Difficulty eating

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Hi all, I am having real difficulty eating, not the swallowing as such, my tumour is giving me a bit less grief after 3 FLOT cycles. It’s just that I have a permanent mucousy thing going on in my throat/gullet and this makes almost everything I eat taste disgusting. This means I am eating very little. Even tap water tastes revolting and stale, so getting it down is a big struggle, strong flavours don’t help either. Any similar experiences out there or tips please. Thanks Jez

  • Hi Vespaman,

    Yep, my mother has had this exact problem for months. She tastes onions???

    So I'll give you a few tips that have helped here.

    1. Carbocisteine is an anti mucosal liquid that thins the secretions. It worked for a while but it was replaced with:

    2. Salt water in a bowl, boiling hot. Place a towel over your head & the bowl & inhale the fumes. Can also be used as a mouth rinse in a cup, but not boiling, just hot.

    3. The best one we still use. Any fizzy drinks, lemonade, Dr. Pepper,, anything you really enjoy. Just make sure that it's very fizzy & put the bottle top on tight to stop it going flat. We use cans so they retain a seal. It works out cheaper as you have new cans once the fizz declines in the can being used. Drink this as normal, it thins out this horrible thick mucus. The more you can drink in 1 sitting, the better. Then with a small bin liner in a bowl, spit the mucus out. Take another good drink & repeat. You will find the mucus gets almost watery & after a short while it will have improved substantially.

    4. Have a 50/50 mouthwash &warm water as soon as you get out of bed. Don't swallow, just use as a normal mouthwash. Follow that with a hot drink, preferably without milk. Finish that & then do what I describe in no.3.

    A word of warning, do not drink the salt water & please do not use Bi-carbonate of soda as this may cause ulcers.

    So my advice is no.4 followed by no. 3. Make sure to have plenty of fizzy pop each time you get this horrible thick mucus build up. I guarantee this will help you.

    Best Wishes,

    Graeme.

  • Hi ,

    I had exactly the same problem when I was diagnosed  and started treatment (FLOT) x 2 and surgery. Everything including water tasted horrid. I forced myself to drink and eat, and found some new strong flavours that were less disgusting (but not nice). As we all have different tastes I'd suggest trying some foods and additives with strong flavours you would not normally buy and see how you tolerate them?

    For me Robinsons Apple & Blackcurrant squashD concentrate and about 5 times the recommended dose worked. 

    Anon613