Excessive Mucus with Esophageal Cancer

I am almost 1 1/2 years from treatment - I like you especially at the beginning had lots of mucus, for me it was exhausting coughing non stop from the mucus - I was able to to HBO therapy at 6 months cancer clear, after a few treatments I was healing - mucus was under control taste buds came back it was amazing. So now I get increased mucus after I eat and drink also but you can google foods that cause increased mucus production and foods that do not - this is really helping me and this is where I am - one more thing I’m learning - deep breathing it can clear - help with Speach - everything. I hope this helps ….

I'd like to add my welcome, @russparsons. I see you already got a helpful response from @mindyt. Mindy, would you mind describing what hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is like and how it helped?

I also wonder if fellow members @pellaw @cobraguy223 @hearttoheart1 @lori57216 and @fracturedd might have experiences and tips to add about dealing with excessive mucus with esophageal cancer.

Russ, do you notice a difference in the amount of mucus depending on what foods or drinks you consume? Are there some you just stay away from?

Milk and milk products( dairy ) create mucus. I've been coughing up mucus also but not alot at once. I've been taking Mucinex to help to break it up and expel it.

I have not experienced the mucus since my esophagectomy. Prior to surgery I did experience excessive mucus when eating things that were on the dry side. It was like the mucus came to aid my swallowing then would subside.

I've neve heard od HBO Therapy, what is it? And thank you so much for the welcome.

Here's more information about hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy.
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/about/pac-20394380

This was the concern I brought to my GP prior to being diagnosed with cancer. I would literally choke on my own saliva. Now, six months later, I have been through radiation/chemo and surgery. The excessive mucus is a sign that a doctor's advice is probably needed.

Hi @ricem3627, welcome. Did you have esophageal cancer? How are you doing post treatments?

@russparsons, how are you doing? Have you found a solution to the excessive mucus?

I had those symptoms for months prior to the official cancer diagnosis. Since changing my diet this symptom is now pretty well eliminated. It’s still comes back from one moment to another every other day but I am not into those heavy coughing fits that I had before

A cancerous tumor in the esophagus was treated with radiation/chemotherapy and successfully removed by surgery in early November. Recovery is slow, but I'm gradually able to enjoy solid foods once again!