Lost voice

Hi Janene, I have a suction machine, which my wife got to help with my mucus, during and after my treatment. You are very welcome to have it. I have sent you a friend request, so we can sort out getting it to you, if you would like to have it.

Regards Ray.

Hi ray. 

oh that’s so amazingly kind of you I’m lost for words! I think I’ve added you as a friend. Not sure how this all works. Thanks you so much again. janene

Hi Janene. It's a stroke of luck that your husband is still in treatment. It's relatively easy to get things sorted out if he is still actually seeing his team. He shouldn't be in pain like this. Get him to tell his radiographers at todays session exactly what's happening. I was on morphine by week six; twice daily long acting morphine, oromorph five times day and paracetamol four. As you say cocodomol isn't strong enough.  

Trying to get two fortisips at once is too much, it's a pain but try diluting 50/50 with water and giving him one every hour or hour and a half. I easily threw up my fortisips given by syringe so I was put on a slow pump feed which I took drip drip through the night over 8 hours. Even then I needed antisicknes meds to counteract the pain killers.Your husband still has the last week of treatment and a good two weeks of escalating symptoms after that so it might be worth asking about a pump.

Has he been taking fortisips by mouth previously? If he hasn't it might be they don't suit. They don't work for everybody and there are alternatives.

Re the choking, upping his water intake helps along with sleeping propped up and having a humidifier by the bedside can help too. I steamed my head over hot water a few times a day and some people get a nebuliser. At the worst I had to resort to just pulling the mucous out of my mouth and I certainly just spat a lot...never tried to swallow it. 

My voice was a whisper for a week or so and practically non existent most mornings for a while but it does get better and by six weeks post RT I was much more comfortable. By 12 weeks I had turned a real corner. These 6 and 12 week milestones are what most people seem to go through...roughly.

There is a drug called Carbocysteine which thins mucous but again that doesn't work for everybody. Ask about that but I think getting enough fluid down was key for me

I hope some of this helps

Hi, Janene, the request hasn't been confirmed .

Regards Ray.

Ray...it's not a good idea to put your phone number up. Anybody can read your post. 

Hi ray

ive got your number so maybe delete the post just for your security as I’d hate for anyone to ring you. I’ll give you a call once my hubby has gone to chemo if that’s ok? 

janene

Thanks for that beesuit 

we hve a meeting with his nurse today as today is chemo day. So lots of questions to be asked! He has never taken the fortysips by mouth as he says they are to gloopy to swallow. He has Ben told to have 7 a day as his weight has been dropping but it’s a nightmare getting them in and the medication and the water without making him sick. Like you suggested we need to space it all all. We will definitely talk about pain relief. Thank so much for reply it’s been so helpful. 
kind regards 

janene

Good luck. These last few weeks are by far the worst

Let us know how you get on

Thanks Dani, I did think that, however for some reason when I try to delete the post , it says I don't have permission to delete it.

Regards Ray.

Ah ok. It’s gone now anyway. Flag to moderator makes the phone number disappear. I should have done that but I guess another eagle eyed champ spotted it