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Inability to swallow and never ending foamy saliva
Head & Neck Cancer | Last Active: Apr 3 7:36pm | Replies (16)Comment receiving replies
Thank you for your response. His surgery involved taking out both tonsils as well as throat tissue and some from base of tongue plus right lymph nodes. So i understand that there will be mucous to ward off infection. But its been 2 months and this cough is what is so debilitating.
Maybe worse than not being able to swallow since it interferes with his swallowing exercises.
And no one on his medical team seems to have an answer. His ENT isn't even responding so tomorrow we will get a message to his PCP about seeing him as well as a new ENT. His surgeon is a Head and Throat cancer surgeon but has offered little in the way of answers and practices mostly out of a city 3 hours away. He's in our town once or twice a month.
It was our choice to go with him but inbhindsight might have done things differently.
But like so many, we we overwhelmed and felt time was critical. We need someone local. May also email nurse navigator to enlist her help. Sad that patients have to resort to researching answers to problems someone in the medical profession should know.
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Hello @phyllisg I hope you are able to find another doctor with some helpful suggestions. There is a nationwide support group for head and neck cancer patients called SPOHNC that you will find online. They have some cookbooks and literature and I am looking at their book of products and suggestions. I will list some of these in case you haven't tried it. A cool mist humidifier right beside bed or chair to increase moisture in the air. Gargle or rinse mouth with warm water with a little salt several times a day. Naturade Herbal EXPEC with guaifenesin helps relieve mucus buildup and clear excess mucus. Papaya or fresh pineapple juice mixed with seltzer to thin saliva. Don't use that with open mouth sores. Xylimelt tablets to stick to your gum.....I live on these every night to prevent dry mouth. Smartmouth Dry mouth rehydrating Oral Rinse. SalivaMAX prescription only. Salagen, Salivea,Oasis,Moisyn....these are all oral moisturising products. I haven't had experience with any of these except the Biotene products and Xylimelts. I am not sure if he would benefit from a saliva substitute or just moisturizing his mouth,as that would help to reduce the dryness which may reduce saliva production in response to dryness. I would keep looking until you find the doctor with an answer for you. Can you utilize your nurse navigator? I have found them to be so very helpful.