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Laryngeal cancer radiotherapy side effects (coughing)

zarker
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Hi

Have finished 6 weeks of radiotherapy for T2 vocal chord cancer in jan and voice is slowly getting better and eating almost back to normal. The thing I am suffering with is a constant cough due to an excess of mucus/saliva in my throat, this is particularly bad at night when I'm lying down and I'm finding its keeping me awake nearly all night and driving me mad. I mentioned it to my consultant and he calmly said it was all normal and I should try streaming but nothing seems to help. Its embarrasing when I'm out or at work as the coughing can get so bad that I gag and it sounds like i'm being sick. I just wondered if anyone else had been thorough the same thing and might have any tips on how to control it. I'm find co-codomol helps and the liquid morphine but don't want to have to keep taking that for obious reasons. Please help!

Zarker

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    Hi Zarker, My sister has just started her radiotherapy on her larynx/vocal chords and she is coughing all the time and like you, can't sleep at night. Did you find any relief - all suggestions welcome. L
  • Offline in reply to Lyda44

    Hi there are u still on the site need advice came across youre post and like u I’m being driven mad by the mucus in throat constant cough that’s making me gag and nearly makes me feel can’t breathe that has me in such a panic I won’t be alone now as had few attacks in house alone freaked me out 

    wishing I had not had radiotherapy as so down and feel will be forever 

    I need to go back to work end of month but can not go back like this 

    is there an end to this help needed please 

  • Offline in reply to Pauline19647
    Hi there the first 6 months are the worse , I was exactly the same but it does improve with time , you just have to be patient . I'm presuming your consultant deemed the radiotherapy was necessary to treat the cancer and that without things might have been much worse . I'm only saying this as this was my way of getting through it , I just wanted the cancer gone so I could get on with my life so if the radiotherapy caused nasty side affects I just thought it's the price you pay for getting better . The good news is that the coughing will ease , the bad news is it doesnt fully go away but it gets much easier to deal with as time goes on . I'm now 7 years post treatment and I still get mucus but it just feels like the tail end of a cold and it does make me cough but not anywhere near as bad as before . The radiotherapy effectively burns away minute layers of the the larynx so the throat keeps telling the brain to produce mucus to coat the scar tissue. . I find dust sets me off or coffee beans purculating ! Try telling everybody your situation so you don't have to explain when you get a coughing fit and drink lots of water . Oddly enough I find since the treatment I don't get as many colds as I used to ! It will improve , just give it time and be kind to yourself . Good luck . Andy
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  • Offline in reply to Pauline19647
    Hi there the first 6 months are the worse , I was exactly the same but it does improve with time , you just have to be patient . I'm presuming your consultant deemed the radiotherapy was necessary to treat the cancer and that without things might have been much worse . I'm only saying this as this was my way of getting through it , I just wanted the cancer gone so I could get on with my life so if the radiotherapy caused nasty side affects I just thought it's the price you pay for getting better . The good news is that the coughing will ease , the bad news is it doesnt fully go away but it gets much easier to deal with as time goes on . I'm now 7 years post treatment and I still get mucus but it just feels like the tail end of a cold and it does make me cough but not anywhere near as bad as before . The radiotherapy effectively burns away minute layers of the the larynx so the throat keeps telling the brain to produce mucus to coat the scar tissue. . I find dust sets me off or coffee beans purculating ! Try telling everybody your situation so you don't have to explain when you get a coughing fit and drink lots of water . Oddly enough I find since the treatment I don't get as many colds as I used to ! It will improve , just give it time and be kind to yourself . Good luck . Andy
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