Esophageal cancer: How do you manage gastro and swallowing effects?

Good morning
I agree that most commercially produced machines are indeed "Over Priced". If you are at all interested, let me know and give me your email address and I will send you plans and complete instructions for building a machine for less than $100 dollars. Could be a few dollars more if you do not have a reasonably priced machine shop to stamp out the 2 inch diameter 316L stainless steel plates. All of the other materials are inexpensively available at a plumbing supply or hardware store and the rest on eBay. I have to leave for a doctors appointment right now, but I will photo one of the machines I built and post it either later today or first thing tomorrow.

Klondikedarol,
Would you consider starting a new discussion thread about hydrogen therapy? The topic is quite interesting and your testimony is quite hopeful.

I think many may miss the opportunity to learn about it because the discussion is buried in a thread about possible symptoms of esophageal cancer.

Just a thought.
God bless you in your journey.

Thank you for your interest. I had not consider starting a new thread, however, I am now giving it some serious thought. Very possibly after this Holiday weekend I will do so.

I was diagnosed with esophageal cancer 3 weeks ago. I have a history of acid reflux disease. As a child, I remember my 3 sisters and Dad getting up at night running to get the Maalox and Milk of Magnesia because the acid was coming out my nose and mouth. It was a way of life. It was call indigestion in the 50s, 60s and 70s. I had to sleep upright most of the evenings. As an athlete, when it came down to the final push, I would pass out due to the acid reflux. When I became a European Chef and Dietetic Chef, I thought I could cure myself. No such luck. I've had lesions for about 45 years. At my last esophageal scope, they said I had lesions, I told them I had them for several years. Once the Gastro=doc call me back to come in again, he endo-scoped and found a small cancerous tumor, about an inch. Kaiser Permanente-my medicare-Advantage insurance- has one method of dealing with esophageal cancer; Radiation, Chemo then surgery. After surgery immunotherapy. I've been reading many success stories here. I had only one remedy for the cancer through Kaiser. I wasn't offered anything else. What to do? I feel normal, no swallowing issues, nothing. Starting my second week of radiation and Chemo tomorrow. Any advice?

i would recommend following the plan as you stated. hang in there, you have a long road ahead of you, keep the faith.

Thank you for your response. I'm deathly afraid of having surgery. What's has people experienced with this? I just don't want to be on tubes the rest of my life.

The success rate of removing all the cancer is pretty good. What about relapses? The dieting doesn't bother me. I'm a European trained dietetic chef, I can help others.

Any input re: the surgery

Thank you,
Take care

Trust the surgeon and team, trust the plan... have faith in them and your fears will lesson.

Thank you so much.

For what it's worth, when I was first diagnosed with esophageal cancer this past March, I was told that chemo, radiation, and surgery would be necessary, However within a couple of weeks and 2 additional consultations with other surgeons and oncologists within the Mayo System, surgery was ruled OUT, due to my age and possible heart issues. I went through the chemo and 5 weeks of radiation (daily), as well as my at home Hydrogen Therapy. In mid August, after another scheduled endoscopy and biopsy, I was told that the tumor was totally gone, and at least for now, I was cancer free. In this first week of September, I am now able to eat and swallow almost as well as I could before the tumor existed. My tumor was at the junction of my esophagus and top of my stomach, totally blocking the passage of any food or liquid. I attribute the success that I have had thus far to the combination of Chemo, Radiation, and Hydrogen Therapy, with NO surgery.

As a follow up to my previous post, Here is a letter I sent to Family and Friends that I would like to share with you.

Hello to All of You

I must first apologize for not staying in touch with all of you during my ordeal. I was not able to, nor did I want to, find a way to share with you, the pain and agony I was going through since early January. As some of you know, I was diagnosed with a Cancerous (malignant) tumor at the base of my esophagus, that was totally blocking anything from entering into my stomach. They installed a feeding tube through my nose, through which all of my liquid food and water was pumped into my duodenum.

I began receiving Chemotherapy and Radiation in late April for 6 weeks. The effects of which, I pray that none of you will ever have to experience. tThe Only good effect was that I lost 80 lbs. The others were not pleasant or beneficial at all.

Now for the good news. In very late July, shortly after my birthday, I was able to very slowly, sip and swallow small amounts of water. With each passing day I was able to swallow slightly thicker concentrations of liquid. By the 1st of August, I was able to swallow my concentrated liquid food. On the 9th of August I pulled the over 3 foot long feeding tube out of my nose, and began drinking all of my liquid food from a glass with a straw. I was also able to let hard candy dissolve in my mouth and swallow it. A few days later I was able to puree real food and slowly swallow it. With each passing day, I attempted to swallow foods that were a bit more solid. On the 20th of August, I was able to eat 2 poached eggs, hash browns, and 2 boiled sausage links.

On August 21st. I went back into the hospital for an endoscopy and biopsy of the tumor. When I awoke from the anesthesia after the procedure, the Doctor was waiting there to talk to me. The first thing he said was that he was Not able to do the biopsy on the tumor, because the tumor was GONE. He stated that there was still a good deal of swelling at the junction of my esophagus and stomach, but the tumor itself was totally gone. They then scheduled an appointment with my Oncologist for the 24th. On the 24th after viewing the results of the Scope, P.E.T scan, CT, scan, and blood work. My Oncologist confirmed that as of right now, I am Cancer Free. I will be required to have Bloodwork, PET and CT scans done every 3 months, indefinitely, to deal with the cancer should it ever return.

Now begins the long process of trying to build back my strength and stamina, that all seemed to disappear during the past 8 months. I want so desperately to not have to depend on my electric wheelchair or walker to be mobile. The lower lumbar region of my back is a major problem, but I am attempting to build up the muscles and supporting tendons through a series of exercises. I am scheduled to be fitted for a custom designed back brace on Tuesday. Hopefully this will allow me to once again walk and/or stand for more than 3 or 4 minutes at a time.

God Bless You All
Brother, Dad, Grandpa, Friend
Darol

God Bless

"The Grumpy Pragmatic Old Man"