Saliva back

At 23 months post I have seen wide swings in quantity and character of my saliva, but today it seems likely to be close to old normal without assistance from the saliva stimulators.   I wouldn't bet on that for tomorrow, and always travel with a small baggy of xylimelts.  Taste is functional, also seems to go thru swings, but is usually more stable than saliva.  My neck skin where I had my burns does the same.  Yesterday I was out in the sun without my neck tube and I'm paying for that today.  Eventually my neck skin will loosen, I will sag for a couple of days, things will recover and then the cycle will repeat. 

My ENT says recovery goes on until I am old enough the whole thing falls apart.  Tho improvements are slower now approaching the two year mark they do seem to continue.

The big thing is my weight was 187.3 this morning.  Acceptable range is 185-190.  I started at 230, wanted to lose, did it the hard way, and now religiously work to keep it off.  That seems likely to be a permanent battle.  I am slowly rebuilding muscle, but that is taking longer, and I now just accept I will never be as strong as I was before treatment, the consequence of losing 40 pounds.  But my blood chemistry is great, an old cholesterol problem seems to have gone, and my pulse and BP are the same as when I was 30 years younger.  Tomorrow the DW and I hit the road to hike and bike a couple of the national, state, and provincial parks here in the west.  Living in a van down by the river.  I spent Xmas 2017 on day 3 of a 10 day hospital stay in an ICU.  This is progress.

Glad you are progressing. Hang in there as your body is recovering a bit slower but good news so wait for more to return!

Congratulations on getting your saliva back, that is great news!  Mine came back after 11 years following my esophagus being reconstructed. My docs were a tad surprised.  I was surprised, and oh so happy; I ,at last, no longer had to have spray bottles of Mouthkote with me everywhere I went.  Another surprise unexpected bonus was that the industrial grade viscosity mucus disappeared. Thus, you just never know what can and will happen correctively as time moves along. 

Patrick

Dean54 said:

Maybe I do have hope

I keep waiting for mine to get better (taste and saliva) as it's been maybe 9 months now and no signs yet except for a brief couple day period a while back. I'd say I'm back to where I started right after treatment so it IS really hard to think positive.

Dean, I know you are struggling with this but please keep the faith, I'm pulling for you!

Congradulations to all those who have regained their saliva & taste.  More help to feel more normal & eat!  Mine worked entire time in fact taste intensified.  6 mo after treatment Salivary glands became clogged with saliva due to radiation.  Ducts were damaged.  Gone was the saliva totally after having it .  Had specialized surgery to open ducts which worked but what came out was So bad.  They called it Chemo Saliva, mucus, thick , nasty saliva.  Does nothing for dry mouth.  Products not helping, now taste buds changing & swallowing.  It is now 2 1/2 yrs later.  Eating is an effort especially fruits, salads, fish, so many foods taste funny or hard to swallow.  It’s been 2 yrs only getting worse.  Anyone run into to reverse saliva?  I am so frustrate, tired, body is rebelling, thyroid is gone.  Sodium issues so on salt pills all day long......yuck.  How can you go from doing so well to crash & Burn.  Reaching out for ideas.  Thank you.