Excessive Saliva and TWO stents left in stomach

Scribess
Scribess Member Posts: 2
in Esophageal Cancer #1

Hi Folks, 

This is my first post and first experience with any kind of online support network, thank you for being here. 

My father has EC, and had a stent inserted to help him take food orally.  This 'migrated' down into the stomach in a few days; docs said ok, no problem, it will be ok in the stomach,  and they inserted another one.  This too migrated down into the stomach in a week or so.  Unable to take any food or liquid, he then had a PEG put in.  He has now been through chemo and radiation successfully, and the tumor has shrunk.  However, he has excessive saliva and mucus and wretching every day, and his esophagus has not opened, and he is exhausted, tired, and weak.  He also has occuring pain in his abdomen. We are not waiting to see what next steps are-- surgery to remove stents, or perhaps esophagus dialtion.

Has anyone else had experience with stents in the stomach? Have they been taken out, and how? What were the side effects of the stents in the stomach?  Is excessive mucus, saliva and wretching related to the stents? I see that others have written that they have experienced this after an esophagectomy but his experience is post chemo and radiation (1 month) when all other side effects are gone.  He is not a candidate for the surgery because of heart complications.

Thanks for any information or experience you can pass on.

Comments

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #2
    Leaving the stents in the stomach seems wrong

    I have to admit I have no personal knowledge of using a stent other than to read many comments on this forum about the pain and challenges presented by placing a stent. I am sure they have their roles in helping people who can’t eat anything without them or for post-surgery patients that have a leak that needs to heal. I would think having a foreign object floating around in your stomach would cause nausea and inflammation (therefore the excessive mucus). 

    It seems to me they are not taking your father’s issues very seriously and it may be time for a second opinion from somewhere else. They should be able to remove the stents endoscopically.

    I would also note that this web site does not get as much traffic as it used to and I would suggest you post your question in the esophageal cancer section of Smart Patients. com. You will find many participants there that have had surgery much more recently than I have that can give you "more current" experience: https://www.smartpatients.com/conversations

    Best Regards,

    Paul A

  • Scribess
    Scribess Member Posts: 2
    #3
    paul61 said:

    Leaving the stents in the stomach seems wrong

    I have to admit I have no personal knowledge of using a stent other than to read many comments on this forum about the pain and challenges presented by placing a stent. I am sure they have their roles in helping people who can’t eat anything without them or for post-surgery patients that have a leak that needs to heal. I would think having a foreign object floating around in your stomach would cause nausea and inflammation (therefore the excessive mucus). 

    It seems to me they are not taking your father’s issues very seriously and it may be time for a second opinion from somewhere else. They should be able to remove the stents endoscopically.

    I would also note that this web site does not get as much traffic as it used to and I would suggest you post your question in the esophageal cancer section of Smart Patients. com. You will find many participants there that have had surgery much more recently than I have that can give you "more current" experience: https://www.smartpatients.com/conversations

    Best Regards,

    Paul A

    Dear Paul A,

    Dear Paul A,

    Thank you for your comments.  We are getting a second opinion, and in the meantime I'll also check out the smartmartpatients site. I think one of the issues is that they cannot get them removed endoscopically because they cannot get through the mass in the esophagus.

     

    Kind Regards,

    Scribess

     

  • midlandgigi
    midlandgigi Member Posts: 16
    #4
    Stents

    I had a stent inserted to help me eat while I was on chemo/radiation.  If the tumor shrinks, the stent will migrate into the stomach  I did not have any symptoms when mine migrated.  It was removed when I had surgery.  There are so many symptoms from the disease and side effects from the treatment that it is hard to know what is causing a particular problem.  Ask questions and demand answers.  Get a second opinion if you haven't already.

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