Found New Help for Saliva

robswife87 said:

Way to expensive

I just checked our insurance and it does not cover the Neutrasal. it would cost over $5000 for a 90 day supply. Did some research and it appears Caphosol is equal to it and insurance covers that one. Will let you know how it goes?

$5000 dollars??? That is nuts!!!

SylMarie said:

Joanne, did the Gabapentin

Joanne, did the Gabapentin help you? I was told by the rad. onc. that if started soon into treatment and then liquid Oxy was gradually added when the pain started, most patients were able to continue to swallow pretty well and didn't end up needing a PEG, even if they were getting rads 5 days a week and once-weekly chemo. Was that your experience, or is the doc being overly-optimistic?  

Sorry didn't respond sooner!  I guess it did help as I didn't need the liquid pain meds until the 5th week.  I have a peg tube and didn't need it until this past week.  I ended treatment on Aug 16.  I was on a liquid diet, but swallowing it.  This past week has been rough...the mucus was so bad it was making me nauseous and had a lot of difficulty swallowing...ended up dehydrated on Friday and getting iv fluids.  At that point I decided I needed to use the peg and have since.  But like I said, more so because of mucous than pain!!!  I am swallowing water, just using tube for feeding. 

socalif said:

question to you

were you ona 5-1/2, 6 7, or 8 week radiaiton? and was it coupled with anything else or just radiation?

asking just because I had 2 surgeries, no chemo, and on only 27 (or 28) radiation treatments, and dont have a feeding tube, and one wasnt recommended.

swallowing is difficult now on the 16th rad., and from the sounds of it, it might be almost impossible towards the end, although I am hoping for the best.

and i heard putting a tube in during rad is real difficult.

If so sorry I missed it.  I had no surgery, 7 weeks (35 rads), and 3 cycles of cisplatin 3 weeks apart the same time.  A feeding  tube was recommended for me because I was 109 lbs and couldn't afford to lose weight.  I was able to swallow the whole time...it was the mucus in my throat causing me to gag and throw up.  I didn't use the tube until a few days after treatment ended and started drinking my meals again this past Monday (so I relied on it for about 10 days).  I did lose about 7 lbs.  

swopoe said:

We have a lot of neutra sal

We have a lot of neutra sal packets left over if anyone wants some. Just send me a message and I can send them out to you!

Good  morning, just joined this group and getting ready to start everything next week. Would love to have your left overs if still available. If not, where might I buy some. Glad to send you a check for them plus postage also.

John Owen

8008 Island Drive

Port Richey, Florida 34668