Swallowing after radiation...

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stevenpepe
stevenpepe Member Posts: 234
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I read radiation can cause swallowing issues years down the road, along with other issues. Right now, my swallowing is fine, nearly 2 weeks post rads.

Has anyone experienced swallowing issues months, even years down the road?

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  • Barbaraek
    Barbaraek Member Posts: 626
    edited July 2016 #2
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    During, after and still

    Yep, but my husband had a PEG for a long time, and was unable to swallow for several weeks due to mucositis and pain issues. It is like he is in training to swallow again. But it gets better as the days go by. At first he was really nervous and had to pluck up his nerve to even drink some water, but last Saturday at a wedding he managed a little bit of chicken, mashed potatoes, and cake. No steak for a year though :(  He can do ground beef or pulled pork if it's tender. I think the swallowing will continue to improve.

    Hopefully no further problems down the road, but they do say that radiation is "gift that keeps on giving." Fingers crossed that you keep up the good results and the progress Steve.

    Barbara

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
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    I have begun to have slight

    swallowing issues....I'm 4 years out of the first treatment (second radiation treatment was by my collar bone, and not an issue).  Up until last fall, I had no problem getting pills down....now every pill is a pain in the butt....they get lost in a dead zone in my throat, and have to be coughed up and retried.  Rachel...a girl who is also a member here, totally lost her ability to swallow like 8 years after treatment.  It can happen.

    One day at a time....it's a great way to live for most anything in life.....we get a crash course in how to do it....

    p

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #4
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    that is a mouthful

    Steven,

    That is why we push so hard on swallowing.  It seems trivial, but it is not.

    For me swallowing is very purposeful, too many bites between a drink and a swallow are a scary reminder of the serious changes post rads.

    I would not worry at this time, I would just be proactive when it comes to eating and swallowing (including pills).

    I have improved immensely post cancer, but I am Matt 2.0

  • Mikemetz
    Mikemetz Member Posts: 465 Member
    #5
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    The gift that keep on giving

    I'm over 7 years out from my rads and swallowing has been an issue the whole time.  I've had several esophegeal dilations, to the point that they don't want to stretch it any more.  Like Phrannie, any pills larger than a baby aspirin are a struggle to get down.  But, I also have some major chewing issues, so it's hard to know how much of my swallowing problems are due to my inability to chew foods fully before I try to get them down the pipe.  At some point, it is what it is, and we just have to cope with it the best we can, and choose foods that can be swallowed safely.

    Mike

     

  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #6
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    Folks....I'm not a salesperson for this product....

    But I'm a bona-fide user of a product known as "Pill Glide".  It's a spray bottle of grape or strawberry flavored liquid that one uses to lubricate the pill while in your mouth, and they then go down easily with water.  Even those 1/4 inch long suckers are no problem (at least for me).  My pharmacist keeps it on the shelve for me and those who I have "shown the way".  Or you can get it through Drugstore.com.  Like I always say with this Head and Neck junk.......It's always worth a try.........at least once

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #7
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    CajunEagle said:

    Folks....I'm not a salesperson for this product....

    But I'm a bona-fide user of a product known as "Pill Glide".  It's a spray bottle of grape or strawberry flavored liquid that one uses to lubricate the pill while in your mouth, and they then go down easily with water.  Even those 1/4 inch long suckers are no problem (at least for me).  My pharmacist keeps it on the shelve for me and those who I have "shown the way".  Or you can get it through Drugstore.com.  Like I always say with this Head and Neck junk.......It's always worth a try.........at least once

    I for one, Cajun....

    am heading to drugstore.com, and ordering some.  It's worth a try for me, that's for sure....maybe I can start taking my vitamins again. 

    THANK YOU!!!

    p

  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #8
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    phrannie51 said:

    I for one, Cajun....

    am heading to drugstore.com, and ordering some.  It's worth a try for me, that's for sure....maybe I can start taking my vitamins again. 

    THANK YOU!!!

    p

    Pill Glide

    Phrannie....start out with 1 vitamin in your mouth.....pump 3-4 sprays of Pill Glide on vitamin......move it around a little bit in your mouth to be sure it's coated.....sip oz. or two of water.....(and what I do) ....turn your head to the left as far as you can........and just swallow.  If it coughs back up, try the procedure again.  If still won't go down, I say it's a bad pill......give it a spanking....throw it away and try again tomorrow.  Good luck, y'all.

    Larry

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