Esophageal problems

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CrimsonRacing
CrimsonRacing Member Posts: 27 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Need some input please....I am dealing with radiation damage to my esophagus and am wondering f anyone who has experienced the same could let me know at what point were you ble to swallow solid food and what did you begin with.

 

Ive had 8 EGD procedures to help with the stricter in my throat. After my second Barium swallow today,I was given the green light to begin eating.

 

i could surely use some input please.

 

 

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  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #2
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    i finished my rads 10/22/09

    i finished my rads 10/22/09 and i've had problems swallowing ever since.  i have had my throat stretched many times to help me swallow.  the last time was in june.  i also had a swallow test done which showed that my throat has narrowed more since the previous swallow test.  I am able to eat everything except most meat, steak is out of the question.  i usually eat hamburger or chix.  it takes me a LONG time to eat as i have to chew, chew, chew, and then chew some more to ensure the food is small enough to go down my throat.  it still gets stuck sometimes and takes me a minute or two to get it unstuck.  i will have this problem the rest of my life, I'm just praying my throat doesn't get any more narrow.  so, unfortunately, it could be a "forever" problem or maybe you could be lucky and you will get better.  I'm hoping you will.  good luck and God bless,

    dj

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    #3
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    swallowing

    I had my radiation in 2007 for tonsil cancer.

    In 2012 I started having trouble swallowing.  Got bad enough to change medications in Jan 2013, and started dilations in 2013.  Ended up w/ a feeding tube.  The last dilation was in December when the doctor noticed something.  Did a biopsy.  It was cancer again.  In Jan 2014 - had a total laryngectomy.

    Up until that biopsy, I had exams by ENTs, had 2 CT scans, had 2 barium swallows, and 13 dilations.  All told me it was radiation scar tissue.  It wasn't.

    Get a PET scan if you can if it starts to close up again.  Even if the doctors don't see anything, it can still be cancer - the PET scan will show it.  Beg, plead, cry - do whatever you need to do to get it done.

    Sorry, don't want to be a downer, but I don't want to see this happen to every one else.

    Lorna 2007 & 2014

     

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #4
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    Hey Crimson

    If your difficulty  swallowing is bad eough you have already had 8 EGD proceedures you shouldn't have to ask for  our lay advice.  That's why there are speech/swallowing therapists out there.  You should be on somebody's weekly therapy schedules for swallowing practice and assigned exercises geared to getting your  swallowing back.  Under those conditions, all of this is done with you by a pro.  If it isn't already happening, time for you to request it.

     

    best to you

     

     

    Pat

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #5
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    longtermsurvivor said:

    Hey Crimson

    If your difficulty  swallowing is bad eough you have already had 8 EGD proceedures you shouldn't have to ask for  our lay advice.  That's why there are speech/swallowing therapists out there.  You should be on somebody's weekly therapy schedules for swallowing practice and assigned exercises geared to getting your  swallowing back.  Under those conditions, all of this is done with you by a pro.  If it isn't already happening, time for you to request it.

     

    best to you

     

     

    Pat

    After surgery and rest my

    After surgery and rest my surgen sent to a speach/swallow specialist.She did the swallow text with the x-ray and watched me swallow.There is a flap that opens and closes to keep food or fluid from going into the lungs.That is what happens when we use to say went into the wrong pipe.She started me on fluids the we worked up to small pieces of meat,pancakes rice things like that.And still used my peg tube.As the rads started went to her twice a week and she hooked my neck and throat up to some electrobss.And would give me slight shocks as I swallowed to help keep any scarring from either forming or becoming hard.She also sent me to a massage guy.He would massage along sides of neck to help move any liquids from forming into scare tissue.I went for about mouth after rads were done as I was able to keep swallowing and less and less on peg tube.Will start back after my surgen sends me to have teeth made up.As she said will have to learn to swallow and speak in another new normal.Ask your surgen or even your ENT or rad doctors they cann help you..And it's worth learning the new normaal

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