticky stuff but it still made eating and drinking extremely difficult. Like Hazel he used a nebulizer to help so see if you can borrow one from your GP or chemo unit.

As for time frames unfortunately thats difficult to predict as again  everyone is different. Its just trial and error and taking it slowly which I know isnt much help when your impatient. Has your hubby had any speech therapy to help to get his swallow moving again - if not it might be worth asking.

Just to say that my hubby lost his swallow but slowly it returned and after modifying his diet for a while so long as he has water he can eat anything now so there is hope for a return to normality.

Good luck and best wishes - ask any questions you might have and keep us posted as to how he’s getting on.

Emma 

xxxx

Thank you for your advise. He has been told everyone is different, but he is so desperate to eat and drin again. He hasnt eaten since Christmas day and hes never been a positive person and had suffered badly with mental health just before he was diagonosed with tonsil cancer. So it is going to be long and hard journey but as I tell him he has done well to get through 37 sessions of radiotherapy and 2 lots of chemo which was horrendous now its just a cas of taking his time and getting better.

Lynn

Hiya....I totally understand how you feel as my hubby went through similar last year..he was diagnosed with stage 4 throat cancer Jan 2018 and after going through the brutal treatment of chemo and radiotherapy he got the all clear in September..he was also unable to eat and had a nasal feeding tube for a couple of months and suffered badly with mucus..I can only repeat with the advice that others have said about the mucus but with the eating the only thing that helped him was porridge..he started off with small portions at first (he hated the stuff before his diagnosis) then he would eat more as the the days went on. This was all he ate throughout the day for weeks and it helped him put the weight back on also excercised he swallowing muscles (this was his saviour) then he went on to eat other soft foods (always with a glass or 2 of water) now he can eat anything.roast dinners..curry’s all his taste buds are back to normal too which we never thought would ever happen..He is now back to work full time..it does take time and it can be very frustrating..it’s finding the right food that can help him.

im here if you have any other questions 

best wishes

Tina

Thank you that has given him a bit of hope.  He is going up hospital next week so they can check his swallow. The mucus is still a hugh problem and doesnt seem to be getting any less although he doesnt choke like he used to so I think things are graduallly improving but its constantly there.

Lynn

Hi, I was just wondering how your husband is doing, I was looking through the posts for advice as my husband has the same problems, he is 3 weeks post treatment but still has the horrible thick mucus and can only just about manage a cup of tea, he's completely fed thru his feeding tube at the minute.  He is coughing/choking less in the day but nights are still a problem.  We have an appt on Thursday with the dietician and speech & language team and I'm hoping they will be encouraging him to try and start eating some soft foods as he too is very down and fed up with how long it's taking to feel 'better'. Patience has never been his strong point! 
I hope your hubby is much improved now.

Hi Judy 

wellndone on hubby  completing treatment. 3 weeks is still very early. We are all different I kniw in my case it was around weekb9 when mucus finally went. He can try sips of soda water to help disperse the mucus. Hi he using a nebuliser I found it invaluable. The hospital gave it to me I also bought a humidifier for bedroom. I have a blog. Www.radioactiveraz.Wordpress.com. You may get some tips and links to other sites. 
mad for food try poached eggs home made soups you can go from the seasoning. Let's n potatoe made things add double cream for calories. 
it can be a long recovery but I'm 3 years almost and living my life. 
hope this helps Hazel x

Hello,

I've been reading the posts as I'm now 9 weeks post treatment for cancer that was on the base of my tongue. I'm really despondent as I'm not getting much taste back and by now I was hoping for some improvement. I'm eating porridge, rice and soft fruits with custard but anything else is hopeless. Am I being too hasty in my expectations. The doctor and support team tell me I'm doing really well. But I do get very depressed. I long to eat a simple meal of fish & chips. The amount of food my wife has bought that has ended up in the bin is sacrilege but it just tastes so foul.

Keith