Coughing and dry throat

fishingirl
fishingirl Member Posts: 188
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Has this happened to anyone else. It has been exactly 8 weeks since I have finished treatment, my feeding tube is out, and I am eating fairly well. I am slowly gaining weight.

I have always (since after treatment)have lots of phlem and a very dry cough through the middle of the night. It seemed to have lessened, to the point that I thought it was over. But just recently, within the last 3 or 4 days it has become worse. If fact as bad as it was from the start. I always have a glass of water by my bed, as that sometimes helps, but not lately. I'm hoping this is a passing phase, just to add some more excitement in my life. lol!

Cindy

Comments

  • Landranger25
    Landranger25 Member Posts: 210 Member
    #2
    Not exactly
    Cindy, I have not had any cough to speak of. I am 10 weeks out now and have noticed that just when I think my throat is getting back to normal, it seems to get worse for a time. Usually I start every morning and it seems just fine. If I eat something with a lot of texture to it, my throat becomes sore and irritated for the rest of the day. Slight pain/discomfort to swallow. A week later, I can eat what I want and get that feeling that hey, this is much better. Then, sore again. As for phelm, one good hack every morning and that seems to be all I need. Mouth is dry, but getting better. I'm not ready to accept "new normal" just yet. I'll wait the full year and then live with whatever I have then! Good luck and hang in there. You're doing great!

    Mike
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #3
    Change in Diet?
    Have you changed anything in your diet recently that might cause the extra phlegm? Dairy products, especially at night might increase this.
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #4
    SASH said:

    Change in Diet?
    Have you changed anything in your diet recently that might cause the extra phlegm? Dairy products, especially at night might increase this.

    You know...that could have
    You know...that could have something to do with it. I can't help myself, but I'm just craving sweets! And especially now at this time of yr. there's lots to be found. I'd much rather have vanilla pudding, cake, cookies, things like that over turkey dinner. And I used to LOVE turkey dinner and all the trimmings. Of course I ate a bit of dinner, but it wasn't long after, I was into the sweet stuff again. And that kind of scares me because I just heard the other day that cancer "breeds" on sugar.

    Cindy
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #5
    Hay little Sister
    Cindy your body is still healing and will continue to so for a while after treatment, it will take a long time to get all of the radiation our of your body so I don’t worried about things like sore throat. As far as the phlem it too can be caused by after affect of radiation; but I kind of like SASH said look for something that has changed in you diet. On the coughing this too could be nothing more then like you said dry throat at night, but the problem is coughing is not good for you as your body is not fully healed, if it keeps up see your doctor.

    Also a little sugar is not bad just don’t over do it go shopping instead.
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #6
    Hondo said:

    Hay little Sister
    Cindy your body is still healing and will continue to so for a while after treatment, it will take a long time to get all of the radiation our of your body so I don’t worried about things like sore throat. As far as the phlem it too can be caused by after affect of radiation; but I kind of like SASH said look for something that has changed in you diet. On the coughing this too could be nothing more then like you said dry throat at night, but the problem is coughing is not good for you as your body is not fully healed, if it keeps up see your doctor.

    Also a little sugar is not bad just don’t over do it go shopping instead.

    Do you know what Hondo??
    Do you know what Hondo?? Everytime you post something, you bring a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart:) I don't know what we would do, if you weren't on here.

    P.S. I told my husband about the shopping, and he just smiled and said what do you want? If we can afford it, you can have it!! Isn't that nice? :)
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #7
    fishingirl said:

    Do you know what Hondo??
    Do you know what Hondo?? Everytime you post something, you bring a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart:) I don't know what we would do, if you weren't on here.

    P.S. I told my husband about the shopping, and he just smiled and said what do you want? If we can afford it, you can have it!! Isn't that nice? :)

    hubby shopping
    Tell him you want a 5 carat diamond.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #8
    fishingirl said:

    Do you know what Hondo??
    Do you know what Hondo?? Everytime you post something, you bring a smile to my face and a warmth to my heart:) I don't know what we would do, if you weren't on here.

    P.S. I told my husband about the shopping, and he just smiled and said what do you want? If we can afford it, you can have it!! Isn't that nice? :)

    Glad to make your day
    Glad to make your day little sister, joy in the heart is always the best healing medicine and a good husband that will let you buy anything you want is the type you don’t want to let go.
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #9
    SASH said:

    hubby shopping
    Tell him you want a 5 carat diamond.

    I think he meant but nothing
    I think he meant but nothing over $20.00, just didn't say it;)

    But a 5 carat diamond sounds real nice. It would be bigger than my knuckle right now!! lol!
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #10
    12 Weeks out now
    HI Cindy,

    I found this week an increase in mucus but no coughing changes. I am a month ahead of you. I did indulge in Christmas Pudding with custard, cream etc as I want to gain some weight as well as enjoy christmas (and boxing) day. As Sash mentioned, Dairy products are generally bad as they will make you produce excessive mucus.

    More importantly you noted (and we all should note) that processes sugars are VERY BAD for us. They used Sugar to find your cancer in the PET/CT Scan so yes it is bad. Many oncologists don't acknowledge this fact unfortunately but a good nutritionist should be able to explain this or just Google 'Cancer Diet' and you will see what's good for you and what's not. Be prepared to be disappointed as the list of 'Bad Foods' is quite extensive ie all processed foods, Animal Proteins (Except Oily fish), and all processed sugars ++

    Is your cough dry and does it get to the point of making you retch ? Also curious if it happens when you drink or just out of the blue.

    Hope the bad weather is not hampering your holidays.

    Regds
    Scambuster in sunny Oz (Actually it's been raining for 3 days..:o(
  • fishingirl
    fishingirl Member Posts: 188
    #11
    Scambuster said:

    12 Weeks out now
    HI Cindy,

    I found this week an increase in mucus but no coughing changes. I am a month ahead of you. I did indulge in Christmas Pudding with custard, cream etc as I want to gain some weight as well as enjoy christmas (and boxing) day. As Sash mentioned, Dairy products are generally bad as they will make you produce excessive mucus.

    More importantly you noted (and we all should note) that processes sugars are VERY BAD for us. They used Sugar to find your cancer in the PET/CT Scan so yes it is bad. Many oncologists don't acknowledge this fact unfortunately but a good nutritionist should be able to explain this or just Google 'Cancer Diet' and you will see what's good for you and what's not. Be prepared to be disappointed as the list of 'Bad Foods' is quite extensive ie all processed foods, Animal Proteins (Except Oily fish), and all processed sugars ++

    Is your cough dry and does it get to the point of making you retch ? Also curious if it happens when you drink or just out of the blue.

    Hope the bad weather is not hampering your holidays.

    Regds
    Scambuster in sunny Oz (Actually it's been raining for 3 days..:o(

    Hi Scambuster. You lucky
    Hi Scambuster. You lucky duck, being in sunny Oz:) Seeing as I'm a warm weather lover, this weather here right now is the pits!! lol!

    The cough is both. Sometimes it is a dry cough out of the blue and also during the night. And sometimes I'll be drinking (mostly tea), and start to uncontrollably cough. Then spirt!! There goes the tea!

    I'm going to google cancer diet now. I already know what I shouldn't be having. But I've GOT TO gain some weight!!!

    Cindy
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #12
    fishingirl said:

    Hi Scambuster. You lucky
    Hi Scambuster. You lucky duck, being in sunny Oz:) Seeing as I'm a warm weather lover, this weather here right now is the pits!! lol!

    The cough is both. Sometimes it is a dry cough out of the blue and also during the night. And sometimes I'll be drinking (mostly tea), and start to uncontrollably cough. Then spirt!! There goes the tea!

    I'm going to google cancer diet now. I already know what I shouldn't be having. But I've GOT TO gain some weight!!!

    Cindy

    Little Sister
    Don’t get disappointed, it takes a long time before your body will start to gain any weight again. So for now just enjoy the new beautiful you. I was 230lbs before Cancer; when I finished radiation & chemo I was 167lbs, do you know what a 6’1” man looks like at a 167lbs? Does the word toothpick give you any I dear. I just started gaining weight again now 3 year later and I am up to 185lbs, I look better now then I did 10 years ago. I am not as good as I once was but as the song said, I am good once as I ever was.

    When I had lost all my weight and was down to 167lbs, I was looking in the mirror at all my bones and was about as sad as I could be, because I felt that I was no longer who I use to be. My wife understanding what I was doing and going through in my mind got up and looked at me and said “ Boy what a hunk of a Man” and walked out to leave me to contemplate the words she just said. It made me feel so good to know she still loved me no matter how I looked thick or thin.

    Don’t eat too much sweets as I don’t want you to go through was I did the second time with Cancer. I like Scambuster believe that processed sugar is only one of the many cancer feeding foods.

    Take care and enjoy the new beautiful Cindy

Discussion Boards