Throat went south fast! Almost everything I try to eat burns ...

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behindthepen
behindthepen Member Posts: 11
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Overall still feeling good, but in the last 5 days, my throat has gone from tolerable with no meds, to needing some Advil, to the magic mouthwash, and now I tried my first meal with Oxy/MM, and almost everything still burns.

The senstive spot is the very back of my throat which is hard to target with the MM.  A little worse on the top of the throat too, which is even more frustrating.  The things that are the least painful are Boost and yogurt.  The only fruit that isn't bad is blueberries.  I did handle some peaches this morning but everything is worse tonight.

Outside of going peg tube, what worked for you guys?

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  • stevenpepe
    stevenpepe Member Posts: 234
    #2
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    For one month after rads to

    For one month after rads to the mouth, I vowed to eat shakes only, to avoid the frustration of trying to swallow solids. For me, the frustration of trying to eat was too much. Things got better moving forward. Not perfect, but better. Never had a peg.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #3
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    the pressure is on

    bhtp,

    Even though I had a PEG, I drank one meal a day and drank about 10 glasses of water.  I drank mainly protein drinks and doctored up smoothies.

    I also sipped, swished and swallowed 6 bottles of magic mouth wash.  My mixture was fantastic.  I even took a hit in the parking lot before rads.  If it works, do it.

    Get the calories any way you can.

    Matt

     

  • behindthepen
    behindthepen Member Posts: 11
    #4
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    I may have over reacted a

    I may have over reacted a little. I didn't take a full dose of oxy at first, so it longer to kick in.  still,some discomfort though.  I can handle the liquid/soup/Boost diet, as long as I can manage the pain without going overboard.  

    tried gatorade today, that worked.  

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    edited November 2016 #5
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    Whatever works....

    as Matt said....your job right now is to get in as many calories a day as you can....and drink enough to keep hydrated, drink more than you need (hydration is sneaky....you think you're hydrated, but surprise!!!!  you aren't :) ).  Any combo works, whatever you can get down....there aren't any limits except what your body says no to.  I remember one lady bought a snow cone machine, and sucked on shaved ice all day.  This treatment tends to bring out the creativity in us.

    p

  • caregiver wife
    caregiver wife Member Posts: 234
    #6
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    I found many usefull liquid

    I found many usefull liquid diet blogs.  Was years ago so I no longer have links.  Lots and lots of ideas though!  As others have said, just keep trying whatever sounds good.  Husband did finally burn out motor in granddaughter's sno cone machine.  Inexpensive from Walmart.

    Wishing you continued success

     

  • behindthepen
    behindthepen Member Posts: 11
    edited November 2016 #7
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    Dryness

    i think 2 things hit me.  1- I spent a lot of time talking early in the week, 2- the dry air.  Wednesday was dry outside and it was a chemo day, so all day in the dry air of the hospital.   The last 2 days have been better.  

     

    Any such thing as a mobile humidifier?

  • behindthepen
    behindthepen Member Posts: 11
    edited November 2016 #8
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    What I've learned about throats dryness.

    A few follow up thoughts:

    1- the air in the hospital is brutally, brutally dry.  The Benadryl makes it even worse. So chemo days create a lot of additional irritation In my throat.  We came up with the idea of using a nebulizer with saline during chemo, and most rooms already have them so it's easy to get one.  Made a HUGE difference  

    2- nasal saline spray helps, gets to the spots back there that are hard to reach. 

    3- If you're getting mucus and taking Mucinex DM, that can create additional dryness.  I've switched to straight Mucinex because my mucus hasn't been that bad, and doesn't dry out as much.  

    4- have been keeping the humidity level in our house just below "rain forest".  Not popular with the middle aged women, but I've promised that it's temporary.  

    5- big fan of xylmelts at night, and ACT lozenges.  I have a couple of sprays I use in a pinch too  

     

     

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