Doc advice : eat at any cost

Sam999
Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I had a appt with my doc today and she said to just start eating whatever i could and not to worry about pain in throat. She said if needed take pain med but keep pushing in eating. I have was eating pureed food okay but when try to eat pieces, my throat was hurting. I could eat but than throat would hurt. She said to take pain med and start having soft food pieces so throat gets used to eating bigger pieces.

I am 6 weeks post treatment.

Is this what your doc said?

I took pain med today and ate apple thin slices and loved it!

Sam

Comments

  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #2
    Eating and pain
    Sam,
    Yes the pain meds are important to use to get through issues ! I also did the lidocaine mixed with benydrl and maalox....equal parts. (2TBSP each) It coated my throat enough to get through the pain of sores in throat and mouth. People also continue the magic mouth wash ....which my insurance didn't cover. Soft foods are the easiest, and work your way up gradually. It sounds like you're doing really good Sam. I hope it continues ! Warmest regards, Katie
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #3
    katenorwood said:

    Eating and pain
    Sam,
    Yes the pain meds are important to use to get through issues ! I also did the lidocaine mixed with benydrl and maalox....equal parts. (2TBSP each) It coated my throat enough to get through the pain of sores in throat and mouth. People also continue the magic mouth wash ....which my insurance didn't cover. Soft foods are the easiest, and work your way up gradually. It sounds like you're doing really good Sam. I hope it continues ! Warmest regards, Katie

    Thanks Katie. Yes i
    Thanks Katie. Yes i definately need to use magic mouthwash but also need additional strong pain med like hydromorphine as my throat hurts after eating. My doc said to continue to eat even if that means i keep taking stronger pain meds for some time. I was afraid to eat with so much throat pain.

    Samm
  • Billie67
    Billie67 Member Posts: 898
    #4
    Sam999 said:

    Thanks Katie. Yes i
    Thanks Katie. Yes i definately need to use magic mouthwash but also need additional strong pain med like hydromorphine as my throat hurts after eating. My doc said to continue to eat even if that means i keep taking stronger pain meds for some time. I was afraid to eat with so much throat pain.

    Samm

    Eating
    I've been trying foods for a few weeks now, pain or not. My Dr says "good job" I do take pain meds to help me when my throat is super sore and I take 4 advil when it's less sore. Speech therapist said we must eat to keep those muscles working. It's not always easy but I've been doing it. I hope you start finding it easier and easier to eat and nourish yourself. Mashed potatoes and corn (I like them mixed together) seem to work really well for me.
    Good luck to you!
    Billie
  • ToBeGolden
    ToBeGolden Member Posts: 695
    #5
    Absolutely take pain meds and eat what you can
    I took hydrocodine, waited half hour, then ate for an hour. I ate everything (including water) at body temperature (the temperature you would feed a baby). Both hot and cold food/drink hurt more. Then after the hour, I would not swallow at all for 3 hours (when it was time for the next pain meds). I spit into a tissue. This gave me three hours of being almost pain free. And the pain free time was enough to allow me to endure the one hour of pain when I ate. Rick.
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #6
    ToBeGolden said:

    Absolutely take pain meds and eat what you can
    I took hydrocodine, waited half hour, then ate for an hour. I ate everything (including water) at body temperature (the temperature you would feed a baby). Both hot and cold food/drink hurt more. Then after the hour, I would not swallow at all for 3 hours (when it was time for the next pain meds). I spit into a tissue. This gave me three hours of being almost pain free. And the pain free time was enough to allow me to endure the one hour of pain when I ate. Rick.

    Ok great, now i dont feel

    Ok great, now i dont feel bad to take pain meds just to eat. I take hydromorphine for pain and also use magic mouthwash and concentrated lycodine when I eat. I have one spot in throat which is very sore and bothers me the most. Doc said it will take couple more weeks to get things better.

    She explained that if we dont work the muscles in throat harder, they could get in a state where swallowing bigger food pieces could be a problem.

    Billy, i love corn, will definatelu give mashed potato plus corn a try.

    I am also going to try harder to eat other food.

    Sam
  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #7
    Sam999 said:

    Ok great, now i dont feel

    Ok great, now i dont feel bad to take pain meds just to eat. I take hydromorphine for pain and also use magic mouthwash and concentrated lycodine when I eat. I have one spot in throat which is very sore and bothers me the most. Doc said it will take couple more weeks to get things better.

    She explained that if we dont work the muscles in throat harder, they could get in a state where swallowing bigger food pieces could be a problem.

    Billy, i love corn, will definatelu give mashed potato plus corn a try.

    I am also going to try harder to eat other food.

    Sam

    Eating
    Hi Sam ,

    While I didn't have any mouth or throat pain, it was the total loss of taste for most of everything I enjoyed that bothered me, but my food police as I called my sister and niece who were with me thru the beginning of chemo to the end of rads made sure I ate and stayed hydrated. Plus at my weekly rad doc appointment his nurse weighed me, and swear to goodness in another life she was a drill sgt , if I lost more than 2 lbs per week, she scowled something fierce. My main motive to keep eating taste or not, was not to have to get a feeding tube, that was mt choice and I know that it for many was the only means they had for nutrition. SOOOOOOO keep swallowing a bit at a time , do what ever it takes, and as my doc told me food is fuel , and it's the fuel we need to heal.

    Linda
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #8
    twice
    that is twice i have heard that, a friend of mine was told the same. he was nervous but did and and now just 8 weeks post treatment is doing amazingly well.

    go for it, always seems good for me to listen to doc.

    john
  • blackswampboy
    blackswampboy Member Posts: 341
    #9
    your mileage may vary
    your doc most likely knows what's best for you...

    mine strongly recommended a PEG tube, and I'm glad he did. never had any trouble with swallowing, but my mouth is a mess and weight loss was a big problem. can't imagine how I'd get 2000+ calories per day by eating food I can't taste.
    I'm also not keen on relying on pain meds--but that's just me.

Discussion Boards