Dryness

Hi Mark I still get this after nearly 9 months post RT. I was doing well then out of the blue it happens. I had a sore throat and it was worse while the throat was sore plus getting a lot of mucus which I rarely had before. I take it it goes alongside the dude effects of RT. I drink a lot of water but sometimes even that doesn't fix it. X Jackie 

Thanks Jackie, it silly to say but to hear someone else gets it ,makes it easier to cope with ,if you can understand that .

Mark X

I definitely do Mark one day I think I'm doing great next day my mouth could be as dry as a bone. It gets to you sometimes the worry xx

Hi yes it’s still,early days for yiu. Many if us for maybe first 18 mjnths needdd a warm drink in a morning ti get things moving g. As always mention at yiur next check up .The dryness is often there even 7 years on in a morning hence why I still use xyimelts during the night. 

hugs Hazel 

Hi Mark,

Sorry that I can’t help but just want to sympathise with you as I also struggle with no saliva especially at night. I’m now 7 months post RT and do worry that it’s taking so long to return to some kind of normal. 
Also I feel like I’m going backwards with my speech as sometimes my tongue is so sore I seem to lisp although my friends say that it’s not noticeable. 
Who would have thought the recuperation would take so long?
Sue x

Hi Sue. I thought that with my speech at times . I felt a lisp at times. I started using the iopi machine to strengthen my tongue and it's strength has gone from 31 to 53 normal range for a 61 year old in ten weeks. It definitely helped my speech x

Hi Sue. I have found that the more I talk the more my mouth dries out and affects my speech.My tongue just doesn't go where it is supposed to go to make some of the sounds.  When I read a story to my grandkids I really notice it. For me I am not expecting it to improve as it is now 5 years since my last radiotherapy and 2 years since having an op to have implants and a denture as a result of jaw cancer. The combination has had a permanent effect for me. However I am sure that given more time both you and Mark will have more improvement as it is early days for you both.

Hi Mark

I'm sorry to say that the hard truth of this is that you won't know where you are with this for another 18 months. Radiotherapy tell you that improvements continue up to 2 years and after that is how we will be. I must say the biggest improvements were in the first year but they did continue for another three or so after that. There are steps back as well as forward in that time. I'm six years out and manage perfectly well through the day. Recently at night my mouth has been drying out badly despite the xylimelts but I've put that down to the stress of moving home....at my age!!!!!!

It's a plod but we get there. My attitude was that the hospital managed to save my life and I wasn't going to throw it away worrying.

Best foot forward. You will get there

Hi Dani,

Thank you for a positive truthful reply.

I still get a anxious when something goes backwards ,thinking it may have returned !! I ,Like you really appreciate a second chance the team gave me ,and a sore dry throat is acceptable. It's just my make up ,half empty glass which I'm about to start counselling for today ! 

X

And good luck in your new Home! X