Lack of Appetite

Liesle R said:

dry mouth first thing in the morning (guess I'm a mouth breather in my sleep!)

Same here. Not just in the morning, though. It wakes me in the night so I use a xylimelt and tape my mouth shut. 

I’m 4 months post treatment and although I can taste everything,  I don’t enjoy my food. I find bland foods are easy to get down. I eat a lot more fruit now than I did before .  it’s hard to try new stuff as it’s a case of getting it down .  Thankfully I still take 3 ensure. I have reduced those as I eat a proper breakfast.  I find the ensure keeps me full which is why I’ve reduced them so that I need to eat proper food 

The dry mouth and throat is the worst especially in the mornings when I feel I have a lump of mucus in my throat. The dry cough also drives me insane 

I will try the Xylimelts. Nobody has suggested them . I do need something. I sip water all night 

It seems to me that everyone has a different degree of the same issues.  My husband finds the Bioextra mouthwash gives him the most relief. He finds the Xyimelts (?) are too claggy in his mouth.  Same with the mouth gel.  But it may be different for you.  He has thick mucus that is constantly in his throat. (my theory is its the bodies way of trying to produce saliva) Its actually like jelly...yuck!  Through our local cancer charity we are going to try hypnotherapy, in the hope that it helps his appetite!

He doesn't have the cough...its no picnic, for sure, this post radiotherapy stuff.  All the best to you.

Chicadee16 said:

 (my theory is its the bodies way of trying to produce saliva)

Saliva is made up of two parts. Mucous and water with enzymes in it. The main salivary glands are the Submandibular under your chin which produce background water based saliva and the Parotids under your ears which produce more mucous but the watery portion is activated when you chew. RT knocks out the Submandibular glands permanently but usually spares one Parotid gland. Hence the reason why early saliva is thick. It's not being diluted by the watery part.There are other minor salivary glands dotted about the mouth and at the back of the nose. These do recover which is why the mucous eases as the others come back in recovery

I had very thick mucous for several months. It’s was awful. If I wasnt gagging on it, I was spitting it into a cup. Now I still have some but it’s like a regular cold which is manageable. I have a tickle in my throat now .  So many stages and thankfully they get easier and easier. All the best to your husband 

Thank you for this explanation. My mucous is a lot less and not as thick anymore 

It’s horrid. But as you see it does get better. I used to gawk and spit a lot. Not very ladylike but needs must. Xx

That’s very interesting Dani. So there’s hope that the thick mucus will get better?! I wonder if they can give you something for it, that they don’t routinely offer?

Are you in the medical field as I’ve noticed before that you seem to understand these physiological things! 

Thank you so much for giving us hope as the mucus gets him down so much. 

Chicadee16 said:

Are you in the medical field

I’m a vet… retired … so I understand the jargon  

We end up being experts in our cancer