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Soft Food Suggestions
Head and neck cancer patients have a unique challenge in dealing with limited food options. I had such a struggle finding food that was soft enough to eat, but also tasted good. There is only so much soup a person can stand, right??? I had a feeding tube during several rounds of treatment, but had to eat by mouth during my first few diagnoses. Did anyone land on some food that worked really well post-surgically or during treatment? I ate way too many of my mom's peanut butter pies. It has a smooth texture, and I would make it without the crust 🙂 Pudding and cheesecake were also winners in my book. Definitely not a low sugar diet, but it worked for me. What about you?
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Hello @wanttoeatagain and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I understand you are not able to swallow and that you are curious if there is a procedure to burn out scar tissue in your esophagus.
I found this information below that discusses Dysphagia and Esophageal Dilation as a potential treatment that may shed light on some of your options, of course, depending on your specific circumstances.
-Dysphagia:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dysphagia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20372033
How long as swallowing been an issue for you and do you happen to know what was the likely cause that brought this on?
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1 ReactionThank you for this @gaybinator. My dad is getting ready to undergo 6 weeks of radiation after having his parotid gland removed from metastatic squamous cell. I’m a RN so I’m, by nature, getting things prepared for treatment side effects. He has already noticed the dry mouth and the sticky feeling on his teeth just from the surgery so I know this is going to most likely progress with radiation. I am wondering if you have additional suggestions on foods that worked for your hubby that I might be able to incorporate as this progresses. I know that a sore throat is probably going to be a big issue as well. Thank you!
He improved so that he could eat many things, again, with moisture. He could eat sandwiches, hamburger, dark meat chicken, and casseroles. English muffins with blueberry jam were a favorite. Stringy meats like roast beef were out because it would stick in his teeth. He had to have water every couple of hours, even through the night.
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1 ReactionI like Vanilla yogurt; I add my own fruit. Blueberries, blackberries & raspberries are great and have cancer fighting properties. Bananas too. If necessary you can put it in a blender for a minute or two. I also eat oatmeal every day. Also with fresh fruit. Healthy fiber and helps control blood sugar. Some meat baby food is good. Plain meat (chicken, beef or turkey. Warm up and eat with mashed potatoes. It's bland so add salt.
Hope this helps.
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1 Reaction@goodrn, I'd like to add my welcome along with the tips you got from @gaybinator and @nutmeg56.
Goodrn, when does he start radiation? What foods does he like to eat?
It has been nine years now. I must say that there has not been a day that I am not reminded of my encounter with mouth cancer. I have lost four molars, not to decay but to receding gums. At the moment, the fifth one is kind of loose; but we will wait for it to get worse before it is extracted. No hope for a denture or an implant because my jaw bone was compromised by radiation. I do not complain, though. I have been blessed with five grandchildren in this nine years! What else can I ask for? I am just grateful to God for making me part of His creation and be mindful of those who suffer. Some days I wake up with my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth and some days not. Some days I feel sad; but I just smile and keep it to myself. I can share with you though. It feels good. Thanks for listening. We are together in this......
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4 ReactionsSo good to see that you continue to monitor the discussions here, @loli, although your cancer journey is mostly in the rear-view mirror. Your experiences and your attitude are so helpul to others new to head & neck cancer. Five grandchildren! Congratulations. I hope they don't live too far away so you can give plenty of cuddles.
@goodrn, how are you and your husband doing?
Hi @colleenyoung. Thank you for the reply! My dad just had his mask made and mapping done today and will start pretty soon. I know we have several weeks before side effects start to kick in, I just want to be prepared beforehand. He will eat anything. He eats a ton of fruit and his favorite type of food is actually Cajun 😂 I’m planning on making a lot of smoothie preps for him and probably sneak some tofu in there for protein. Any high water/protein/kcal meals or foods that worked for others would be appreciated. Obviously Boost Plus is on my list but also trying to think outside the box of smoothies and soups.
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1 ReactionI would be interested in the answer to that as well. My husband had his esophagus removed March 8, 2022. He has a stricture and scar tissue at his throat that has been stretched twice. Unfortunately the tissue is raw and bleeding so it’s been difficult to stretch it. Now he’s on all liquids to help that heal. I’m not a medical person but I think that if you were to remove the scar tissue by doing a surgery would just create more scar tissue. I don’t know it’s some thing I’m going to ask his doctor. Over the last two weeks he has been hospitalized twice because he cannot swallow anything he needed fluids and then of course and endoscopy. We told them yesterday that we can’t keep coming back to the hospital and staying 48 hours and have these procedures each week. We’re looking for a long-term solution.
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1 Reaction@goodrn, how are you and your dad doing?