Hi,
I’m hoping someone can advise me please?
Quick summary - my mam is in recovery from stage 3 laryngeal cancer and is really struggling with mucous/rancid taste in her mouth as a result from radiotherapy damage to her salivary glands. She hasn’t eaten solids in four months.. she takes the fortisips most days although she has been advised that she MUST start trying to eat to aid recovery.
Day one - she had a rice pudding pot in the evening .. day two she had another rice pudding pot in the evening. Today she has been in agony with her stomach and has had diarrhoea. She has a history of IBS and diverticulitis. Could it be the rice pot that has aggravated her stomach after not having solid food for so long? Should she had started at a couple of teaspoons rather than the whole pot?
If anyone has any experience of this or advice then it would be much appreciated. It’s just adding to her depression and today she hasn’t eaten anything or had any drinks as she feels so demoralised. I’ve suggested she tries some soup tomorrow incase the pudding was too rich? I just don’t want her to stop trying as she’s on the verge of giving up. (She doesn’t want to see her GP as she thinks he’ll just say it’s her IBS)
Thanks very much. X
Hi Kay23 and welcome to the Macmillan Community but so sorry to hear about your mum’s diagnosis and ongoing challenges.
A cancer diagnosis in the family can be such a challenging and stressful time but getting support from others who are dealing with the ‘exact same' cancer type and support challenges can help a lot.
The Community is actually divided into dedicated Support Groups (Discussion Rooms) so can I recommend you consider joining and posting in our dedicated Larynx cancer forum and Head and neck cancer forum support groups.
These groups are safe places to talk to others who may have a similar diagnosis, treatment experience, to ask questions and get support from family members who are navigating the same journey.
When it comes to the practical and emotional challenges of supporting family and friends you may also benefit from joining our Carers only support group where you will connect with others navigating the same support challenges.
To connect in with the groups click on the “Bold Links” I have created above then once the group page opens click on “Click to Join” when the black banner appears or “Join” under “Group Tools” (this all depends on the device you are using)
When you are ready you can put up your own post by clicking “+new” or “+” in the top right next to the group title.
You can copy and paste the text from this post into your new post you can also scroll through other members posts and click “Reply” to get involved.
It’s a challenging time for you so you may want to use the Macmillan Support Line is open 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00. This service provides cancer information, practical information, emotional support or just a listening ear.
We also have our Ask an Expert section but do allow a few working days for a reply.
Do get back to me if you need further help navigating the community.
