Post Treatment Recovery

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I'm four weeks post treatment for tongue cancer - two chemo sessions and 30 RT. Whilst recovery is taking its sweet merry time and pain management is one of my main issues as the internals heal, I've got an annoying and uncomfortable challenge with thick mucus building up in my throat. 

Anyone with a magical formula to help release it/clear.it? I've tried fizzy water, steam baths even lemonade (the bubbles cause havoc with the blisters on my tongue - don't do it!)

Any ideas warmly welcome. 

  • Hi. Well done on getting through treatment

    I sipped ordinary warm water and spat a lot. It didn’t last long

    There is a mucolytic drug called carbocysteine that helps some people 

    It does go as quickly as it came to be replaced by a dry mouth I’m afraid

    Dani 

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

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

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  • Thank you Dani. I'll raise this with my ENT team and see if I can get some prescribed. 

  • Good luck. Try not to worry it doesn’t last forever. 

    Dani 

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

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

    Community Champion badge

  • Carbocysteine and a nebuliser got me through it.

    Good luck!

    Diagnosed Feb 2023 with base of tongue cancer, oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), HPV positive, staging: T4aN2CM0