My answer to urgent help question

Suez39
Suez39 Member Posts: 162 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

All H&N members:

Thank you all for your response to my question about painful swallowing and throat excersizes. It really is the hardest thing we have to do. I think rad and chemo treatment easier to handle. I use to love eating but now have anxiety if I will choke just taking sips of soup. I'm alone mostly cause b/f works long hrs during the week. Ok native you are one remarkable person to skip peg tube and cry in excruciating pain. I hold back my tears most of the time but if I cry during excersizes and swallowing so be it. I just don't cause it adds to my mucous. And how do guys like that scope the ENT doctor puts down your throat? I have an appt next week for that. My doc tries to put it down way past voice box area and I start moving and gagging. Almost grabbed his arm b4 he took it out. Seriously my old retired doc was sooo gentle and quick. Did'nt mind him doing it. Well I hope I can make it through this like all of you. When I read what you tell me it puts light at the end of the dark tunnel. Please keep posting. It truly helps us still struggling. xoxo

Comments

  • SuzJ
    SuzJ Member Posts: 427 Member
    edited July 2018 #2
    Next week

    Ask if they can use a pediatric scope, that's what they use on me.

     

    As for PEG tube? The thought of yet ANOTHER procedure was.. too much.

  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 727 Member
    #3
    Will Get Better

    Sorry to hear you're having a hard time with swallowing. It should slowly get better as time passes.  After a year or so with me it stabilized and hasn't gotten worse or better.  My mother was right when she told me to chew my food 100 times before swallowing.  That is kind of a lot but we need to focus on eating slowly, have water ready, and excuse yourself from the table if food gets stuck.  My throat has scar tissue where food that wasn't chewed down enough gets stuck on it.  

    The scope for children is a great idea if it really bothers you.  Considering there is no pain involved it doesn't bother me at all.  But my Dr. doesn't go down as far as yours does.

    Keep the positive attitude and remember how lucky we are to live in a time of advanced medical treatment.  Most of us wouldn't have made it if we got the C 100 years ago.  

    A very grateful person here.

  • Suez39
    Suez39 Member Posts: 162 Member
    #4

    Thanks for your responses. I will ask my doctor about the pediatric scope. They have a large children's area in the hospital that treat kids wirh cancer. So thier should be no problem acquiring different scope. I will keep my positive attitude no matter how hard it gets. 

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