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Throat Radiation After-Effects, Aspiration & Suffocating Mucous
I am a 61-year-old woman that finished the last of 35 radiation treatments last March 2020. Since then, I have had pneumonia and other lung infections which was finally attributed to aspiration of solids and liquids after a barium swallow test. In that regard, I had a feeding tube inserted hoping that would be the beginning of lung healing, although this is not the case. It has been horrible, with shortness of breath, and at times rushing to the ER because I could not catch a breath. All this time I have been on one antibiotic after another, going on 6 months now! The last two months have been Doxycycline 100 mg. twice per day. Obviously the feeding tube has not stopped the feeling of having constant Bronchitis and if I stop taking the Doxycycline, within two days the substance in my lungs begins turning in consistency to that of super-glue. I had a bronchoscopy done 10/2020, which found heavy e-coli in my lungs, and a sputum test revealed "MRSA" and "Stenotrophomonas Maltophilia." The pulmonologist and Infectious Disease doctors have both denied me any more antibiotics, and I understand their concerns, yet, they have no suggestions for me.
As I sit here, it is 3:00 a.m., and I can not sleep due to the gunk in my lungs making it hard to breath. If I quit taking the Doxycycline, I will be hospitalized within 2-days time, or at the Emergency Room again, in terms of not being able to clear the mucous and breathe. I have to go to urgent-care about once-per-month to have the antibiotics, and that doctor feels I should be on them until (if) this subsides.
I feel as if no-one cares about this condition, or, they know what it is but do not want to admit the truth that the radiation caused this. It must be aspiration causing this lung condition, as there was nothing wrong with my lungs before having radiation for cancer of the Pyriform Sinus (part of throat). The cancer is supposedly gone now, and I am thankful for that. I was a fitness nut, that exercised and ate a healthy greens diet, plus a non-smoker.
I asked the pulmonologist nurse before Thanksgiving what I am supposed to do with no antibiotics..."just die?" She laughed at that statement. Yet, they offered no alternative, or help. My ENT Doctor scopes me approximately every 3 months, and claims my throat is still extremely swollen, yet the swelling is subsiding very slowly. For 8 months I could only whisper, but now have my voice back. The ENT said he can finally see my vocal cords, but this thick mucous problem goes on. If you put your fingers on the depressed area of your throat--by the Trachea--that is the area where the mucous seems to be lodged. Again, as long as I am on antibiotics, the thick mucous can be coughed up with the help of a nebulizer of 7% saline. If I am not on antibiotics, the mucous turns into a cement-like substance, whereupon nothing will dislodge it. The hospital gave me IV antibiotics twice, which began clearing it up rather fast.
By the way, I have been to two Pulmonologists, and both are stumped. They both prescribed many different inhalers--Albuterol, Symbicort--others, and if this is any clue, these inhalers make my throat worse. In fact, the last time I used the albuterol was in desperation, and it almost closed up my throat totally. The second-opinion Pulmonologist described that reaction as "very interesting." Currently, not taking solids or liquids by mouth, in hopes this will go away.
Sorry to write all that! This has been submitted hoping someone will instruct me as to where to go from here? Another ENT, or another Pulmonologist?
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Thank you for checking in. Sadly, my dad lost his fight on the 20th of April. The reoccurring aspiration pneumonia prevented him from regaining strength and health.
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4 ReactionsSorry for your loss. If you would like to seek bereavement support, I want to let you know there is also a loss and grief support group here:
- Loss & Grief Support Group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/loss-grief/
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1 ReactionEvery word I read described what my husband is experiencing, and he is very frustrated and scared too. Are there any suggestions on what to do about this mucous and swelling. He could have wrote the post himself it was so accurately describing his situation. PLEASE, what to do!
Hello @jtpokerguy and welcome to the discussion. The mucous is not unusual and should subside eventually. This is not a good thing we do to ourselves to kill the cancer, almost a contest of what will win in the end and hopefully it is the patient. What is the status of your husband such as how long out of radiation or in what week of treatments?
Encourage your husband to read some of these discussions in the head and neck group. He can search on specific issues such as mucous, swelling, etc. You can also start a "discussion" about anything related here where you will get feedback directed to you.
Sorrow for your suffering. I have esophagus cancer stage 3 b, I'm 50,feeding tube and breathing issues from congestion in my lungs. I spit up and vomit several times a day. I refused to do radiation after research of side effects. Your experience has me dead set on not doing it. I do agree that don't care about us beings but giving drugs to us. They "monitor" us and say" any problems go to the emergency room" And you have to clear your lungs by vomiting to clear them to sleep or you're just wheezing and coughing. Diet also has to do with congestion build up. Dairy is the worst for it. Blessings to you
I went through radiation therapy for tonsil cancer and finished 35 sessions just about a year ago. I am doing wonderful but for the thick saliva. I find drinking as much water as possible helps thin the thick and keeps it from turning into super glue and allows me to cough it up from my throat and esophagus. When it does get thick a hot beverage, coffee, tea etc. seems to help thin it out. I know what you are going through is horrible at best. Not being able to breathe is one of the most frightening things one can go through. If the hot beverage helps you may want to keep it handy. A friend suggested using just a hot cup of water if you can't drink coffee or tea.
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6 ReactionsI do hope your decision to bypass radiation therapy has worked out for you. Radiation therapy effects everyone differently. In my case the side effects weren't all that bad. After a year I am still recovering my taste buds, but they are coming around. Thick saliva is definitely my biggest problem but it is manageable. The only other thing I have trouble with is a runny nose. My saliva is thick but my sinus drainage is as thin as water and run 24/7. I consider myself very lucky to be in the position I'm in. I do have doctors and care givers that seem to care and that is a blessing. I wish you the best and hope you are doing well in you battle.
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1 ReactionHello @bxw3 and welcome to our little group.
You mentioned a runny nose as a side effect of your radiation treatments. This seems more common than one would think. I had two doctors look into this separately and they came to the same conclusion: it’s a reroute of a salivary gland or two. For me, only after a surgery for mandible replacement was mine corrected, more by chance than by plan. I no longer have to wipe my nose when I eat and I now have a much improved saliva flow for eating.
Of course knowing this doesn’t feed the bulldog but at least it is a plausible explanation.
Side note: I actually know someone with similar cancer treatment who has a saliva reroute out the side of her neck.
I guess if we didn’t laugh about this we would run screaming into the night.
With all the negatives I have read about and the few I have experienced so far I consider myself lucky. One thing is an absolute, it beats the alternatives of being buried six feet underground, put in an above ground crypt or being cremated. It also has improved my sense of humor since I laugh at myself a lot.
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1 ReactionI am new to this forum and this Story recently popped up on my news feed. Although my diagnosis is different some of the same post surgery symptom's are the same. I found a a product that has helped me tremendously in this overproduction of mucous. It's call SANE MD VITA AE. It does not require a prescription and can be purchased on Amazon. When I first tried it I took it twice daily for 30 days and after 2 weeks I began noticing improvements in the amount of mucous my body was producing. After 30 days I would say it was under control and tolerable. I continued to take it daily until about day 45 and then noticed it was beginning to dry me out too much, so I stopped taking it for a while and the heavy mucous symptoms returned. So I started taking it once a day and then about after 60 days I begin to dry out too much again. So now I am taking it once a day every other day and the mucous is under control. I would highly recommend trying this if your body is over producing mucous. It also helps keep my sinuses clear as well. Great product.