Vita-Stim Swallowing Therapy

kimmygarland

Bob started this electrically stimulated swallow therapy this week. They put electrodes around his neck, wrap his neck in some other stuff, and then turn on this machine while he does swallowing exercises.

Anyone else have this therapy and did it work??? He goes 4 days a week, 1 hour sessions, for four weeks.

Note - he can't swallow much more than his spit and very small sips of water at this point.

Hondo

Hi Kimmy
Can’t say I ever heard of it but if it works all the best. I am using a Violet Ray machine to help me with opening my Jaw along with using the Therabite, I am like you praying it works

sweetblood22

Wow, never heard about this.
Wow, never heard about this. Is it for strictures? Or lack of swallowing muscles? I hope it works for him. Please keep us posted. I would like to know if anyone has had success with this as well.

sportsman

Vita Stem Swallowing
I tried this for several months and found it did not help me at all. I think when our swallowing is so bad that we will try almost anything to improve it. Evidently it may help some or it may just be another gimmick out for the medical profession to make money. I could see possibly this might help someone such as a stroke victim who would probably have less swallowing problems than the ones of us that have severe radiation damage. Don't give up, keep trying everything you can to help improve your swallowing. My theory is that if my insurance will pay then i will try it. I tell people now how I took swallowing and having saliva for granted. Now since eating is a chore rather than a pleasure I realize how blessed I was. As I sit here typing this right now around my lunchtime, I am dreading going to force down nourishment I need to sustain my body. I do not know how far you are out of treatment but when I had my PEG removed almost four years ago now I could only take a few bites of pudding in with a baby spoon. I have had my esophagus dilated five times now with the balloon type dilation which helps temporarily but my stricture is really higher up in my throat and they tell me that it scarred so bad that there really is not anything else they can do. Keep trying and fighting and don't give up. God Bless

kimmygarland

sportsman said:

Vita Stem Swallowing
I tried this for several months and found it did not help me at all. I think when our swallowing is so bad that we will try almost anything to improve it. Evidently it may help some or it may just be another gimmick out for the medical profession to make money. I could see possibly this might help someone such as a stroke victim who would probably have less swallowing problems than the ones of us that have severe radiation damage. Don't give up, keep trying everything you can to help improve your swallowing. My theory is that if my insurance will pay then i will try it. I tell people now how I took swallowing and having saliva for granted. Now since eating is a chore rather than a pleasure I realize how blessed I was. As I sit here typing this right now around my lunchtime, I am dreading going to force down nourishment I need to sustain my body. I do not know how far you are out of treatment but when I had my PEG removed almost four years ago now I could only take a few bites of pudding in with a baby spoon. I have had my esophagus dilated five times now with the balloon type dilation which helps temporarily but my stricture is really higher up in my throat and they tell me that it scarred so bad that there really is not anything else they can do. Keep trying and fighting and don't give up. God Bless

Sportsman - I'm With You
The insurance is covering this - so we are trying it. It was recommended by our highly respected ENT Oncologist Surgeon, so hubby is doing it. The whole thing sounds very strange to me, but whatever.... I'm just praying it works.

Sorry to hear you still struggle with swallowing. My husband actually had very little swallowing problems after his chemo/rads. Then he had a recurrence and had surgery to remove tumor and rebuild throat, (6 weeks ago), and THAT's when the swallowing went away. Having said that, we are only 6 weeks out and we both realize that's early. We are trying to remain hopeful and he is determined to swallow again!

Take Care and get that nutrition down any way you can!

Nidociv

kimmygarland said:

Sportsman - I'm With You
The insurance is covering this - so we are trying it. It was recommended by our highly respected ENT Oncologist Surgeon, so hubby is doing it. The whole thing sounds very strange to me, but whatever.... I'm just praying it works.

Sorry to hear you still struggle with swallowing. My husband actually had very little swallowing problems after his chemo/rads. Then he had a recurrence and had surgery to remove tumor and rebuild throat, (6 weeks ago), and THAT's when the swallowing went away. Having said that, we are only 6 weeks out and we both realize that's early. We are trying to remain hopeful and he is determined to swallow again!

Take Care and get that nutrition down any way you can!

Vital - Stim
Heres my story with the Vital Stim treatments. I did Chemo and 35 radiation (no surgery) for base of the tongue with 2 nodes of the left side. I went a total of 18 months not being able to swallow. I drove 50 miles each time for 48 Vital Stim treatments with no change in my swallowing ability. Had me do a few swallowing test while doing these and kept telling me my epogolottis was swollen and not working and the treatments were suppose to help strengthen my swallowing muscles. At one swallowing test about at treatment # 30 they told me my swallowing was worse.. So after 48 of these I decided to give up and thought that I would have to live off the feeding tube forever. Then in Nov of last year, my family Dr had me scheduled for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. While doing the endoscopy, that Dr found what he called a web growing across my throat and cut it out. He said it may have started growing there from the radiation and then not swallowing, let it continue. Two weeks later I started to drink and eat small bites of things and by the middle of January, I had the feeding tube removed and am now able to eat almost anything. most things still with lots of liquid because of saliva damage but things continue to improve. So as far as the electrical Stimulation ?????? I'm not sure but I know it didn't work for me, but everyone is different. I wish you both the very best and hope that his swallowing returns soon. TC Randy