Hi everyone
So far my radiotherapy for oral cancer has been manageable (new pain killer yesterday), but the main issue is pain on the tongue (top and right side) when eating. Everything I put in my mouth stings apart from water, milk and ice cubes. I have oral paracetamol and morphine which I take 30 mins before eating, and whilst it MUST help with pain but I am not aware of it doing so. I rarely eat without them but there seems to be no difference. I also have difflam and whilst that definitely helps the tongue it is only for the first few of mouthfuls.
My treatment team have all examined my mouth several times and noted that it is very sore but haven't suggested anything else to help.
Ha anyone got any suggetions please? I'm pleased to say my throat still works okay and I want to keep my swallowing function going if I can.
Thanks all,
Meg
Hi Meg. Are you taking your morphine by the clock. I took mine every four hours with paracetamol in between. The Difflam should dull things a little but there is no getting away with the fact that morphine won’t do much for the acute pain of eating. It helps with background pain very well.
When my pain got too bad I tube fed. I hated the idea of being frightened of food. It saved my life.
I was tube fed for 8 weeks. Not swallowing for that long didn’t affect my swallowing function one bit. I had exercises to do and I did them religiously. I still do five years later to prevent fibrosis sneaking up on me.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Yes. Perfectly ok.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
