Radiotherapy for thyroid

kavindrajd
kavindrajd Member Posts: 5
in Thyroid Cancer #1

Hi !! i finished 30 day radiotherapy last week !! and i have a great difficulty of swallowing !! everytime i swallow it hurts terribly !!Anyone who went through the same experience please advise me for what to do?? i havnt had any sold food for 6 weeks now and um craving to eat !! i also feel thirsty all the time and couldnt drink 3 glasses of water !! i need to know how long will it take for me to get the ability for drink water and stuff and how long will it take for me to eat normal meals !! thank you !! i also went through the thyroidactomy and radioactiveiodine treatment last year but compared with this they were easy !! please response thank you !!

Comments

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    edited August 2017 #2
    Radiation

    When my husband went thru radiation on his neck he had a feeding tube before starting treatment.  He also worked with a speech therapist to help him swallow and talk after radiation.  He wasn't able to eat or swallow and we were thankful for the feeding tube.  Swallowing is very important during and after treatment.  He tried but once he had surgery to remove his larynx we found out that the radiation did much damage to his throat and it had to be reconstructed.  This was something that didn't show up on his PET/CT scans after treatment nor when they looked into his throat.

    After surgery he was able to eat and swallow but it was hard.  Then he had to go thru a second round of radiation in basically the same spot and never was able to eat or swallow again and lived on a feeding tube for close to 5 years.  He had cancer of the larynx and then a second primary at the cervial of his esophagus so basically in the same spot for thryoid cancer.

    Right now I have been I have several large nodules in the remaining half of my thyroid and after watching what my husband went thru, I will not do radiation.  We were told going in that radiation on the throat was the worse there is.

    Wishing you peace and comfort.

  • alapah
    alapah Member Posts: 287
    #3
    other liquids

    If i remember correctly, after and during my EBR I found that water was harsh but milk, for example, was more soothing. Have you tried other liquids? Also, as far as eating went, by the end of my EBR I was eating anything I could, especially foods with protein that would help with recovery. I ate a lot of ice cream, whipped cream (striaght!), scrambled eggs, etc. Tried baby foods as well.

    If you are on pain meds (especially opiods) stayng hydrated is particularly important. I know that some undergoing neck radiation end up with a feeding tube for a little bit to help with hydration and nutrition (I did not but it's not a big deal if you do - I have had a feeding tube in the last year due to other reasons and it's been a blessing). It does take a few weeks for the throat to heal.i remember being ecstatic when i found i could eat a sandwich. 

    best to you!

  • kavindrajd
    kavindrajd Member Posts: 5
    #4
    Ladylacy said:

    Radiation

    When my husband went thru radiation on his neck he had a feeding tube before starting treatment.  He also worked with a speech therapist to help him swallow and talk after radiation.  He wasn't able to eat or swallow and we were thankful for the feeding tube.  Swallowing is very important during and after treatment.  He tried but once he had surgery to remove his larynx we found out that the radiation did much damage to his throat and it had to be reconstructed.  This was something that didn't show up on his PET/CT scans after treatment nor when they looked into his throat.

    After surgery he was able to eat and swallow but it was hard.  Then he had to go thru a second round of radiation in basically the same spot and never was able to eat or swallow again and lived on a feeding tube for close to 5 years.  He had cancer of the larynx and then a second primary at the cervial of his esophagus so basically in the same spot for thryoid cancer.

    Right now I have been I have several large nodules in the remaining half of my thyroid and after watching what my husband went thru, I will not do radiation.  We were told going in that radiation on the throat was the worse there is.

    Wishing you peace and comfort.

    yeah thats the true  no one

    yeah thats the true  no one said anything about the damage that is done by radiation before the treatment starts !! everyone says it is just nothing just like you go everyday and taking a x ray bla bla bla !! i would never ever go for radioteapy if i knew this would happens !! so sad !! thank you !!

  • kavindrajd
    kavindrajd Member Posts: 5
    #5
    alapah said:

    other liquids

    If i remember correctly, after and during my EBR I found that water was harsh but milk, for example, was more soothing. Have you tried other liquids? Also, as far as eating went, by the end of my EBR I was eating anything I could, especially foods with protein that would help with recovery. I ate a lot of ice cream, whipped cream (striaght!), scrambled eggs, etc. Tried baby foods as well.

    If you are on pain meds (especially opiods) stayng hydrated is particularly important. I know that some undergoing neck radiation end up with a feeding tube for a little bit to help with hydration and nutrition (I did not but it's not a big deal if you do - I have had a feeding tube in the last year due to other reasons and it's been a blessing). It does take a few weeks for the throat to heal.i remember being ecstatic when i found i could eat a sandwich. 

    best to you!

    yeah water is harsh but cold

    yeah water is harsh but cold milk is okay !! my current daily diet is coconut water with glucose,water melon juice,milk. today i tried a half boiled egg but vomitted !! im not on pain meds the doc didnt give me any !! im really really glad that you can eat anything by now !! :) the thing is i have to prepare for ma exams,need go for lectures so um kinda in a hurry !! what about saliva situation ?? i have thick saliva that is so uncomfortable in so many ways and also difficult to swallow with thick saliva !! how long it took for you to eat a sandwitch after EBR?? thank you for responding !! Bless you !! :)

  • alapah
    alapah Member Posts: 287
    #6
    kavindrajd said:

    yeah water is harsh but cold

    yeah water is harsh but cold milk is okay !! my current daily diet is coconut water with glucose,water melon juice,milk. today i tried a half boiled egg but vomitted !! im not on pain meds the doc didnt give me any !! im really really glad that you can eat anything by now !! :) the thing is i have to prepare for ma exams,need go for lectures so um kinda in a hurry !! what about saliva situation ?? i have thick saliva that is so uncomfortable in so many ways and also difficult to swallow with thick saliva !! how long it took for you to eat a sandwitch after EBR?? thank you for responding !! Bless you !! :)

    sandwich

    I think for me the sandwich eating took 4 to 6 weeks from the last EBR session. It'll vary from person to person. I ate foods with sauces (not spicy ones tho) so that they were slippery enough to go down fairly easy. And also things like lightly cooked scrambled egg. It's been a while so unfortunately i can't remember all of my tricks (sorry!). I did eat lots of whipped cream, ice cream, boost "shakes".  Boiled egg might be too tough/harsh. Baby foods are boring and bland but can offer nutrition (and they are portable). Maybe thin yogurt (ie, not Greek because it may be too thick to go down easily).

    As far as saliva I used biotene products during that time to help prevent dry mouth. You might want to try something like Mucinex - an over the counter drug designed to break up phlegm. Have you asked your doctor for recommendations on drugs or non-drug remedies for these side effects? i'm sure they have options for you (i had a nurse to ask - she was great with options). Don't be afraid to ask - no need to suffer. It may seem like it won't every improve but it will!

  • kavindrajd
    kavindrajd Member Posts: 5
    #7
    alapah said:

    sandwich

    I think for me the sandwich eating took 4 to 6 weeks from the last EBR session. It'll vary from person to person. I ate foods with sauces (not spicy ones tho) so that they were slippery enough to go down fairly easy. And also things like lightly cooked scrambled egg. It's been a while so unfortunately i can't remember all of my tricks (sorry!). I did eat lots of whipped cream, ice cream, boost "shakes".  Boiled egg might be too tough/harsh. Baby foods are boring and bland but can offer nutrition (and they are portable). Maybe thin yogurt (ie, not Greek because it may be too thick to go down easily).

    As far as saliva I used biotene products during that time to help prevent dry mouth. You might want to try something like Mucinex - an over the counter drug designed to break up phlegm. Have you asked your doctor for recommendations on drugs or non-drug remedies for these side effects? i'm sure they have options for you (i had a nurse to ask - she was great with options). Don't be afraid to ask - no need to suffer. It may seem like it won't every improve but it will!

    Thank you !! 4 to 6 weeks

    Thank you !! 4 to 6 weeks dats comforting !!  2 more weeks to go i guess !! i asked doctor for some remedies he didnt ge me any saying the side effects will fade away within a month or two !! he asked me to chew gums and eat more sour foods to activate my saliva glands and taste buds !! hope everythig will be normal soon !! Thank you very much for responding !! much appreciate  :)

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