Alex update final: We are now a week without the mucolytic to see if Alex felt a worsening of symptoms of thick phlegm without the help of a medicine to loosen and thin mucous.

Basically, he is not sure.

Conclusion is that if it did any good, it was not dramatic. Alex is absolutely sure it did not make anything worse. The problem is so complex - different people have different issues, with some being driven crazy by an overproduction of thick mucous and would give anything for it to be gone, whilst others have some thick mucous but the main problem is lack of production of anything. On top of this, type of OC, field of radiation, length of time since treatment and all sorts of other variables confound the issue.

For the group who just want the thick mucous to be easier to clear, Alex's trial was probably a failure unless higher doses or a different agent would have made a difference. I can't ask him to do more than he has already done - he has humoured me and put up with my daily questions about foaming, and quantities and how often and what time blah blah blah long enough.

Maybe when we have a little less going on, I can pressgang him into service once more for some other screwy idea I have but right now, he needs to enjoy feeling well and eating his way to a weight that will make our dietician happy enough to recommend removal of his PEG (still aiming at a knife and fork for Christmas since I don't know when Thanksgiving is )

Karen