PEG Tube 8 years after treatment

ln
ln Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I have had problems swallowing; it appears that my food goes into the Trachea instead of the Esophagous (sp). So, 8 years after treatment, I am once again using a PEG tube. Don't know yet if this is forever or jsut a short while (it's been 5 months now). Has anyone had this experience?

Comments

  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #2
    swallowing
    I would strongly advise that you ask your doctor to refer you for another barium swallow test (I assume if you are eight years out you are experienced with them).

    You do not indicate the scope of your treatment, so I will not presume in that regard. I surmise that you WERE eating, however, based on your post, and that recently things happened to change that.

    Aspiration is a serious problem, as you know. A barium swallow test and following therapy might get you back to eating and drinking as you have been accustomed to.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #3
    soccerfreaks said:

    swallowing
    I would strongly advise that you ask your doctor to refer you for another barium swallow test (I assume if you are eight years out you are experienced with them).

    You do not indicate the scope of your treatment, so I will not presume in that regard. I surmise that you WERE eating, however, based on your post, and that recently things happened to change that.

    Aspiration is a serious problem, as you know. A barium swallow test and following therapy might get you back to eating and drinking as you have been accustomed to.

    Take care,

    Joe

    epiglotis?
    Has your Dr. mentioned this to you? I could be wrong, but it is my understanding the function of it is to block the substance passage into the windpipe- thus making the only path said substance can take is thru the esophagus to the stomach (rather than the larynx and the lungs). Not sure what an epiglotis problem could mean, though I did know a man whose child was born with a problem, there, and...do you still get Pet Scans, followed by the customary Cat Scan? Might be a good idea.

    Please keep us informed.

    kcass
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #4
    Swallowing Specialists
    There is a group of speech pathologists that specialize in swallowing disorders that might help to find out why things aren't going where they are supposed to.

    You can look at their website http://www.swallowingdisorders.org where you can maybe find one close to you.

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