Hi Terry,
Congratulations on finishing treatment - that is a first big step. I will attempt to answer your questions in the same order. Bear in mind that we are all different and respond differently to treatment so your experience may not mirror mine.

1. If you had IMRT, you will probably have fairly normal saliva function in about 18mos -it is a slow process. If not then you will have dry mouth issues for life. The really sticky stuff (which results from radiation damage of the salivary glands) should just up and vanish in a month or so and with most of us, rather suddenly.

2. My taste buds started to recover at about a month and slowly got better until about a year and everything pretty much tastes the same as pre Tx. The chemical taste from the chemo lasted quite a while.

3. I didn't have a feeding tube but it depends on when you can start swallowing again without excessive pain. I started eating solid food at about 1 month post Tx. I phased in soft foods at first. When you are able to input enough calories orally to sustain you they will take out the feeding tube.

4. I was really hoarse post Tx and it slowly improved over time to where it is almost the same as pre Tx. It was very froggy in the beginning. Some actually completely lose their voice for a week or so.

5. Yes. It tracks the thick saliva from the radiation damaged salivary glands. It was a miserable time - it WILL pass. Proping yourself up a little, maybe some decongestants and get a humidifier, will help.

If you had 7 weeks of radiation you will normally have 7 months of recovery to get back to a reasonable place. The things you mention here should pretty much subside by 2 months.

It was a good three weeks post Tx until I hit the turning point. Radiation continues its full unabated effects until about then. Progress is typically measured in three week increments.

Hang in there - PATIENCE!