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← Return to 13 weeks post radiation and throat pain continues
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13 weeks post radiation and throat pain continues
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Jun 22, 2025 | Replies (27)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for the responses; I can empathize with the struggles you are facing or have been through. While I struggle with my own issues I realize there are so many of us facing similar battles.
I’d like to get opinions on the post eating throat pain. I too am experiencing set backs whereas I was eating fairly well with some discomfort and then still resorting to only 1-2 tube feeds per day. Now fast forward a week and I’m experiencing awful pain after eating. Granted the food is not super soft (salisbury steak or similar) but I chew really well and swallow small amounts at a time with plenty of water. So currently I’m eating only small amounts and suffer with burning pain afterwards which last about two hours then soreness diminishes to minor pain. At this point this setback leads me to consuming 4cans of tube feed per day.
I’m left wondering, should I avoid eating altogether for a few days and concentrate only on tube feeds in order to get over this phase and give my throat time to heal. Am I making things worse or prolonging my recovery by trying to eat. Any thoughts?
I also have not returned to work, going on 4 months. Though I attempted twice and decided I was not ready due to progress not being linear. Partial return would complicate my TDI benefits. So I find myself with a lot of time on my hands and bored and down. My energy is mostly good, getting some exercise and walks in daily. I’ve painted two rooms, deep cleaned and de- cluttered the whole house.
Replies to "Thank you for the responses; I can empathize with the struggles you are facing or have..."
I had similar. I am in the UK & use Benzydamine Hydrochloride mouthwash & spray. Sometimes after I eat it is so painful it brings me to tears (even a banana will do this some days). Quick mouthwash or spray, wait a few minutes, better. I also use throat lozenges which have Hexylresorcinol in (its is an anaesthetic). And, I take acid reflux tablets daily as the dry mouth means your saliva does not protect your throat from acid coming up. This has really helped in last 3 weeks. At night I take painkillers so the throat pain does not wake me up in the middle of the day. I try hard to eat normally (steak, toast, salad and so on), sometimes I have to battle through, other times it is easier. I am only 4 months post treatment. I consider myself lucky if it is only the throat pain I have to deal with..... I love that you used the term "it's not linear" - my partner and I laugh about this because this is exactly what my oncologist said for 12 weeks (my brain works in a very linear way so the healing process being non-linear was tough). Hope you are improving, keep fighting and thank you for sharing!
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Pain is subjective. Is this just discomfort, eye watering, or bring you to your knees pain? If it's the latter, you had better bug your doctor. Those of us who were on feeding tubes for an extended period found it very difficult if not impossible to get back on the eating wagon, swallowing being the main issue. As for radiation damage causing a lot of discomfort, I for one found foods I could eat vs foods that gave me anguish to swallow. In time (many-many months) the pain subsided and the different foods became common.
There are still foods (and drinks) I cannot tolerate physically after twenty-two years. When pressed by well meaning friends, I simply say "since cancer I can no longer handle that". Usually that ends it.
I find that if you ask yourself if you are better today than yesterday or last week, then you are on the mend. If things are getting worse, seek help. It is a painfully slow process to heal after radiation. It's not just the cancer cells which were destroyed so it will take your body a long time to heal. Eat healthy what you can. Hopefully next month you can say you are doing a bit better.