saliva

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ahamric
ahamric Member Posts: 92
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband had about 70% of his tongue removed,and 36 lymopnodes. He then had 33 rounds of radiation. I was wondering if anyone could tell me aprox. how long it takes for the saliva glands to start working. Thank you.

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  • waywest
    waywest Member Posts: 44
    #2
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    Saliva
    Hi Aham
    Just from our personal experience and from reading these boards there doesn't seem to be any
    specific timeline.It's different for everyone and also depends on the treatment how severely the salivary glands were affected. For some it may never come back and for others only partly. Our Doctors said not to expect it to ever be 100% again but my husband has about 50% back after 4 months.The horrible mucous does go away eventually but oral hygiene will be critical in order to maintain teeth.Eating is a challenge without saliva but hopefully your husband will get enough back (or ALL of it)to eat normally in time.
    The treatments for HNC certainly make life challenging. Here's hoping your husband and mine can chow down on a steak and spit real soon!


    Way
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
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    waywest said:

    Saliva
    Hi Aham
    Just from our personal experience and from reading these boards there doesn't seem to be any
    specific timeline.It's different for everyone and also depends on the treatment how severely the salivary glands were affected. For some it may never come back and for others only partly. Our Doctors said not to expect it to ever be 100% again but my husband has about 50% back after 4 months.The horrible mucous does go away eventually but oral hygiene will be critical in order to maintain teeth.Eating is a challenge without saliva but hopefully your husband will get enough back (or ALL of it)to eat normally in time.
    The treatments for HNC certainly make life challenging. Here's hoping your husband and mine can chow down on a steak and spit real soon!


    Way

    Hi ahamric

    That is correct everyone is different in the time it takes for the body to heal and things to start coming back, just give it time. Also if you are having problems with dry-mouth try using a dry mouth spray, I use Stoppers 4 dry-mouth spray at night and get a very good night sleep.

    Wishing you both the best and welcome to the family here on CSN.
    Hondo
  • MJ70
    MJ70 Member Posts: 75
    #4
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    ahamric/salivary glands.
    At 7 vears out i might have 10% left..maybe ...i feel it the best a night and early morning hours..I eat with lots of fluid...essentially wash my food down unless it it sloppy ... Do my excercises and get my esphagus stetched in the office every six months or so..if needed ..the stopper four that Hondo recommends is excellent..i get that from Drugstore.com..it is 4 oz for $6.39 ...biotene is one oz for about same price and oasis is .5 0z for about the same.. if you order four stopper four it is freight free..good deal and last a long time.. and wait as you never seem to stop healing..
  • ahamric
    ahamric Member Posts: 92
    #5
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    waywest said:

    Saliva
    Hi Aham
    Just from our personal experience and from reading these boards there doesn't seem to be any
    specific timeline.It's different for everyone and also depends on the treatment how severely the salivary glands were affected. For some it may never come back and for others only partly. Our Doctors said not to expect it to ever be 100% again but my husband has about 50% back after 4 months.The horrible mucous does go away eventually but oral hygiene will be critical in order to maintain teeth.Eating is a challenge without saliva but hopefully your husband will get enough back (or ALL of it)to eat normally in time.
    The treatments for HNC certainly make life challenging. Here's hoping your husband and mine can chow down on a steak and spit real soon!


    Way

    I think the mucous is whats
    I think the mucous is whats driving him crazy...me a little too. Your comment gives me hope.Thank you
  • ahamric
    ahamric Member Posts: 92
    #6
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    Hondo said:

    Hi ahamric

    That is correct everyone is different in the time it takes for the body to heal and things to start coming back, just give it time. Also if you are having problems with dry-mouth try using a dry mouth spray, I use Stoppers 4 dry-mouth spray at night and get a very good night sleep.

    Wishing you both the best and welcome to the family here on CSN.
    Hondo

    Hondo thank you I will try
    Hondo thank you I will try that for sure.
  • ahamric
    ahamric Member Posts: 92
    #7
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    MJ70 said:

    ahamric/salivary glands.
    At 7 vears out i might have 10% left..maybe ...i feel it the best a night and early morning hours..I eat with lots of fluid...essentially wash my food down unless it it sloppy ... Do my excercises and get my esphagus stetched in the office every six months or so..if needed ..the stopper four that Hondo recommends is excellent..i get that from Drugstore.com..it is 4 oz for $6.39 ...biotene is one oz for about same price and oasis is .5 0z for about the same.. if you order four stopper four it is freight free..good deal and last a long time.. and wait as you never seem to stop healing..

    Thank you for the tips...we
    Thank you for the tips...we will try the stoppers 4.
  • waywest
    waywest Member Posts: 44
    #8
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    ahamric said:

    I think the mucous is whats
    I think the mucous is whats driving him crazy...me a little too. Your comment gives me hope.Thank you

    Mucous
    Oh how well I remember the mucous. I ended up buying large disposable papercups and scattered them in every corner of the house. The one thing that seemed to really help with the mucous was the salt rinse, 2 tsps of baking soda per quart of water, rinse, gargle (if possible) and spit.Keep in fridge. Drink lots of water as well and put towels on pillow cases but those nasty ropey things will go on for a bit I'm afraid. It was probably only a month or so but felt like a lifetime. Our poor, poor hubbies. I fantasize about a magic wand that would make it all go away.
    W.
  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #9
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    ahamric said:

    Thank you for the tips...we
    Thank you for the tips...we will try the stoppers 4.

    saliva, mucous
    Hi
    I had thick mucous for about 2 months after treatment. then one day it stopped and I had dry mouth...(watch out what you wish for, lol) The saliva comes back very slowly, very slowly. I am at about 50% now which is about 20% better than it was 6 months ago. I drink a lot of milk....it seems to wash down all the food due to the thickness of milk compared to water or ice tea...
    I wish you all the best with the moving along the healing path. Yours will different than mine, just as my healing was different from Hondo, etc. Just take every day as it comes and try new things all the time. If it doesn't work, then wait awhile and try it again, things change monthly, not daily.
    I too use stoppers 4. it's the best and cheapest (sort of)
    All the best,
    Steve
  • ahamric
    ahamric Member Posts: 92
    #10
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    hawk711 said:

    saliva, mucous
    Hi
    I had thick mucous for about 2 months after treatment. then one day it stopped and I had dry mouth...(watch out what you wish for, lol) The saliva comes back very slowly, very slowly. I am at about 50% now which is about 20% better than it was 6 months ago. I drink a lot of milk....it seems to wash down all the food due to the thickness of milk compared to water or ice tea...
    I wish you all the best with the moving along the healing path. Yours will different than mine, just as my healing was different from Hondo, etc. Just take every day as it comes and try new things all the time. If it doesn't work, then wait awhile and try it again, things change monthly, not daily.
    I too use stoppers 4. it's the best and cheapest (sort of)
    All the best,
    Steve

    awesome ty..tonight he ate
    awesome ty..tonight he ate for the first it was just a little broth and about 1/4 piece of bread...but it's a start. Baby steps : )

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