WILL I EVER EAT AGAIN????

survivor32t

tobagogirl said:

You have an excellent chance of eating again. I haven't eaten in 4 years, resulting from extensive radiation to head and neck after sinus and submandibullar tumors were removed. No chemo and thankfully my feeding tube and I have bonded. I am also fortunate that I have retained my taste buds, even though nothing can get past the top of my throat, not even my own saliva. I cook all my meals as I would normally, put them through the blender and supplement with Ensure or Boost.
The mucus is a real challenge, but less so than in the beginning. Keep the faith and laugh as often as you can at yourself and your circumstances. The levity helps bring a different perspective.
I wish you well and will pray that you triumph.

Thank you for responding. I am starting to eat some. Not like I want to though and not like my Doctors want me to. It is a challenge but I am keeping a good attitude. Smiling and laughing are what gets me through each day. Thank you and God Bless.

digital_works

Hi, I had NPC 10/1999 and I can eat anything. Taste will come back in about 2 years. Get a crock pot, slow cooker now & mix up Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice, realy soupy/watery w/ soft cooked eggs w/ yolk runny. Slow cook turkey, chicken, fish and make veggies mushy soft. Blender up crock pot mushy food w/ milk and brewers yeast. slowly slup this wattery drink down. Drink green tea. For the hard mucus, snif water in your nose till the water is in your mouth, blow it all out your nose. I just fill up my hand under the faucet & snif. I still have dry hard snot all these years. Remember you don't have saliva & natural body fluids from the rads. Your nose fluids are all dried up. Get a room humidifier & sleep w/ 90% humidity. Get rid of dusty blankets, sleep w/ sleeping bags, synthetic nylon clothes, since cotton & wool will shed alot of dust. If you can swallot, try Ginko Bilboa 300 or 400 mg, melatonin and vitamin C 500 mg.
Don't try lemons, your saliva glands are gone for now. Lemon makes you want to make saliva and so under your jaw will ache, like cramps. Blender any food right now w/ milk, or turkey gravy?, chicken gravy. Just make it real soupy/watery. Milk shakes, 1 1/2 cup of milk, 1 banana, 1 teaspoon of chocolate cocoa powder, teaspoon peanut butter, teaspoon brewers yeast. 1 1/2 cup of milk, whey protein powder ... vanilla or chocolate, brewers yeast. 1 1/2 cup of milk w/ handful of strawberries, ... or any berries. 1 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup cooked instant mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup tofu. Forget about chewing food, let the blender do that work, just drink swallow anything you can think of. Cut down on fatty foods & red meats for now. Supermarket has veggie & fruit juices, like Odwalla drinks. Odwalla protein drinks. Or get a juicer at KMart, Wal-Mart and make your own juice drinks, apple/carrot/orange. pineapple/coconut/strawberry. Welcome to the world of juicing.

trisha10

Hi Survuvor321,
I think we have the same problem.I'm a survivor of Proximal Esophageal CA stage 2, a tumor was discovered at the bifurcation of my esophagus just adjascent to my vocal cords.I had Radaiation (IMRT) and Chemo (Cisplation 3 sessions). Radiation paralyzes my vocal cords, abducted (paralyzed open) hence I loss my voice. I'm on Tracheostomy tubes w/c they changes every 4 months to prevent me from aspiration. Problem was, granulations set in as a complications from radiations and it occurs right at the site of exposure, meaning at the bifurcation of the esophagus at this totally obstruct my food pipe. I'm on Gastric tube, and these were I eat and drink, provided foods are clean, cooked and osterized. I cannot totally swallow even my saliva. I'm on tubes for almost 1 1/2 yrs now. Yes, mucus is terrible. Despite this condition, I never stop believing and hoping that one day thru God's help I can eat again. And so are you. Never ever loose hope. Hold on to your faith. Lord is the great healer. Pray a lot. Keep on praying and He will answer all your prayers. Try God.

Trisha10

kurt3000gt

survivor32t said:

Thank you so much. I am trying to be patient but sometimes it is hard. The mucos is worse than not being able to eat. My cancer did effect my tongue somewhat. It deviates to one side and my speech is off. But thank you for responding. Just reading about other people and what others have written on here it makes me really think. I am not as bad off as some. My prayers go out to everyone battleing any kind of cancer or disease. I am so glad this network is out for us to communicate and learn things. I have another question if anyone is able to answer...well..maybe two. Does anyone elses ears bother them from the chemo?? Mine make me feel like I am in a hole. And...does anyone still get sick to their stomache sometimes?? I will be fine all day and evening. But at night when I get ready to lay down, I get sick. Thank you and God Bless

Ear trouble, plugged or slight earache

I had a little trouble with my ears, seemed like slightly infected or just blocked a bit.  I started using a turkey baster with a short length of 1/4 inch hose to clear out ears in the shower. Fill bulb and baster tube with warm water and 1-2 drops shampoo or body wash, squirt into each ear several times. Then rinse out baster and refill with warm water, rinse each ear 2-3 times and repeat every 2-3 days as needed.

kurt3000gt

survivor32t said:

Lol..yes...I have been starting to try new things. A few mashed potatos,some soup that contains rice,,,yum...I still crave the good hard to chew stuff though. And I watch the food network all the time. Thank you for the encouragment. We non-eaters have to stick together. Someone did reccommend a cook book that is called the I Can't Chew Cookbook. It is recipes for soft foods. I have not got one yet but I am debating on it. I looked at it online and it seems to have some good recipes. So are you still not able to eat right now??? I know this sounds funny ...and it is along way down the road...but I am craving a taco. I do not know why (probably all those Taco Bell commercial)lol..anyway thank you and you are in my prayers as well. I will never take eating for granted again.

Some food hints during recovery phase

I would say it took 3-4 wks after treatment to Just Begin seeing improvements.  Now after 6-7 wks I am finding some things.

Philly cheese steak with lots of juice, small bites, like heaven.  Tillapia lightly pan fried, same with shrimp, very small bites usually washed down with any clear brooth after each bite.

Fish/shrimp/lobster all are soft enough to not gag you when swallowing, good to put in Top Ramen with well cooked cut up brussel sprouts or peas and carrots.

Soft cooked eggs are a savior, or scrambled with milk added.  Can put in some diced onions or green pepper or artichoke hearts. Just last week(+6 wks recovery) I have been able to nibble on toast, chew a bit, then take a drink of milk or cocoa before swallowing.