Need Swallowing Advice
Comments
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Advice
My half-a-million dollar team had a great Speech Pathologist. She not only worked for a few months to get me to talk, but also spent many an hour working with me on getting my epiglottis to shrink enough so food would enter my esophagus. Every other week, I was put through the torture of that dang Barrium test, which was highly motivational to carry out the prescribed excersises in order to swallow. I was dependent on the tube for 11 months, until I made up my mind that I was not going to use it anymore. When I could document that I could go a month eating orally, and not losing weight, then....and only then....the tube could be yanked. It worked. Find yourself a good Speech Path professional.
Larry0 -
Hi Joan. Have you had a
Hi Joan. Have you had a swallowing study yet? That could show what the difficulty is and maybe if a dilation is needed or if you can work with a speech pathologist and so swallowing exercises to help. I was on a peg tube for 18 months and had to be stretched two times. I still have a stricture though, and I eat very slowly. I've learned to prepare my food differently (I mince a lot of my food in a chopper) and to cook it so that I can swallow it. I eat a lot of vegetables and grains, drink a lot of my calories, make a lot of soups, and I cannot really eat much meat, but I'm eating good food now and have no tube.0 -
SwallowingCajunEagle said:Advice
My half-a-million dollar team had a great Speech Pathologist. She not only worked for a few months to get me to talk, but also spent many an hour working with me on getting my epiglottis to shrink enough so food would enter my esophagus. Every other week, I was put through the torture of that dang Barrium test, which was highly motivational to carry out the prescribed excersises in order to swallow. I was dependent on the tube for 11 months, until I made up my mind that I was not going to use it anymore. When I could document that I could go a month eating orally, and not losing weight, then....and only then....the tube could be yanked. It worked. Find yourself a good Speech Path professional.
Larry
Thank you for responding to my question. You have just motivated me to force myself to do the exercises given to me and I am meeting with my swallow team leader tomorrow.0 -
Swallowingsweetblood22 said:Hi Joan. Have you had a
Hi Joan. Have you had a swallowing study yet? That could show what the difficulty is and maybe if a dilation is needed or if you can work with a speech pathologist and so swallowing exercises to help. I was on a peg tube for 18 months and had to be stretched two times. I still have a stricture though, and I eat very slowly. I've learned to prepare my food differently (I mince a lot of my food in a chopper) and to cook it so that I can swallow it. I eat a lot of vegetables and grains, drink a lot of my calories, make a lot of soups, and I cannot really eat much meat, but I'm eating good food now and have no tube.
Thank you so much responding to my question regarding swallowing and when I see my doctor at the end of this month will bring up the stretching with him.0 -
Swallowingsweetblood22 said:Hi Joan. Have you had a
Hi Joan. Have you had a swallowing study yet? That could show what the difficulty is and maybe if a dilation is needed or if you can work with a speech pathologist and so swallowing exercises to help. I was on a peg tube for 18 months and had to be stretched two times. I still have a stricture though, and I eat very slowly. I've learned to prepare my food differently (I mince a lot of my food in a chopper) and to cook it so that I can swallow it. I eat a lot of vegetables and grains, drink a lot of my calories, make a lot of soups, and I cannot really eat much meat, but I'm eating good food now and have no tube.
I forgot to mention that I did have a swallow study and am meeting with my team leader tomorrow.0 -
Don't worry
My husband finished treatment for stage 4 BOT cancer mid August. Still can't eat but does drink water although not enough. Some get off the tube within a few months, others it takes up to a year or more. Do those exercises!!!! They do help.
Don't give up, it will get better.
Blessings,
Debbie0 -
Hey Seahorsejim and i said:Don't worry
My husband finished treatment for stage 4 BOT cancer mid August. Still can't eat but does drink water although not enough. Some get off the tube within a few months, others it takes up to a year or more. Do those exercises!!!! They do help.
Don't give up, it will get better.
Blessings,
Debbie
Sorry you are having problems swallowing. I too had issues for many months. I had my tube for 13 months and learned to eat from scratch. I started with yogurt, it took 45 minutes to eat first time.....then on to puddings, then soup, then some cottage cheese, then on to chicken cut up small, then on to steak, again really small. You get my drift. I started to eat soft stuff, then tried the harder stuff. if I couldn't get it down, I'd wait another month and try it again. This whole process is a year plus of trying so don't get discouraged. It will come but verrrrrry slowly....I am 20 months post treatment and last night I had chicken, rice, cottage cheese, salad and a cookie!!! Lots of liquid to wash it all down. I've found milk is the best rinse to get food down, better than water for sure.....Keep trying and don't get discouraged, the tube is your friend right now as it keeps your weight up and gets you all the protein you need,,,,be thankful for it. I hated it, but looking back it was a great choice for me. I lost 20 lbs and have kept it off and feel great now.....trying to eat more healthful stuff than I did before "C"....
All the best to you, just keep patient and positive and you'll be o.k.
Steve0 -
Swallowingjim and i said:Don't worry
My husband finished treatment for stage 4 BOT cancer mid August. Still can't eat but does drink water although not enough. Some get off the tube within a few months, others it takes up to a year or more. Do those exercises!!!! They do help.
Don't give up, it will get better.
Blessings,
Debbie
Thanks for the encouragement. I just met with my swallow team leader and promised her I would be more faithful with my exercises (been kind of lazy about them). She also set me up for as swallow study and told me that thicker drinks, such loose smoothies, are sometimes easier to swallow than water as was goes down too fast for people who have these problems and swallow slowly. Check with your doctors on this for your husband. Good Luck0 -
Swallowinghawk711 said:Hey Seahorse
Sorry you are having problems swallowing. I too had issues for many months. I had my tube for 13 months and learned to eat from scratch. I started with yogurt, it took 45 minutes to eat first time.....then on to puddings, then soup, then some cottage cheese, then on to chicken cut up small, then on to steak, again really small. You get my drift. I started to eat soft stuff, then tried the harder stuff. if I couldn't get it down, I'd wait another month and try it again. This whole process is a year plus of trying so don't get discouraged. It will come but verrrrrry slowly....I am 20 months post treatment and last night I had chicken, rice, cottage cheese, salad and a cookie!!! Lots of liquid to wash it all down. I've found milk is the best rinse to get food down, better than water for sure.....Keep trying and don't get discouraged, the tube is your friend right now as it keeps your weight up and gets you all the protein you need,,,,be thankful for it. I hated it, but looking back it was a great choice for me. I lost 20 lbs and have kept it off and feel great now.....trying to eat more healthful stuff than I did before "C"....
All the best to you, just keep patient and positive and you'll be o.k.
Steve
Dear hawk711
Thanks for the encouragement. Even though it is hard, I will try to be more patient and stop thinking negatively. Just met with my Swallow Team leader who said I will eat one day, it will happen. Keep doing exercises to strengthen my throat and tongue muscles.
Joan0
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