Salivary glands and mucous - 2

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navy261991
navy261991 Member Posts: 6
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I finished 35 rad and 7 chemo treatments for stage 3 tonsilar cancer in Mar 11. 2 follow-up PET/CT scans have been all clear. However, after 9 months I'm still unable to eat regular food and subsist on 560 calorie Carnation breakfast drink 4 times a day. BTW I was able to take the Carnation orally throughout my treatment even though I had a PEG tube for back-up. As described by someone on this forum. food I've tried tastes like soap covered with lard. My problem is salivary glands produce but are out of balance. As most know the glands produce mucous and serous fluid which are in balance to produce normal saliva. However, mine produce mostly mucous. This along with my damaged taste buds make it extremely difficult to eat regular food. Many have talked about lack of taste buds, but has anyone also experienced the mucous problem from salivary gland imbalance? If so, have you found any treatment or solution to this problem?

Thanks for your participation in this valuable support network.
Dave-navy261991

P.S. This new thread is a repeat of the one I posted under the "loss of taste" thread. Sweetblood suggested a new thread for a better response.

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  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
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    time
    For me, it took several years to get past this. Probably 2 years before the mucous wasn't a problem, and 2 more before I could eat anything without taste problems or swallowing problems. I eventually got to where I could even eat popcorn and crackers and stuff. It may be that you just have to keep trying...

    Pat
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
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    Hi Navy
    Sometimes it takes quite a while for things to come back so don’t give up hope just yet. I lost most of my taste but I had radiation twice to the head & neck. On the mucus I use a NeilMed rinse with baking soda mix it helps me.

    PS: Welcome to CSN

    Hondo
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #4
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    The Neverending Mucous
    Hi Dave, the mucous is one of the most common side effects of treatment, and one of the most popular discussions. It's kind of like phlegm on steroids. If it's not trying to choke you in your sleep, you're on the lucky side of it. My favorite break from it was the simple salt/baking soda (or with peroixide) rinse and gargle. You can find the variations on the rinse in the Superthread. I used Caphasol, and Biotene, but the home made rinse worked best, though fleetingly. Time will fix it.

    best, Hal
  • jtl
    jtl Member Posts: 456
    #5
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    longtermsurvivor said:

    time
    For me, it took several years to get past this. Probably 2 years before the mucous wasn't a problem, and 2 more before I could eat anything without taste problems or swallowing problems. I eventually got to where I could even eat popcorn and crackers and stuff. It may be that you just have to keep trying...

    Pat

    Popcorn
    One of my favs. I actually had a little last night. I couldn't eat much but a little was still a lost pleasure.
    John
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
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    Mucus

    Someone said that Mucinex will help but I can’t use it as it is too big for me to swallow

    http://copd.about.com/od/copdtreatment/tp/airwayclearancetechniques.htm

    Hope this helps
    Hondo
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #7
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    Hondo said:

    Mucus

    Someone said that Mucinex will help but I can’t use it as it is too big for me to swallow

    http://copd.about.com/od/copdtreatment/tp/airwayclearancetechniques.htm

    Hope this helps
    Hondo

    Mucinex
    It comes in a liquid, too, Hondo. I'm sure of that, because I remember putting it thru my peg tube.
  • sue5749
    sue5749 Member Posts: 170
    #8
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    sweetblood22 said:

    Mucinex
    It comes in a liquid, too, Hondo. I'm sure of that, because I remember putting it thru my peg tube.

    MUCINEX
    Hi, My husband doctor said that I could go to Wal-Marts and get the baby kind of MUCINEX that is individual packets and just double the dose and mix with a little water and pour it down the tube. So that is what I do for him, seems to help a little.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #9
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    sweetblood22 said:

    Mucinex
    It comes in a liquid, too, Hondo. I'm sure of that, because I remember putting it thru my peg tube.

    Hi Sweet

    I did not know it came in liquid too, will get my wife to look for it as the pill is like a mountain in size when looking at my little jaw opening.

    Thanks :+})
    Hondo
  • ac
    ac Member Posts: 88 Member
    #10
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    Hondo said:

    Mucus

    Someone said that Mucinex will help but I can’t use it as it is too big for me to swallow

    http://copd.about.com/od/copdtreatment/tp/airwayclearancetechniques.htm

    Hope this helps
    Hondo

    Mucinex Fast Max DM Max Liquid
    Navy & Hondo,

    The liquid form comes in the form of the 4 hour dosage. I used it during radiation and shortly after. But I had to pour it in via the PEG because it stung my throat. My mucus problem was initially so bad that I was waking up every 15 minutes from gagging on my own secretions. The Mucinex helped loosen it up enough that I could clear it before bed and get at least a couple of hours sleep at one go. It has improved further since I finished radiation a few weeks ago. Just praying that the adjuvant Cisplatin/5FU is not going to resurrect this problem.

    Mucinex Fast Max DM Max Liquid

    I am now in the process of switching over to the 12 hour slow release tablets whenever I am able to swallow, with the liquid form as backup on a bad day when I can't swallow. The tablets are humongous and take a lot of concentration to get down.

    Most importantly, make sure you get the DM (dry mouth) versions. Otherwise, it could really make things worse. I found out the hard way.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #11
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    ac said:

    Mucinex Fast Max DM Max Liquid
    Navy & Hondo,

    The liquid form comes in the form of the 4 hour dosage. I used it during radiation and shortly after. But I had to pour it in via the PEG because it stung my throat. My mucus problem was initially so bad that I was waking up every 15 minutes from gagging on my own secretions. The Mucinex helped loosen it up enough that I could clear it before bed and get at least a couple of hours sleep at one go. It has improved further since I finished radiation a few weeks ago. Just praying that the adjuvant Cisplatin/5FU is not going to resurrect this problem.

    Mucinex Fast Max DM Max Liquid

    I am now in the process of switching over to the 12 hour slow release tablets whenever I am able to swallow, with the liquid form as backup on a bad day when I can't swallow. The tablets are humongous and take a lot of concentration to get down.

    Most importantly, make sure you get the DM (dry mouth) versions. Otherwise, it could really make things worse. I found out the hard way.

    Hi Andrew
    Thanks for the web-site and info

    Wishing you the best
    Hondo

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