Ending week three - throat becoming an issue

OKCnative

47 year old male with SCC base of tongue stage III, HPV+. Just ending week three of daily radiation. Chemo is every three weeks and I get hit with the second round next week.

I've actually been doing really well up to this point. I'm 20 pounds over my average weight, I work full-time, I eat normally and go out to eat pretty often. I haven't taken any meds (nausea/pain) since day 2 of treatment.

Up to this point my only side effects to treatment were ongoing headaches, ringing in the ears and fatigue would set in about 7pm.

Yesterday though, I woke up with an extremely sore throat. Sore enough I obviously whence when I swallow (food or no food). I can deal with that if it doesn't get much worse.

However, this morning I woke up to something in the back of my throat that was on the verge of gagging me. As a matter of fact, trying to clear my throat did kick in my gag reflex.

I assume it's Phlegm that accumulated over night. But I'll be damned if I can clear it. Trying warm tea now, so we will see how that goes.

Did any others experience this that could tell me what's going on and how they dealt with it?

FYI - I don't have a feeding tube.

AnotherSurvivor

At week 3 was when my mucus

At week 3 was when my mucus kicked in, which seems to be about average. Use the search function here for many threads on phlegm suction pumps for recomendations, also, different techniques for coping,  but lidocane mouthwash, which you should have a prescript for, and salt and soda rinse are probably going to be your best options.  The pain and mucus come from the damaged tissue from the radiation, and will get worse before they get better.  End of treatment and recovery are the only real solutions.  Doesn't offer much relief, I know, but where you are now pretty much all of us have been, and we do pull thru, as will you.  This cancer has a well deserved rep of being a hard course of treatment but having a high rate of cure.   Also, start religously monitoring your temp, and vitals like blood pressure.  The cancer probably won't kill you, but the side effects can.  

CivilMatt

20 lbs, that's pretty good

OKC,

I used magic mouth wash very successfully from about week four till just  past post.  My vintage was very good and I went through 6 bottles, swishing, sipping and swallowing every drop for the throat, mouth and tongue discomfort.

Most of us reach week 3 with a thought of  “this isn’t too bad” , but it is short lived.  Buckle-up, keep drinking water and swallowing, get plenty of nourishment and plow through to the end.

We offer lots off advice, but you will manage to find what works best for you.  Don’t get mad or upset, get determined.  Your body will react in funny ways and your brain needs to step in to help out.

Matt

Darylscc

Sore Throat

New here, been lerking a lot and just started week 5 of daily IMRT and weekly chemo.  OKC Native, I experienced the same thing that you are describing. Realizing that everuone is different I was able to figure out that mine was a combination of periodic swelling at the back of the tongue and mucus. My physician presecibed regular Mucinex for night time to help with the mucus and it has been a great help.  I've been lucky in that I can still eat some foods and I find that morning is the roughest. Getting plenty of liquids down early seems to help with the morning gags and pain then I can move on to my grits and eggs. 

Sprint Car Dude

Swish and Spit

Swish and Spit with Baking Soda and Water mix.  I used this 4-5 times a day. It prolonged the the inevitable until about the 5th week. I mixed it up in a mason jar and just kept in on the bath room counter top.

soonermom

The Wicked Gagging

Yes, this stage is the beginning of the hard part.  My husband had some success with warm organic peach tea.  You will get through it. If you are still sleeping, count that as a plus.  We spent many nights with this issue keeping us both up.  On your next visit with the Dr. B., if you tell them your symptoms they will have some things to give you to try.  Honestly, there are a variety of things that other people found successful that did not really work for my husband but we still made it through.  Some of them will probably work for you.  This was part of what would trigger other issues for him that made keeping food down difficult.  Everyone repsonds differently.  We kept trying every single thing they offered.  Hang in there.  

OKCnative

Thanks for the replies.

Thanks for the replies.

I've been doing the soda and salt rinse religiously 2-5 times a day for a while. It actually has made my mouth slightly raw so I cut the salt a bit.

I also have 4 different mouthwashes they've had me try. Problem is, the phlegm is so far back in my throat that swishing nor gargling ever touch it. Trying to clear my throat (like to spit) always kicks-in my gag reflex. Weird sensation like I could suffocate.

OKCnative

One thing that is helping so

One thing that is helping so far is to immediately get up, spit as much as I can, and then drink warm tea and some warm oatmeal (very watery) with blueberries (no salt, no sugar, no seasoning whatsoever).

I am checking with my insurance to see about renting an aspirator - otherwise I'm going to buy one.

AnotherSurvivor

Apria is the bottled oxygen

Apria is the bottled oxygen supplier in my area, and they rent a portable scum pump.  My oncol's nurse wrote a prescription and insurance covered all but $4 a month.  I would imagine providers in other areas offer the same.  I pretty much used that one and one I bought constantly until about 6 weeks post.  The long rigid wand makes it possible to reach back in and suck, but be careful on that.  The mucus is also a biofilm that your body is secreting to try to protect the damaged tissue, you don't want to dry things up completely.

SuzJ

OKC

I know what you are talking  about. Im. 14 weeks now? - and there are times I think I'm going to suffocate, and I panic a bit.. I have found coughing.. and brushing my teeth - amazing how far back that brush goes! - can loosen, and sometimes dislodge it, then Im ok for a day..

OKCnative

Doctor submitted the

Doctor submitted the paperwork for the suction machine. Won't know until later next week what insurance says. If they deny it, I'm buying one online.

Going to bed and then getting up the next morning is a nightmare the last two nights. 

As soon as I'm ready for bed (around 9-10pm) I can feel the mucous accumulate in the back of my throat. I start spitting constantly (like every 30 seconds). I take liquid Mucinex, spray my nose if it has become stopped up, brush my teeth and use 3 different mouth washes they've given me. It's still another hour or two before the mucous lets up enough I can sleep.

When I wake up, my throat is so sore and dry and I can't even drink water. I do the gargling again and take a warm shower and sip on hot tea. Takes about an hour for the throat to loosen up and the mucous to breakdown and come back up when I spit.

What a nightmare. Hope it doesn't get any worse.

QUESTION: I'm not someone who ever really takes pain meds - beyond aspirin. What (if anything) prescription wise seems to work best for the pain invovled in swallowing? When I'm not swallowing, my throat feels fine. It's just as I swallow.

SuzJ

ok..

repeat after me - "this is normal, they've all been there"

 

Remember, this too shall pass, I swore off pain meds, but by week 1/2 after radiation finished, I was taking Oxy to be able to swallow. I took it basically to be able to eat, just didnt swallow the rest of the time

CivilMatt

discomfort abounds

OKC,

The mixture I had for magic mouth wash was terrific.  It reduced the throat, tongue and mouth discomfort to a very manageable level.  I used to take a hit in the parking lot just before rads.

I also had the liquid lidocaine for mouth sores.

I also had the salt and soda mixture in a half gallon container to use constantly.

I also had a spit and gag session before bedtime.

If you get a suction machine, get the super deluxe version that sucks out all the bad side effects.

You will make it, if you need pain meds, no big deal.  You want to concentrate on the “getting finished” THE  BIG PICTURE.

Best of luck,

Matt

larrydsparks

salt /soda ratio?

what is the ratio of salt to soda mixture?? my husbands mouth saors are just srating he has 3 weeks to go on radiation starting tomorrow.

 

possumtrot

2 weeks of treatment left

OKCnative, your progress sounds a lot like mine.  Sore throat hit me about week three which is when I started taking oxycodone 5mg about twice a day and magic mouth wash occasionally before eating. I have about  2 weeks left of chemo (cysplatin) and radiation and throat is becoming increasingly sore. I've lost my appetitite, food is like medicine I take to keep my calories up.  I use a calorie counting app to make sure I get close to my target each day. Ensure Alive has 350 calories for a small amount of fluid so I take a least one a day of those. It sounds like the worst is to come for me, especially after treatment. I just keep hanging in tehre, try not to project and keep positive...

Andy13460

Ending week 3

Im hoping that you have been using the baking soda mouthwash several times a day up to now it does make a big difference as the weeks progress. I went on pain meds week 3 and ended up using oranmorph by week 7. If the mouth gets sore magic mouthwash is great. I only used anti nausea on the chemo days and for 3 days after they worked fine for me. We get fortisip in Ireland 300cals in 125ml shake its a complete meal, high protein I went on 8 a day at the end it was easier than stressing over meals. Im 8 weeks out of treatment yesterday out for steak and beers tonight. I didnt get mucus in the throat until after treatment its there when I wake up but goes after a couple of hot tea's.