Shall I buy a humidifier?

I never bothered with one as sticking my towel wrapped head a couple of times a day over a bowl of steam and sipping litres of water did the trick for me, that and spitting into a tissue lots of times. I think Hazel had one and swore by it.

Thanks, Dani. I’m doing the bowl of water thing, but spitting wakes me up at night (choking on the gunk), and then I constantly spit into tissues all day. It’s a bit scary in the Linac now; afraid I’m going to choke before they come to take the mask off!

I can manage sipping warm water with honey in it after I’ve had morphine first.

I wonder if my mouth’s unusually bad because I have Sjogren’s Syndrome, which means my normal (pre- mouth cancer) state is waking up a couple of times a night gasping for water.

Keep telling myself this will all be in the past soon.

Thanks for replying.

xx

Hi Louisa

I was given the same advice as Dani.  Maybe give it a try and if it doesn't work for you consider getting a humidifier.   Incidentally, some hospitals will lend you one.

Linda x

Sorry Louisa.  Our messages crossed.

Linda x

Maybe also ask if you can have a nebuliser 

Then you can have an intensive blast before bedtime. 
I know what you mean about night time. I used to fill a paper bag with spat in tissues every night.

yuk!!

All the nebulisers have been commandeered for the poor corona patients.

I like the idea of an “intensive blast before bedtime”!

Lucky us with our bags of gunky tissues!

Oh gosh-I am so sorry you are suffering. I had a Boots facial sauna (fancy implement for head over bowl of water) and used for a couple of minutes every time I wanted to cough during the day-time consuming, but worked for me, and slept propped up slightly. Also sipped through 2 odd litres of water each day (can add squash). My Mac nurse also suggested hanging pots of water over hot radiators to create humidity.I never got around to doing that. I don't seem to have suffered as badly as some of you (feel bad about that) and so can only offer limited advice. I too felt like I was never going to cope during the last RT treatments without coughing/gagging etc but, sipping juice for 10 minutes plus before treatment, seemed to help cope. I hope you find a way forward.

Tricia

Ah, thanks Dani - nebuliser.  I was trying to think of the word last night and it just wouldn't come to me!!

Linda x

Hi oh dear we are hearing  the news that cancer patients aren’t suffering but if no nebuliser s I ,I think you are I used mine very day and in night. I also bought a portable one off amazon could be worth a try. Sending hugs to everyone out there in treatment. Like Piya says maybe facial sauna or even the good old fashioned bowl of hot water and towel over head of course be careful not to scald yourself. 

Hazel x

Tricia, thanks so much for your reply. Don’t feel bad about *not* suffering, LOL; it’s great to hear!

Sipping is ok for me, but not swallowing. I have SCC base of tongue, so I dread to think what it looks like down there - erk! However, I *can* manage warm water with honey in it, so I might try taking flasks of that with me to radiotherapy.

xx