unable to swallow

Hos
Hos Member Posts: 3
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

one year after 36 rads and 5 chemos i went in for a radical neck disection and have not been able to sawllow sence

is there anyone that has had that problem?

Thanks Mike

Comments

  • Shell_7801
    Shell_7801 Member Posts: 71
    #2
    One trick

    I know of one thing that has helped me.  Now, I had a neck dissection on one side, not both.  Having said that, if you turn your head as far as you can in the direction of the side you had the surgery on (the muscles are real tight and it will be uncomfortable/hurt), it is much easier to swallow.  When I face forward and try to swallow it doesn't want to work and when it does it feels like it is getting hung up in my throat and not going down.  So the head turn has helped me tremendously.

    Shell

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
    Hi Mike

    Sometimes we need to ask the doctor for therapy, it is someone to help us learn how to swallow again.

     

    Tim Hondo

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #4
    Hondo said:

    Hi Mike

    Sometimes we need to ask the doctor for therapy, it is someone to help us learn how to swallow again.

     

    Tim Hondo

    During recovery and before

    During recovery and before rads the doctor sent me to a speach and swallow specialist.She was a big help.Took x-rays as I swallowed to check that little flap to make sure I could swallow without it going into lungs.We started eating soft food and worked our up and now eat just about anything except I put in a grinder to make sure it's small enough because my teeth were removed during surgery.She also hook up som electrobs along my throat while I ate.She said during treatment and even after this will keep care tissure from getting hard.Once it does get hard makes swallowing harder.I will go back sometime in Jan when I get my teeth back since she said that will be new also.

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #5
    i have a very hard time

    i have a very hard time swallowing but it is from rads, not my neck dissection.  not sure why a neck dissection would do that but not sure why it made my left arm not work any longer either.  i would definitely ask the doc and see what he says.  i hope they find a solution. 

    God bless you,

    dj

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