Half way through treatment and struggling with mucus and eating.

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I was diagnosed with Squamous cell carcinoma of the right tongue base and tonsil which had also spread to lymph nodes and started treatment 30 radiotherapy and 5 chemotherapy on 21st March.

I’ve been sat in the background reading a lot of your comments but thought I would actually say hello and ask for some advice.

I’m now half way through my treatment and finding it really tough. I’m really struggling with mucus I literally have to bring it up constantly all day. Are there any suggestions to make this easier? I’m currently nebulising 6 times a day which does loosen it a little. 

I’m also finding the mucus is making it difficult to eat, I’m only able to eat very mushy foods or fortisips but the mucus is making me gag whilst trying to swallow. Any suggestions on eating will be appreciated. 

  • Hi. Good news that you’re half way through at least. Are you getting enough liquid down? Drinking lots helps thin the mucous. I never had it but some people are prescribed Carbocysteine which is a mucolytic. It helps some. 
    By 4 weeks I was NG tube fed as swallowing was too painful. I just spat the mucous out. I travelled with kitchen roll 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

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  • Hi Welcome from me. Dani has said the key things. I was prescribed carbusistine I can’t say it made a huge difference ti nd. I too couldn’t maintain hydration ir nutrition so has a n g tube fitted end of week 4. It ws my lifesaver. All meds water and feed went through uf. This  left me free to dabble with drinking. As fir the mucus it will go as quickly as it came in meanwhile not pleasant I just kept spitting it out ir even pulling it out if need be. I too had nebuliser and humidifier in bedroom. 
    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

    2 videos I’ve been involved with raising awareness of HNC and HPV cancers 

    https://www.instagram.com/merckhealthcare/reel/DBs8Y0niJ8N/

  • Thank you for your reply, I’m trying to drink 2 litres of water a day some days are easier than others. 

    Im concerned with the amount of retching I do, if I had a NG I would dislodge it is this something to be concerned about or am I just overthinking things? 

  • Thank you for your reply Hazel, it was reading your blog that encouraged me to get a humidifier, I’m glad to hear the mucus will go as quickly as I came. I feel stuck to the house at the moment apart from when I’m at the hospital, as the looks you get when you start bringing up mucus are dreadful I don’t feel comfortable going for a walk. 

  • Im concerned with the amount of retching I do, if I had a NG I would dislodge it is this something to be concerned about or am I just overthinking things? 

    Yes. I threw mine up twice. It wasn’t the mucous though which wasn’t too bad for me. The morphine made me really nauseous. 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

    Community Champion badge
  • Thanks for being so honest really helps, I have appointment with oncologist tomorrow so will discuss my options. 

    It’s good to have you guys who have come out the other side as inspiration that it will get better and you can get back to a pretty normal life. 

  • You can get back to near normal. Just don’t rush. You can’t cut corners as that sets you back but it’s doable at your own pace 

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    I BLOGGED MY TREATMENT 

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

    Community Champion badge
  • Hi you’re welcome. Just remember recovery is a marathon not a sprint and some days you’ll go 1 step forward snd 2 steps back. 
    Just warning you quite often after the mucus goes  you’re left with dry mouth. If that happens we’ve lots of tips. 
    keep on plodding one day at a time. As fir spitting I used copious amounts of tissues it didn’t stop me going out anyone didn’t like it I quite openly said sorry I’m going through cancer treatment.

    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

    2 videos I’ve been involved with raising awareness of HNC and HPV cancers 

    https://www.instagram.com/merckhealthcare/reel/DBs8Y0niJ8N/

  • Thank you speaking to you both has really made me feel better and I completely understand I need to take it one day at a time, I’m usually such a strong willed outspoken person but have been the complete opposite since starting this journey and worry what other might say , but your right I shouldn’t feel I can’t go out the house. 

  • Hi That’s  the spirit  i Was  always of the mind that cancer wasn’t going to define me ,and at the end it did t. was still going to be me .I think I’ve succeeded in both.

    Hazel 

    Hazel aka RadioactiveRaz 

    My blog is www.radioactiveraz.wordpress.com  HPV 16+ tonsil cancer Now  6 years  post treatment. 35 radiotherapy 2 chemo T2N2NM.Happily getting on with living always happy to help

    2 videos I’ve been involved with raising awareness of HNC and HPV cancers 

    https://www.instagram.com/merckhealthcare/reel/DBs8Y0niJ8N/