Hi
I've finished treatment 5 weeks ago
had 6 weeks RT for base of tongue cancer
I am still spitting up mucus and my voice is faint
how long did people have this for please?
thanks
Stephen
Hi the mucus lasted for me until around week 10 when it went as quickly wit came to be replaced with the dreaded dry mouth. Personally I had no voice issues but many do.
Well done on getting through treatment.
recovery does take time but it’s worth it.
best wishes
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
Hi Stephen.
My fella is seven weeks post RT and still having problems with copious mucous secretions. They're tough and really stringy but we knew it would be like this following treatment and are waiting for it to normalise.
Try and drink plenty of fluids as it helps to loosen it somewhat, and spit it out if possible rather than swallowing it. You could also try sugar free gum to encourage saliva.
My H has a different cancer and has to use a nebuliser several times a day and takes carbocisteine x 3 per day to expel it from his lungs. He'll have to do this for life.
Hopefully, your problem will calm down eventually but be patient as it could be a lengthy haul. Good luck.
Gill xx
Thank you Hazel
i don’t get a dry mouth but a dry throat at night
Did you get this?
Hi stephen l
I had sticky mucous till about 12 weeks and it largely disappeared over the following 2. Simply sipping fizzy water or diet cola helped tremendously; that and spitting a lot. A few times I tried steaming over hot water with a towel around my head but I’m not convinced it did much.
That was followed by a dry mouth that took a year to resolve enough to be comfortable.
i don’t get a dry mouth but a dry throat at night
That will come.
The reason is that RT has a huge impact on the major salivary glands. Saliva is made up of two portions. Water and mucous. The watery portion takes much much longer to recover so at first you get a sticky mouth then later a dry one.
Recover is never complete but it is manageable. I’m ok through the day but get dry at night, primarily because I sleep with my mouth open but also because saliva production naturally drops off at night.
Dani
Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019
Hi yes I did was an expert at sipping water practically in my sleep. Once dry mouth started I found xyimelts invaluable I still use 1/2 of one every night I’m 7 years oust treatment now.
wr can’t get on prescription but can get cst free if we buy from Hope to sleep online company there’s a box to put in why yih need them you havec ti search for Ora coat
I’ll looking for link you might not get on with them but many if us do when if you get dry miuth
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
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