100% reliant on RIG at start of week 5

Hi Pauline, This is par to the course, I was 100% reliant on my RIG at week 3. As for the Lansoprazole, try crushing them up in a small amount of water, so they can go through your RIG. Don't worry too much about missing a chemo, lots of people miss one, including myself. The next 2 weeks will go quickly, then you will start out on your recovery.

Regards Ray.

Thank you.  X

Alfienangel said:

Is this 'normal' to be 100% reliant.on it, should I be able to swallow, only liquids at the moment? 

I was nil by mouth from the middle of week 4 for six weeks. It’s what your feeding tube is there for, when you find it too painful to swallow. There’s no normal. We are all different. 
I considered that there was no point in fighting to get food down. I certainly found little point spending  my day in tears because I found it so painful to swallow. 

Veins. Take a heat pad with you. Heat makes your veins better to access and don’t get dehydrated

Can't add much to what Dani and Ray have said Pauline, other than to mention that you can get Lanzoprazole tablets in orodispersible form; ask someone to switch you over to them, one less thing to worry about.

Good evening Pauline, i agree with Ray, just give your body time to recover as your swallowing will return gradually, using the PEG/RIG will help with recovery rather than trying to eat or swallow too much. Missing the chemo will not make a lot of difference, in fact, some people dont finish the course due to problems which you seem to be having. I used to take all my meds via my feeding tube and still have the pill crusher that i brought to crush the tablets. Wishing you all the best for your continued recovery, take care.

                                                                                                          Chris x

Hi Pauline not unusual i was  ng tube  fed from the end if week 3 start of  week 4. All my medication that wasn’t soluble we crushed and mixed with water and went in via my tube. It wasn’t worth the pain of trying to swallow I did keep doing all my swallow exercises as much as I could. Keep on top of the pain medication .I didn’t have my last chemo i was due to have 3 large doses but i ky had 2 it’s nit unusual not to have them all. My oncologist said at least 60% of his head and neck patients didn’t complete the entire course. Radiotherapy is the main course of treatment. Keep well hydrated via peg as that helps with cannula  and needles, plus make sure your hands are warm even wear gloves in way to hospital it does help. My last cannula was put in my wrist  area as the back of my hands couldn’t take any more needles.

Best wishes for next 2 weeks Hazel x remember treatment can continue to work during first weeks of recovery keep well hydrated and pumping the feeds un