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Anyone dealing with long-term dysphagia and chronic cough?
Asking for my husband who is 61 and 12 years post chemo/radiation for stage IV scc base of tongue w/lymph node involvement. He is now dealing with the long term side effects mainly dysphasia and chronic cough. Asking for any others who have dealt with the cough and what may have worked. He is working closely with his ENT who currently has him on 1200
Mg of gabapentin for possible neurogenic cough; antihistimine regimen as he has the “wet” cough. He has had injections in the larynx area, he has a paralyzed vocal cord. He has had his esophagus stretched. He also has dealt with a couple of bouts with aspiration pneumonia.
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I am able to eat most foods. My issue is the small portions since I have a difficult time passing food past the upper esophagus due to radiation. Boost high calorie makes up about 50 % of my caloric intake.
Hi sharonlee
I try to maintain a bi-wkly session for myofascial therapy, and a daily 10-15 mins of stretching exercises to my neck and shoulders - in the hope that this will slow down the deteriorating late effects of radiation.
I don't know if by doing these exercises helps in slowing down the late effects - but I do hope that it will halt or slow down the late effects of radiation.
Hope this helps - take care!!
americanfurn; hope things are improving. I know your post was from 24. Did your husband do speech therapy?
Thank you for the reply. Small portions is good, when things don't move smoothly. Do you have a few high calorie boost each day?
Thank you so much for the reply.
It's hard work, but I am glad to see you doing the therapy. I believe this will help.
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1 Reactionsuzannekay; I hope it's okay to respond to your comment? Is there a way to treat Osteoradioncrosis? Is there an simple way to diagnose? Hope you are continuing with the swallow therapy. Sorry , I notice this is an older post. Don't know if it's still followed.
I drink 3 high calorie Boost each day. They are 530 calories each.
Hello;
Did you find a way to manage the dysphagia?
Looking for same.
Thank you.
As of now, we have made an appointment with a GI doctor for consultation (for a g-tube). Just take one step at a time. In the meanwhile, husband is very careful with mouth feeding . It almost takes him a whole day just to get enough food. Maybe a g-tube will cut down his feeding time and free him up to do other activities?
My father has dysphagia, which was caused by neck radiation 30 years ago. I guess it's come on over the past 5 years or so. He started coughing a lot and started having problems swallowing his food and pills. More recently, it's become much worse to the point that he has severe pain in the side of his throat/neck almost all the time. He can't eat much and has lot a bunch of weight. He is 6'1" and is down to 132 lbs!!!!!
His former surgeon isn't around anymore, so he finally went to a new ENT, who sent him for all sorts of tests. He was checked to make sure there was no new cancer and was cleared of that. His ENT told him his pain is probably due to some fibrosis and suggested that he take Tyelnol or ibuprofen. He was already trying to take them , but couldn't swallow them.
The ENT also referred him to a gastroenterologist, who said my dad has a few very tiny stomach ulcers. My dad said he never had any symptoms of ulcers, only side effects of radiation treatment. But the Gastro prescribed him some sort of very expensive and bad tasting liquid to take right before he eats. It's supposed to coat his stomach, but it hasn't been helping him at all.
I am getting very concerned by how much weight he lost, and he seems to be getting depressed about it.
Does anyone have any advice or know of any Doctors in New Jersey who might be able to help him?
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