Just settling down for the night and having doubled morphine dose am hoping for a better sleep. Whilst most of body numb, relaxed and tranquil, whenever I swallow I am in pain. What's the solution? If I close my mouth I don't swallow as much but mouth tastes of 'clagg' and mucus builds up in throat. If I open my mouth I need to drink sips of water as mouth gets dry almost immediately equals more swallowing. I could up the dose of morphine even more but then I would be totally out of it and not even be able to get up for 'toilet action' in the night. What a dilemma? Will ask the specialists in hospital tomorrow who will no doubt tell me to take more medicine. Have got my food pump whirring away alongside me and hope its rhythmic tones bring with them a great nights sleep (forever the optimist!). Nite All. Now 3.45am and the pump indicates I have been fed my allotted amount. Time to flush the system, take some cocodomol, remove a pillow so I can lay flat once more (can't do that when feeding as been told feed will come straight up or even go into lungs - nice!). Not as much pain as last night, except when swallowing, hope now to get 3-4 hours of unbroken sleep. Managed to get some sleep until 8 am, all meads now sorted and waiting to get on the road to Southampton hospital.
FormerMember
"What's the solution?" is a good question. I went through similar to you and was told not by my Oncologist not to swallow. At the time I thought this was good advice as it was such a relief to get rid of the pain. I kept my mouth and tongue moist with constant rinsing or spraying and disposed of mucus by spitting into paper towels. I went almost 6 weeks without sipping water, only then to be told by a Dietician and a Swallowing Nurse that I had delayed my recovery by giving up swallowing so early. However I got through those 6 weeks without a single painkiller, just some Difflam mouthwash. I wish now I had asked the opinion of a few more members of my team as I'm still not sure whether I did the right thing or not.
Hubby is finding some relief by carrying the Evian water spray around with him but main source of comfort has come from cranking up the morphine. He's slightly away with the fairies at the present time but if that gets him through the next few weeks well who cares. Although it did make for an interesting consult today with the Oncologist!
