Throat Pain Help

Hi there, my husband is in emergency waiting for a room at the hospital as I text.
Low blood pressure, sodium etc....I told him last night he needs a feeding tube. He refused....
He is in the best place right now.
I didn't think this would happen and so quickly...week 4 of 7.
Thanks for your suggestions and take care too!
N

Oh wow, we were in the hospital last night too for hydration therapy. My husband still doesn’t want a feeding tube either. We’re now considering a port because he’s so dehydrated that it took over two hours to get an IV in, and they even had trouble drawing blood today, they kept blowing all his veins and had trouble even with an ultrasound machine. They had to adjust his chemo dose and told him to stop all Advil, plus they started him on a new antibiotic for severe thrush. His kidneys are really taking a hit. It’s been such a long day, and I haven’t had much sleep—honestly, it’s really hard to see the light right now. I can only imagine how hard this is for you too. Hoping you’re hanging in there. Sending you lots of prayers and hugs!

Thank you for sharing your experience. I truly appreciate your openness to share and help others going through something similar. It sounds incredibly tough, and I admire your strength in pushing through each day.

Have you had the feeding tube throughout your treatment, or was it introduced later?

My heart goes out to you, and I truly hope you start to feel some relief soon. Sending you lots of support and healing thoughts. Please take care!

Never any mention of a feeding tube..I did bring it up at one of our first meetings but.... you know we will approach that if necessary.... honestly I think the majority hears "feeding tube" and thinks that the last resort...As does my husband...
Tonight he is still saying no to a feeding tube from my suggestions.... he can't even swallow applesauce...
The er nurse said wait til tomorrow... talk to the oncologist.

I posted earlier about the feeding tube. I did mine early and I loved it. But I think sometimes patients resist because they think its a sign of weakness. Its not. But even more I think, and speaking as a two time cancer survivor, some patients resist because its the only "choice" we've been given. From the first diagnoses CANCER and doctors have made all the decisions. Looking back now a food tube seems like an easy decision but in your husbands reality its the only choice he's had for months. I don't know if this helps and I don't know how you get him past this. But he may not be deciding....he's only reacting. He could ease his own suffering and help himself heal by getting the tube. I don't know how you get him to that point. My thoughts and prayers are with you both.

My dad has the same, razor blade throat. He describes it just like that. Would liquid Motrin help? We use the children’s liquid Motrin and just adjust the dose to what his provider recommends.

My wife has worked through the post-radiation throat symptoms with periodic pre-meal Magic Mouthwash swishes and swallows to help get food down and with Hydrocodone with Acetaminophen oral solution when the symptoms spike (razor blade, rough block of wood, flap obstructing path), which is often concurrent with severe coughing spells trying to clear up super-glue mucous blockage. Salt and baking soda mouth rinses seem to help break down the mucous. She is also taking Helios, designed specifically to heal the epithelial cells of the mouth, throat and intestine following radiation/chemo. Seems to be making positive contribution to healing process.

Hi there, can you tell me what Helios is?
Thank you!
N

It’s something that worked well for me. It’s a powder that you mix and drink. It’s really effective at reducing inflammation and pain-at least for me. I refrigerated mine. The cold helped too. Get the grape flavor. It tasted the best from what I remember.