What was your experience immediately following RT/chemo?

Just posting a cautiously positive update. My husband finished his chemo/radiation June 7th and had a rough time afterwards. Jeff has been able to eat a much greater variety of foods over the past week. The esophagitis is resolving thankfully. His weight has been stable, albeit low, but he's getting stronger in every way each day. I'm anxious about the first CT scan Monday, although I think it will be fine because it didn't detect any problems when he was rediagnosed in February. Gastro appt and rad onc visits Wednesday. Endoscopy 8-10 weeks after treatment ended.

We're going away to the beach in RI for a few days the last week of July. It's only about 45 mins away from home so we don't need to worry about anything if Jeff had any problems. I can't wait to relax. So that's it, that's where we're at. The healing time they told us about has been right on schedule. I'm so happy he's able to eat again. I hope all of you are doing well ❤️

Try hyoscyamine first ( it helped my spasms of my esophagus which also made me throw up every time I drank or ate any amount of anything), then I tried phenergan suppositories also for the nausea. Worked great! This went on about 2 weeks after radiation/chemo then subsided as the radiation calmed down. No one in my GI office would do an endoscopy because after radiation the surface is like ground meat and very fragile. They said it was very easy to perforate the esophagus with the endoscope. Ended up I didn't need it. I'm a little over one month since the end of my treatments and I'm eating most of what I want just smaller amounts. Still have some coughing occasionally which is also normal. My surgery is slated for July 16.

Hi Lynn
My dad was diagnosed a few weeks ago and we are on 2 chemo and getting ready to start radiation soon. I was curious how your husband is doing and if he had surgrey to remove the part of his esophagus or if the chemo took care of it?

Was the hyoscyamine given to help with the mucous? My dad has to constantly spit up large amount of saliva.

I confess I know nothing about hyoscyamine, but I've probably spit up gallons of saliva/mucous in the last few months with a tumor blocking my stomach entrance. It is sometimes pretty foul-tasting and altogether a bothersome condition. I carry a plastic hospital mug and Kleenex around with me at all times and have avoided going out in public with the exception of hospital visits--chemo/radiation starts next week. My sympathies to you and your father, but hopefully this too will pass.

Ugh! Yes he is exactly the same way. I feel so bad that he feels like he has to hide because of this so I am hoping for someone that knows any type of relief. What do you eat? He is strictly protein shakes now. I am trying tonfind other options for him

Dear @pliddle - We, too, are redfining eating. After surgery and the J-tube, my husband is learning how to eat again - smaller meals (smaller than he initially thought) and the softer the better - no bread products yet. He also has to chew 100 times more than he ever has in the past. It can be incredibly isolating - he's a guy who loves to grill and entertain and feels he can't do either right now. Today, for example, all he was able to consume has been Ensure.

The tumor is gone and he had a few weeks of much, much better food experiences after surgery. Now he's learning a whole new way to eat and what to eat and how to eat. You will too. After weight loss, anemia, dehydration and exhaustion between surgery recovery and this last round of chemo, I am holding his hope that every day will get better post-treatment. I hold that hope for you too.

Hi, he wasn't a candidate for the surgery so the first time he was diagnosed in 2018, he did 2.5 years of chemo alone and got to no evidence of disease. When he had the recurrence last February, he did 6 chemo treatments and 28 radiation. He is currently doing really well, back to NED. We're hoping to never see this again...best to you and your dad!