my mouth and radition

thennies61
thennies61 Member Posts: 285
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi everyone well I'm down to my last 4 radiation treatments but wondering about something.My mouth just filling up with thick slivia.It gets worse the more I try to talk.Have been hoping it would kind of ease up but have had this problem even before the operation.Makes it even harder to try and talk with slobbing all over.And never feel thirsty or hungry.

Comments

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #2
    thennies61, i had rads in

    thennies61, i had rads in oct. 2009 then laryngectomy and neck dissection 2/28/12.  i still slobber often when i try to talk.  it really gets embarrasing but i don't know how to stop it.  i hope this won't last this long for you.  i wish i had an answer for you.  if you find one, please be sure to share. 

    dj

     

  • PJ47
    PJ47 Member Posts: 376
    #3
    Good for you,
    You are almost finished with radiation! I had some problems with mucous and just carried a paper cup around and a napkin to spit in. It was annoying but did resolve. Certain foods/liquids made it worse and I had no appetite either and forced myself to take in 2000 cal. a day. Keep up you calories and water intake. You will be mending soon,
    Take Care,

    PJ
  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    #4
    I remember

    going to the grocery, armed with a box of kleenex, a bag to throw them in and hoping I didn't  run into anyone I knew. The mucus was a huge problem for me, but has, for the most part, gone away. Once in a while, it does flare up... but, no where near what it was. You're doing great for your timeframe, way ahead of where I was

  • jackflash22
    jackflash22 Member Posts: 524 Member
    #5
    Mucous

    Thennies, it's another cross to bear but it does get better after about 4 weeks. It doesn't completely go. I still get bits all day long but I carry tissues and descretely put the tissue over my nose and mouth so onlookers think I'm wiping my nose but I pass the mucous to the tissue. I can't swallow, so anything wet in my mouth has to be wiped away. I get through a box of tissues every three or four days. I feel very unsocialable with the many side effects these treatments leave you with. You'll find after finishing rads you get extreme fatigue days where you can't do anything then some energetic days, give in to the fatigue and make the most of the good days..".

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #6
    jackflash22 said:

    Mucous

    Thennies, it's another cross to bear but it does get better after about 4 weeks. It doesn't completely go. I still get bits all day long but I carry tissues and descretely put the tissue over my nose and mouth so onlookers think I'm wiping my nose but I pass the mucous to the tissue. I can't swallow, so anything wet in my mouth has to be wiped away. I get through a box of tissues every three or four days. I feel very unsocialable with the many side effects these treatments leave you with. You'll find after finishing rads you get extreme fatigue days where you can't do anything then some energetic days, give in to the fatigue and make the most of the good days..".

    The bad part is my mouth is

    The bad part is my mouth is usally full so I'm never thirsty even though my throat is dry.Plus not very hungry either but think that's more from the treatments as I was starting to eat and gain some weight until then.I have been putting aquaphor on the radiation burns on my chin but does'nt seen to help anything better I can use?? And hopefully things like speach and swallowing will get better next friday when they remove the trach.Any hints on that fun time also:)

     

  • PJ47
    PJ47 Member Posts: 376
    #7
    thennies61 said:

    The bad part is my mouth is

    The bad part is my mouth is usally full so I'm never thirsty even though my throat is dry.Plus not very hungry either but think that's more from the treatments as I was starting to eat and gain some weight until then.I have been putting aquaphor on the radiation burns on my chin but does'nt seen to help anything better I can use?? And hopefully things like speach and swallowing will get better next friday when they remove the trach.Any hints on that fun time also:)

     

    I had to use silvadine cream

    It is a script and I put it on heavy for about a week and the oozing purple skin and sores healed quickly and it did not hurt as soon as I started to use it.  Great stuff and my neck looks brand new now!  Speech and swollowing will come back too!

     

    PJ

  • FRONT AND CENTER
    FRONT AND CENTER Member Posts: 29
    #8
    thennies61 said:

    The bad part is my mouth is

    The bad part is my mouth is usally full so I'm never thirsty even though my throat is dry.Plus not very hungry either but think that's more from the treatments as I was starting to eat and gain some weight until then.I have been putting aquaphor on the radiation burns on my chin but does'nt seen to help anything better I can use?? And hopefully things like speach and swallowing will get better next friday when they remove the trach.Any hints on that fun time also:)

     

    Lotion for Rad Burns

    Miaderm.  (http://www.miaderm.com/).  Best stuff on the market.  I used it the entire time and no problems with my skin.

    I totally understand the thick mucuous.  OMG....that was a very annoying problem.  Always had to spit.  Always.  Thick stuff and lots of it.  
    Make yourself drink.  Make yourself eat while you can.  Keep swallowing.  


    Congrats.  4 more to go.....
    Kelly

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    #9
    Yep I do remember

    It does get better. But even after 4 years I still have issues. I drink lots of water throughout the day and the cooler is just outside my office which is a plus.

    Removing the trach is a piece of cake. I did one of them there hang on to the arm rests while sitting in the chair and didn't eevn realize the task was completed. The hole grows shut very quickly.

    Heal on

          Jeff

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #10
    Duggie88 said:

    Yep I do remember

    It does get better. But even after 4 years I still have issues. I drink lots of water throughout the day and the cooler is just outside my office which is a plus.

    Removing the trach is a piece of cake. I did one of them there hang on to the arm rests while sitting in the chair and didn't eevn realize the task was completed. The hole grows shut very quickly.

    Heal on

          Jeff

    The doctor was smiling as he

    The doctor was smiling as he told me he will pull it and it will close up and heal in a week or so.I would enjoy to sip on water or gatoraid but my mouth is just so full all the time.One thing I noticed is if I eat or drink anything I do have to rince my mouth to remove what ever is there.

  • jackflash22
    jackflash22 Member Posts: 524 Member
    #11
    thennies61 said:

    The bad part is my mouth is

    The bad part is my mouth is usally full so I'm never thirsty even though my throat is dry.Plus not very hungry either but think that's more from the treatments as I was starting to eat and gain some weight until then.I have been putting aquaphor on the radiation burns on my chin but does'nt seen to help anything better I can use?? And hopefully things like speach and swallowing will get better next friday when they remove the trach.Any hints on that fun time also:)

     

    when my trache was removed I

    when my trache was removed I felt no difference in breathing. I thought when they removed it and blocked the hole I would feel like I was suffocating but it felt normal as if I never had a trache. I had to press on the dressing while talking to help with the healing. It healed very quickly and I changed the dressings myself. I had Hydrogel for my neck burns then when they were better I rubbed in bio-oil. The Hydrogel was a sticky sort of goo but then dried like skin and dried up the burns. 

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #12
     

     never feel thirsty or

     

     never feel thirsty or hungry.

    This is something to be sure to focus on. You have to DRINK and EAT! It becomes a nuisance and job since you get no joy and have no hunger but mark the calendar every day and check it offf. Good luck, Don

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #13
    donfoo said:

     

     never feel thirsty or

     

     never feel thirsty or hungry.

    This is something to be sure to focus on. You have to DRINK and EAT! It becomes a nuisance and job since you get no joy and have no hunger but mark the calendar every day and check it offf. Good luck, Don

    I still try to drink and

    I still try to drink and eat.Right now my mouth is pretty sore and starting to find some things burn in my mouth when trying to swollow.But can swollow my slivia which helps.Have noticed now that the inside of mouth has swelled up alittle.It's either from the radiation or from when in speach she has been putting these electrobes along my neck and has me eat pudding or something to keep throat from getting hard.Does work but since I still don't have alot feeling there yet when she turns the juice up and might be to much.

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