Eating meat,fish etc.

It's probably due to you not being able to create a bolus, that's become one of my favourite words since my treatment

I find it a lot easier cutting meat really small and I tend to have mayonnaise with everything now which really helps (plus I really like it and use the struggling to swallow as an excuse to indulge).

if you don't like mayonnaise, any sauce, gravy, etc. helps me, failing that a mouthful of water quite often.

Also, I sometimes just have trouble with my swallowing action, nothing serious but notice it occasionally, I think this is more down to the scarring from operation which makes my neck a bit tight sometimes.

Hi Shirley

I'm on a similar timeline and also have difficulty in swallowing meat.  I also find a few other food items tend to get stuck especially after a few mouthfuls when I start having swallow fatigue.  I'm trying to remember to eat smaller amounts more often plus ensuring there is enough sauce to help things slip down more easily.

Linda

Hi Linda thank you for your reply, I thought something might have been wrong but as you’ve said your on same timeline maybe I’m just expecting too much.

Thank you for your reply, I’ll try with extra sauces and the mayonnaise, plus I’ll check out your blog.

Hi Shirley This is Hazel I am 16 month post radiotherapy for tonsil cancer and infind the following helps .

inalways have a herbal drink with food just warm to wash it down .i find lamb easybtomswallow was alway an expensive gal lol. Plus recently rib eye from Aldi 28 day hung cooked 2 mins each side when eating cut small goes down well Fish unless battered cod is easier than haddock I both battered or baked.Salmon easy as well .or combo in a fish pie with plenty if bechemal sauce Shop bought lasagna now fine home made harder.

chicken turkey too dry gammon Sausage ok with ttinned tomatoes and fried egg.

i have a blog detailed below might help

onwards and upwards Hazelmx

With meat the only way I can eat it is if it's not overcooked, chicken and turkey are ok but you need to just cook them so they are still moist (I have been eating it this way for around 3 years and am still alive) all other meats I have to have pink, mince I cut up smaller or it sticks and you need to get one with a high fat as the low fat is to dry. fish can be hard but I think the oily ones are easier. I am still learning what I can manage just over 4 years from Radio you need to experiment with foods and unlike Hazel I only sip water when I have to when eating as it ruins the food taste I have found and as food is hard to eat it needs to be as tasty as it can be. I also find sweet chilly sauce (Aldi do a good one that's not to hot) good with some foods as it stimulates the few saliva glands I have left. As I said try different things.

Yes, why is it that chewing gum gets the saliva flowing beautifully but food fails abysmally! 

Thank you all for your input on the subject, I shall try them all out, I also wrongly assumed I’d be able to eat normally after 18 months  but obviously not, at least I know that it’s not all in my head and just think I’m going to choke, I hope your all doing well and have a happy and healthy new year.

My husband is also 4 years post treatment, and finds he can barely eat meat or fish. For us it is not a huge deal as we always ate a lot of vegetarian food (I have been vegetarian for many years. If he does eat meat, eg when eating out and there is nothing else on the menu which works, then a nice, soft lasagne with lots of sauce, or stews with very small meat pieces and thick sauce are the sorts of things that work best. As has been said, it is all about the bolus! He also finds addition of chilli helpful, to stimulate saliva glands. His throat and swallow have definitely been badly affected by the radiotherapy, and he hasn't really seen too much improvement for the last 2 years although he has learned to manage the limitations better.

Thank you for your reply, it does help knowing it’s not just me thinking there’s something wrong, it seems I have a long way to go yet. Good luck and best of health to everyone.