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Long term swallowing issues
Hi,
Before I begin, I just want to offer some encouragement and hope to anyone recently diagnosed. It was my second cancer, the first being unrelated colorectal cancer.
I began my NPC journey in 2011. I underwent both radiation and chemotherapy at MSKCC (highly recommended). But have been NED since.
Recently, I have started to experience difficulty swallowing (especially so with dry grainy foods) likely due to the long term side effects of radiation. It's 2026 today, just over 15 years past diagnosis.
Also, wanted to add that I had problems swallowing an oval shaped tablet (always found them more problematic than capsules) and this had been happening a few times already. Additional gulps of water did nothing for me. It was just stuck like a clogged pipe. That said, I strangely remembered the lyrics of a song I heard from "The Sound of Music" growing up, "a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down". Funnily, I remembered the lyrics wrong and thought it was honey not sugar, and that was very helpful when followed by a couple more gulps of water!
If you have any long term effects of swallowing issues, could you please share your story and how you coped with it? I'm sure the community will be most grateful.
Wishing you all the best and stay positive!
Comments
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For me, some 10-1/2 years out from 68 greys to the base of my neck, weight loss led to a swallowing test and then a Feeding Tube placement- have not eaten by mouth since 8/6/2019.
Trouble swallowing large pills was in fact the first sign that the top of my esophagus had been damaged by the Rads.
Hope you don't have the same experience.
PS- Saw Mary Poppins in a Theater when young, loved it, and still think it's one heckuva great movie.
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I have also had issues with swallowing pills over a certain size for quite some time.
I can still swallow small pills like levothyroxine for the thyroid.
Anything bigger, like an Advil or a capsule like Gabapentin are too much of a risk.
I did get a Gabapentin capsule stuck one time, and it wouldn't go down or be forced back out with air, forcing it or coughing. I could breathe fine so I just stayed calm and put a little water in my mouth and atytempted to swallow a little to get it around the capsule figuring it was just a matter of time until normal moisture from my body and a bit of water would dissolve the capsule and I could swallow it down at least a bit at a time once it disintegrated with moisture. It worked, and I could swallow it down broken up now. This would probably work with most any pill; they have to dissolve sooner or later. But I know that thing is stuck in there, and it is a terribly uneasy feeling for a while; we don't like it because it's not normal.
My answer for many years now has been a pill grinder and applesauce.
Works great.
I usually thin the applesauce a slight bit with water, which helps to mix the pills with the applesauce and get a mixture to swallow, considering pills are powdery when ground up. I also add a packet of sweetener, it helps withb some of the pill flavors. Most are not bad, but you will find Gabapentin sort of bitter-tasting.
I have a very large tablespoon. I put a thin layer of applesauce on, then put the pill or pills I have ground on top of that, and cover the ground pills with applesauce and mix it all around in the tablespoon with a teaspoon until mixed well enough to swallow. The main thing here is to be sure it is mixed enough that there is no dry or powdery part of the pill in the mix; it should all be a liquid now, or basically an applesauce mix.
I buy 6 packs of the 4-ounce applesauce.
Once you use one, you will have that as a spare, because to add a little water and a sweetener packet, there is not enough room in a new applesauce to do that. So, as you empty an applesauce container and then open a new one, you can put a couple of teaspoons of applesauce in the one you just emptied so you have room in the new container you just opened to add a bit of water and a sweetener packet. (Sweetener packet is optional, your choice)
So you need Applesauce…
A pill grinder.
I have used a variety of pill grinders, and the best choice is to get one that grinds from the top down.
I have narrowed it down to my two most favorite and affordable pill grinders that grind from the top down, not like many in the drug stores or cheaper varieties that have all the pills on the bottom and you grind down on them. It is harder to grind them this way and harder to get the pills all ground up. Top-down grinding turns them into a fine powder.
One of my favorites is the Pug Pill Crusher, actually designed along the line of the old mortar and pedestal concept…
Key item features
- Functions as both a pill crusher and grinder.
- Designed to produce a very fine pill powder.
- Includes a travel container for convenient portability.
- Offers a simple and straightforward user experience.
- Engineered for ease of use, reducing strain on wrists.
- Features an easy-to-clean design, requiring only a rinse with warm water and air drying.
- The precise fit of the mortar and pestle helps ensure a complete grind without large medication chunks.
- Designed to prevent issues such as blocked feeding tubes or choking hazards.
It is $17.95 at Walmart…
MAXGRIND Pill Crusher and Pill GrinderThe other top-down grinder I like is the MAXGRIND Pill Crusher.
This is the one I am using now, and its size and the fact that it has a rubber easy grip top, is nice for us older folks.
Features for the MAXGRIND™ Pill CrusherProduct details
Red Dynamic crushing and grinding action that easily delivers finely crushed medication from the top down. The high-quality twist pill crusher and grinder features an ergonomic, easy-to-grip and twist design. Retrieving crushed medication is simplified by the top-down process where crushed medication is sifted and funneled through patterned slots into the clear, easy-view bottom serving cup. Comfortable anti-slip rubber grip. Easy dual-action crushing and grinding. Exclusive top-down crushing into serving cup. Free spin, pepper grinder action, delivers fine powder. Safe! BPA, latex-free and FDA-compliant materials. Built-in storage with a hinged lid.
- FREE SPIN: Unlike traditional twist crushers which stop crushing when the top is screwed tight against the bottom, MAXGRIND features a unique screw design which continues to grind medication when tightened. Once the top is screwed down to initially break and crush pills, a simple reverse twist then slight pressure on the top allows the grinding surface to freely spin similar to a pepper grinder, continuing to grind medications without any resistance and with total ease
- LESS RESIDUE LEFT BEHIND: Ridges on the grinding surface provide fast, dual action crushing and grinding with minimal residue left behind. Uniquely shaped and spaced ridges on the top crushing surface both crush and grind medications into a fine powder that is sifted/funneled into the bottom serving cup. These ridges are designed so that powder is pushed out and funneled through the crusher well slots into the bottom serving cup, leaving less residue behind which ensures a more complete dose
- INTERNAL CLEANING FEATURE: If you continue to free spin in the upright position after crushing is complete, air circulates within the crusher blowing remaining powder into the bottom cup, resulting in minimal medication remains on the grinding surface and in the crushing well. Clear, snap on serving cup allows easy viewing and collection of crushed medication
- TOP PILL STORAGE COMPARTMENT: With Hinged Lid Great for storing pills when traveling
- COMFORTABLE AND EASY TO GRIP: Anti-slip symmetrical design Ergonomic design and easy to grip rubberized material provide comfort when crushing and aid in the twisting effort
Walmart has them at $14.00…
Or $14.59 for the blue color…
Below is a video explaining how to use it…
MAXGRIND™ Pill Crusher and Grinder Instructional VideoThat's my 2 cents, I hope this helps someone.
Wishing You The Best
NEGU (Never Ever Give Up)
Take Care, God Bless
Russ
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Maybe a bit too much info, Russ. Nobody told me about the pill grinder stuff- just common sense.
And by the way, I don't crush any of my pills. Put them, often cut in half, in the crusher container with water. Doesn't take long for the medicine to become granular, then load up in my 10ml syringe and shoot into the Y-Port. Would work the same as drinking/sipping water by mouth.
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Thanks for sharing, Logan.
I'm so sorry to hear about your condition. I wish I had some advice for you but I don't and I applaude your courage facing life's adversities head on. I only recently started having swallowing issues, mainly intermittent with dry bulky foods and large pills (less so capsules). I guess we'll all get there at some point. It's just a matter of when.
Wishing you all the best in your journey forward.
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Hi all,
With grinding tablets, make sure you are not grinding or cutting slow release/ extended release tablets.
I am 10 years post radiation. Started to have issues with capsules and oval pills. I sip a water or any other juice before the pill. Then pill and lots of water. It is working most of the time, (for now).
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Very good point Mavish.
I hope everybody caught that.
You cannot grind up any time-release tablets because it then makes them no longer release their ingredients over time from a solid pill, the way they were designed to do.
And I didn't mention before, but I believe it is obvious that any capsules you take, just open them and mix them with applesauce, pudding, whatever works for you.
Also, just to mention, if you take a time-release capsule like Omeprazole, you can dump it in applesauce and take it that way; it won't affect a capsule of ingredients, but a solid pill can't be ground and taken if it is time-release because it makes the time-release feature null and void.
Wishing Everyone The Best
Take Care, God Bless
Russ
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