Excess phlegm after oral cancer surgery: What helps?

@rjcod1955, you may appreciate the tips shared in these related discussions:
– Excessive Mucus with Esophageal Cancer: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/excessive-mucus-with-esophageal-cancer/
- Phlegm and Saliva filling in the mouth after tongue sarcoma https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/phlegm-and-saliva-filling-in-the-mouth/

I'm also tagging fellow members like @wretired2000 @nbkod7b @mojo244 @ascc17 @doglover888 who are or have been dealing with phlegm issues.

When my husband had his radiation treatment he had terrible mucus. The doctor put him on low levels of oxycodone stating that the reason he had the mucus was the throat's attempts to heal itself. Whatever it was it did help. Now from a natural approach, we had very good luck with white pine needle tea and eucalyptus vapors. The only other thing is just lots of water.

For me, Mucinex and lots of warm beverages were key to dealing with excessive/thick/sticky phlegm/saliva. For some reason coffee seems to work best for me, but there are thousands of options for warm beverages.

Hi, thanks for the update. Love the best remedy Coffee. I spoke to my doctor about this excess phlegm and he gave me a small list of over the counter chemicals, my reply was are any of them better than the black coffee I drink? He looked at me strange and i just said well for me Coffee works fine.

Excess mucus in the throat was a huge issue for me following a maxillectomy and radiation. This continued for many many months. After a second admit to my hospital for unrelated to my cancer issue, i discovered that each bed had a suction machine on the wall. It connected to a small hand held devise bedside. I started using this for throat mucus and phlegm and it worked well. After discharge i discovered that home health medical equipment companies had portable machines for home use. I was able to get insurance approval and rented in on a monthly basis. I did have to get a prescription and an order from my doctor. There were two options. A stationary model and a smaller portable one. I chose the portable one and took it everywhere i went just in case i needed it, the mucus finally resolved enough that i was able to send back the machine. It has been 3 years since my initial surgery and radiation and although many symptoms and side effects have resolved i still suffer from dry mouth, fibrosis of jaw muscles ( trismus) and neck fibrosis. I find that most drinks have a drying effect in my mouth so I drink only water. That should help loosen the mucus. Best of luck and know that it will get better.

They had to rent me a machine to
suck the excess saliva. I had it about 3 weeks, then it went the other way, and I dried up.
Biotene helps me for that issue.

Hi I had a partial glossectomy in 2017 in 2020 I felt a lump in my throat. Following multiple tests with ENT.
I still have the lump feeling but tnic co slimy saliva like mucus in my mouth which covers my tongue making it very sore burning and stinging. Eating is very difficult. I cough and choke.
Does anybody else have the thick sticky saliva and mucus

Welcome @kadjur. I would suggest you continue to seek an answer to these symptoms. An MRI might be the solution, but I am not a doctor.
In moments of symptom shrugged shoulders in the past I would assure the doctors that we could probably find out what is going on with an autopsy. That statement usually gets the ball rolling.
You are your own best healthcare advocate. Keep at it.

Hello,
My post chemo/radiation treatments left me with thick mucus.
OTC recommended products did not work!

Here’s the thing that works for me; first thing in the morning and several times during the day swish hot water, sip/swallow and hack until all is clear then brush with regular toothpaste and then prescription toothpaste.

As for the lump and trouble swallowing; an ENT and family doctor missed my stage IV cancer twice and my dentist found it!

Maybe a CATCT should be done?

If it’s just a restriction they can stretch the area as I have had that done a few times.

MOJO

Hello @kadjur. My experience with head and neck cancer included radiation that left me with ulcers on my tongue and very painful. At one point I developed a fungal infection of the tongue surface that caused pain and burning and the feeling of a thick hairy surface. It was quickly remedied with medication. You may be prone to infection due to the reduced, thickened saliva. I would suggest a consultation with your ENT to also include discussion of why you still feel a lump in your tongue. Perhaps more diagnostics are needed. Referral to a major cancer or referral center is always a great way to go. I had an excellent experience at Mayo Rochester with their ENT department. We still drive 10 hours to Mayo for rechecks 11 years later. Good luck to you.