Trache - Questions

kimmygarland
kimmygarland Member Posts: 312
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
My husband's recovery is going well. He's 9 days out of surgery, had his post op doc appt today and the report was good.

Doc wants to leave the trache in for at least another week.... he is pretty miserable with it. Doc said he still has some swelling and would remove it if we insisted, but duh, we aren't that stupid, we'd like to maintain an airway! So, he has it.

He is constantly coughing up mucous from the thing and this is making sleep very difficult. Everyone says this is normal but it seems like something we should be able to deal with some how. Doc recommended taking a big dose of Robitussin DM, which he's going to do at bedtime, and I got a humidifier, as I read somewhere that might help.

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #2
    Good
    So good to hear he is doing well post surgery.

    With what I have experienced with having a trach now for 2 plus years, Would keep it as long as you can so it helps with air movement.

    I have two suggestions. One to lay on his side. Second would be to keep head and upper body on slight slope. For the body you could something to elevate the head board a couple inches.

    The trach suction machine should help a bunch. He might have to do it a couple times a night.

    good luck

    John

    Your probably going to ask why i still have it. Answer: I was 12 years post treatment and surgery when they found necrosis on pharynx and alot of damage to air way. It was a huge difference on the positive side when I actually felt i could breath again without a lot of effort. It has it many down sides, but it is priceless.
  • kimmygarland
    kimmygarland Member Posts: 312
    #3
    fisrpotpe said:

    Good
    So good to hear he is doing well post surgery.

    With what I have experienced with having a trach now for 2 plus years, Would keep it as long as you can so it helps with air movement.

    I have two suggestions. One to lay on his side. Second would be to keep head and upper body on slight slope. For the body you could something to elevate the head board a couple inches.

    The trach suction machine should help a bunch. He might have to do it a couple times a night.

    good luck

    John

    Your probably going to ask why i still have it. Answer: I was 12 years post treatment and surgery when they found necrosis on pharynx and alot of damage to air way. It was a huge difference on the positive side when I actually felt i could breath again without a lot of effort. It has it many down sides, but it is priceless.

    Thanks guys
    The doctor actually showed me during the appt today how to take the whole dang thing out (I almost fainted... afraid my husband was going to pass out or something). Anyway, he took the whole thing out, not just the inner tubing - and said you can do this any time, it's not going to hurt anything. Just take it out, clean it, put it back in. Easy for him to say! I was freaked out.

    I will tell him about laying with his neck out - that makes sense.

    Fortunately, we have one of those beds where the head goes up and down, like a hospital bed, but it is a regular bed.

    We just can't seem to figure out how to stop all the dang mucous coughing. Maybe there's not an answer. I know he is getting frustrated, and needs a good night's sleep. Doc did prescribe a sleeping medicine, but pharmacy won't have it in until Monday. Hopefully that will help.
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #4
    HOPE THIS HELPS
    I GOT MY TRACH OUT ABOUT 4 WEEKS AGO, I KNOW IT HOW MUCH OF A PAIN IT IS, MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE IT IN LONG ENOUGH, I TOO WAS IN A HURRY AND THERE WAS A INFECTION WHICH CLOSED MY AIRWAY UP, I HAD TO HAVE IT REINSERTED, THE SLEEPING IS THE HARDEST. MAKE SURE YOUR NECK AND HEAD ARE LOOKING AT THE CELING, IT ONLY MAKES SENSE WHEN THE TIP OF YOU TRACHE IS BENT IT HITS THE THROAT WALLS WHICH CAUSES IT TO FEEL LIKE AN ALARM HAS BEEN SET OFF, MUCUS, AND COUGHING, IS LIKE A FINGE DOWN YOUR THROAT REACTION, SO PLENTY OF PILLOWS, ALSO CLEAN AND BRUSH OUT THE TRACH TUBE RIGHT BEFORE BED TIME, IT DROVE ME CRAZY TO HEAR SLURPING AND GURGLING SOUNDS TRYING TO SLEEP, I HAVE HAD IT PERMANENTLT REMOVES, I LIVE WITH SOME NEGATIVES AND CAN'T RUN OR DO ANYTHING STRENUOUS, I RUN OUT OF STEAM...BUT IT BEATS THAT PVC PIPING, HOPE THIS HELPS AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK ANYTHING ELSE...P.S YOUR SHILEY WITH THE NECK GEAR, MAKE SURE THIS IS FIRMLY TIED SO THERE IS NO PLAY IN TEH SLIDEING OF YOUR TRACHE TUBE, I USED 2 PIECES OF NON STICK TAPE AND TAPED IT TO MY SKIN, IT GOT RID OF THE CLOTH NECK TIE, I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A SHOWER WITHOUT SOAKING THE MATERIAL, AND IT WAS A SNAP TO TAKE IN AND OUT...BEST TO YOU, HANG IN THERE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING ELSE....DENNIS
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #5
    kimmygarland said:

    Thanks guys
    The doctor actually showed me during the appt today how to take the whole dang thing out (I almost fainted... afraid my husband was going to pass out or something). Anyway, he took the whole thing out, not just the inner tubing - and said you can do this any time, it's not going to hurt anything. Just take it out, clean it, put it back in. Easy for him to say! I was freaked out.

    I will tell him about laying with his neck out - that makes sense.

    Fortunately, we have one of those beds where the head goes up and down, like a hospital bed, but it is a regular bed.

    We just can't seem to figure out how to stop all the dang mucous coughing. Maybe there's not an answer. I know he is getting frustrated, and needs a good night's sleep. Doc did prescribe a sleeping medicine, but pharmacy won't have it in until Monday. Hopefully that will help.

    YOU'LL FIND THE WAY
    THE MUSCUS WILL LESSEN, JOHN, I KNOW HOW YOUR SIDE FEELS WITH THE TRACHE, THE EXTRA HOLE IN MY THROAT WAS NICE, NO SINUS PROBLEMS, ETC...I WORKED FOR A RETAIL BUSINESS, AND AFTER 23 YEARS AND DUE TO THE CANCER, I WENT FOR DISSABILITY, I COULDN'T HANDLE THE TRACHE PERMANTLEY, I FIGHT TO WALK FASTER AND BREATH HARDER, BUT RESIST HAVING IT PUT BACK IN, I HAVE A LEFT SIDE DEAD LRNYX, WITH A STAGE 4 TUMOR THEY FINALLY FOUND AFTER 6 MONTHS OF MISSNG THE THING AFTER WASTING OUR TIME. I MADE IT, MY VOICE, IS OF NATURAL VIBRATION, I DID NOT PROCEED INTO FURTHER STAGES OF VOICE THERAPY, THEY WANTED TO TAKE EVERYTHING, AND I REFUSED, AND FOUGHT BACK, I DO HAVE VOICE COMING BACK, STRONGER IN THE MORNING, BUT GOES WEAK, I KNOW THERE IS A TRADE OFF IN EVERY SITUATION, HOW OLD CAN I ASK WHEN YOU GOT YOUR TRACHE?..52 HERE, AND FOR SOME REASON CANCER, AND TRACHE MENTALLY TOOK ME OUT AND DOWN, HANG IN THERE KIMMY. AND THANKS FOR COMMENTING FOR FAST GUYS...DENNIS
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #6
    dennis318 said:

    YOU'LL FIND THE WAY
    THE MUSCUS WILL LESSEN, JOHN, I KNOW HOW YOUR SIDE FEELS WITH THE TRACHE, THE EXTRA HOLE IN MY THROAT WAS NICE, NO SINUS PROBLEMS, ETC...I WORKED FOR A RETAIL BUSINESS, AND AFTER 23 YEARS AND DUE TO THE CANCER, I WENT FOR DISSABILITY, I COULDN'T HANDLE THE TRACHE PERMANTLEY, I FIGHT TO WALK FASTER AND BREATH HARDER, BUT RESIST HAVING IT PUT BACK IN, I HAVE A LEFT SIDE DEAD LRNYX, WITH A STAGE 4 TUMOR THEY FINALLY FOUND AFTER 6 MONTHS OF MISSNG THE THING AFTER WASTING OUR TIME. I MADE IT, MY VOICE, IS OF NATURAL VIBRATION, I DID NOT PROCEED INTO FURTHER STAGES OF VOICE THERAPY, THEY WANTED TO TAKE EVERYTHING, AND I REFUSED, AND FOUGHT BACK, I DO HAVE VOICE COMING BACK, STRONGER IN THE MORNING, BUT GOES WEAK, I KNOW THERE IS A TRADE OFF IN EVERY SITUATION, HOW OLD CAN I ASK WHEN YOU GOT YOUR TRACHE?..52 HERE, AND FOR SOME REASON CANCER, AND TRACHE MENTALLY TOOK ME OUT AND DOWN, HANG IN THERE KIMMY. AND THANKS FOR COMMENTING FOR FAST GUYS...DENNIS

    About the Same
    I was 47 when i lost one of my vocal cord, 51 when I was blessed with my trach and now 53. My voice is horse all the time and get very tired if I talk to much as the air blows by the open cord. The more I talk the horse and some days I am barely with sound.

    I am 14 plus years post treatment how long have you been?

    John
  • junklady
    junklady Member Posts: 88 Member
    #7
    Trach care
    My husband had a trach for almost a year. Sad to say, my love passed away Aug. 29. The mucus never goes away. He used wash cloths when coughing out mucus. He had no problem sleeping on his side, but always slept with the nebulizer/humidifier trach mask over the trach. You should have gotten one of these when you left the hospital from your medical supply. We were always using the suction machine. He would usually shoot a saline solution down the trach before suctioning. They come in little pink vials of 5ml. The saline helps break up the mucus. Humidity is also very important. You should be changing the inner cannula too, as they may become clogged. You don't have to throw them away, just soak in hydrogen peroxide and rinse in warm water. The Dr. would usually change the whole unit about every 6 weeks. Also clean around and behind the trach plate with a q- tip, and change the ties everyday. As for taking a shower, he had a trach shower mask. I bought it online from a medical supply store. I hope this helps you. If you have further questions, feel free to ask me. Also hoping your husband gets rid of that annoying thing soon. Take care.
    Cynthia
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #8
    fisrpotpe said:

    About the Same
    I was 47 when i lost one of my vocal cord, 51 when I was blessed with my trach and now 53. My voice is horse all the time and get very tired if I talk to much as the air blows by the open cord. The more I talk the horse and some days I am barely with sound.

    I am 14 plus years post treatment how long have you been?

    John

    back at you
    John,
    I WAS DONE WITH RADIATION END OF JANUARY AND CHEMO, I CAN STILL REMEMBER OVER A YEAR AGO JUNE 2009, WHEN I FELT I HAD A SORE THROAT AND MY EAR HURT CONSTANTLY, SO YOU STILL HAVE PROBLEMS OF COURSE TALKING, I HAD A CUT OFF VALVE, BUT I FOUND OUT IT MAD MORE NOISE THAN SOUND, AND DID THEY OFFER ANYTHING ELSE TO HELP YOU PROUDUCE A VOICE, OR IS THIS THE BEST THEY THOUGHT YOU COULD DO? i RUN OUT OF AIR, AND RUNNING IS A NO NO, SO THERE ARE ALOT OF THINGS I HAVE TO BY-PASS TO BE WITHOUT THE TRACH, THEN I GET REALLY FRUSTRATED, BUT I GOT FRUSTRATED WITH THE TRACHE... SO IT IS CHOICE, I GO BACK NEXT WEEK TO BE RECHECK, BLOOD AND SCOPED FOR THROAT, WISH ME LUCK...MY PROBLEM IS I CAN'T GAIN WEIGHT...5'10 AND 150..., I EAT LIKE A HORSE?,,ANY ADVICE. THANKS, DENNIS
  • dennis318
    dennis318 Member Posts: 349 Member
    #9
    junklady said:

    Trach care
    My husband had a trach for almost a year. Sad to say, my love passed away Aug. 29. The mucus never goes away. He used wash cloths when coughing out mucus. He had no problem sleeping on his side, but always slept with the nebulizer/humidifier trach mask over the trach. You should have gotten one of these when you left the hospital from your medical supply. We were always using the suction machine. He would usually shoot a saline solution down the trach before suctioning. They come in little pink vials of 5ml. The saline helps break up the mucus. Humidity is also very important. You should be changing the inner cannula too, as they may become clogged. You don't have to throw them away, just soak in hydrogen peroxide and rinse in warm water. The Dr. would usually change the whole unit about every 6 weeks. Also clean around and behind the trach plate with a q- tip, and change the ties everyday. As for taking a shower, he had a trach shower mask. I bought it online from a medical supply store. I hope this helps you. If you have further questions, feel free to ask me. Also hoping your husband gets rid of that annoying thing soon. Take care.
    Cynthia

    SO SORRY
    YOU HAD A LONG HAUL, I REMEMBER YOU WELL, AND POSTED A FEW COMMENTS, TRYING TO HELP ME WHEN I FIRST CAME HOME WITH MY TRACH, GOD LOVE YOU AND I KNOW IT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY BETTER, YOUR IN MY THOUGHTS TODAY, TAKE CARE, DENNIS

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