Question -- Starting to Eat Again

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caviar918
caviar918 Member Posts: 8
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband is currently going to a speech therapist for swallowing exercises. He has been told the exercises are making him stronger and he was able to swallow small sips of liquids at his last visit with the ENT doc. They have not said anything to him about eating or drinking again. He is disappointed about this. My question is...does he need to be patient and wait for the go-ahead from the doc or can he try to drink/eat something soft on his own?

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  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
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    common sense applies
    If this wasnt specifically stated, call back and ask. Unless there are significant circumstances that militatenagainst further attempts to swallow, he should be able to continue to try on his own at home. If hes not bee. swallowing at all, very small amounts. Liquids first. Avpid aspiration. but call, they clearly forgot to saynsomething here.


    Pat
  • Irishgypsie
    Irishgypsie Member Posts: 333
    #3
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    Can't hurt to try!
    I would have to say if he feels like trying and it isn't too painful go ahead a try to sip, swallow what he can!! His body will let him know what he can and can't do!!

    Charles
  • davkel
    davkel Member Posts: 20
    #4
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    Good timing on your question
    I too have just begun to start eating again. I am 3 months to the day of finishing my radiation treatments and I just completed a swallow test on Tuesday. My speech therapist now has me graduating from water only to thickened broths and purees. It's surprising how difficult even those are to swallow. I have problems with swelling in the area of my esophagus making it hard for my epiglottis to move efficiently, do you have this problem?
  • davkel
    davkel Member Posts: 20
    #5
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    So how has the eating been
    So how has the eating been going? I hope he has progress being made. I have had clearance from the speech therapist to eat anything I can get down but so far only sips of thickened liquids and not very much of that. Mucus seems to build up and I have to wait a while. But I guess you can still call it progress.

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