Radiation & cisplatin
Have 2 more weeks of radiation and cisplatin. Living on 5-6 Ensure complex/day. Constipation is big problem, what is best, tried Mara lax,
just switched to Dulcolax. What works best?
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Hi @sully19 Welcome to our head and neck group. No experience with cisplatin but I had constipation during radiation, likely due to being a bit dehydrated and not getting normal exercise. Likely someone will see your post soon and pipe in having used cisplatin. If anything else pops up, don't hesitate to ask.
By the way, you are likely to continue downhill for a couple weeks after you finish radiation and the turn around and recovery is very slow. Good healing.
Hello @sully19. Have you tried taking Senna? Also, this product works wonders: "Fleet Laxative Liquid Glycerin." It is a small squeezable bulb filled with liquid glycerin. If you chew a few Senna Tablets at night before bed, then use the bulb in the morning, you should have relief. I also chew a magnesium soft gel along with the senna tablets. If the Fleet product works, you may want to purchase a small jug of glycerin, clean the tip of the applicator after use, then refill the bulbs. Just put some glycerin in a small cup and suction the liquid back into the bulb. It saves a lot of $$$. Take care.
I continued the Miralax daily and added senna. Ask you radiation oncologist for their best method. Mine told me what and when to repeat a dose if I did not have success but, I can't remember the details now. The dose and timing was more aggressive that the normal label recommended.
Take care,
Sandy
As for me I didn’t experience Constipation. One of my friends however did deal with Constipation. I suggested that he ask his doctor for Suprep that is used prior to colonoscopy and that worked to clean him out.
After that regular use of stool softener and Metamucil kept him regular.
I stayed on my tube feeding for many months and only ingested my prescription nutrition along with water so that could be what helped me?
My buddy on the other hand allowed his wife to put fast food shakes and other unhealthy things into his feeding tube, so that could have been his trouble? 🤷♂️
Hope you find results.
MOJO
My husband had a sinus cancer last year, on Cisplatin & radiation, same issues. Senna is a natural remedy that was suggested by his oncologist. Would take the Senna once a day I believe, in the evening. It's gradual progression so no need to worry about getting to the facilities quickly. We were worried about that since we had to walk to his appointments, but all was fine. Also, at this point he was unable to eat any solid foods - just Ensure and also had to IVs daily.
As a heads up, he had the same diet for two months after his treatment. It was difficult for him, so we are wishing better for you. Good luck on the remainder of your treatment, you're so close to being done!
Hi MOJO,
I had 35 rounds (7weeks) of Photon radiation for a total of 70Gy and 3 rounds of cisplatin chemo for tonsil cancer back in 2008 but no surgery and to help with the brutal dry mouth tried ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ACUPUNCTURE in 2015 which was offered at my cancer clinic for head & neck cancer patients. I was tested to get a baseline and retested after 8-10 appts. and had great results. Never needed to go back and to this day 10 yrs. later dry mouth is a non-issue and I don't have to carry a water bottle with me either. I also slept with a Humidifier on my end table to make sure there was the most moisture possible in my bedroom to help get some sleep.
I got this from my other cancer group SPOHNC and it mention AQUAx2 which is a clinical research study for people with moderate/ severe dry mouth (xerostomia) caused by radiation therapy purpose is to assess the efficacy and safety of "gene transfer" study drug called AAV2-hAQP1.
In addition, I didn't have this available to me but others on this support group site have mentioned “Xylimelts Stick-On Melts” you can buy off Amazon and the box of 40 was less that 10 bucks. People say they really work, and they sleep through the night. And their daytime dryness is much better also. You should research using for extended period of time effects. Also, Biotene spray is effective long time after 2 or 3 sprays! And more recently there is a Aquoral Protective Oral Spray- Dry Mouth Relief which is more than temporary relief of dry mouth. Or a prescription of Cevimeline.
Hope this helps.
Rob
Hey Rob,
Thanks for the reply. Biotine didn’t work for me and Xylimelts made my mouth to gummy so I stopped using them.
I will look into the ESA though, my Medicare probably won’t cover it? 🤷♂️
MOJO