Hi I was wondering if anyone else here has had problems with eating after rad tx's were finished and can start to swallow food again? I am having pro9blems with getting sick after eating a med meal, I still have my peg tube and dont have any problems with a six pack of boost a day but if i eat in place of the boost then i get nausiated and some time get sick. I have to take 2 kinds of nausia medications to try to stop this and it gets fustrating cause i want thid tube out badly. The dr.'s just say to keep trying and it will get better but for the last 3 weeks to a month i have been fighting this. The bad thing is when i do get sick the acid really burns up the back of my tonge and sets me back even further on eating and not to mention the pain for the next few days just to swallow. Is this something i should bring up with a diffrent dr. since mine arnt too worried about it or is this common coming off of a tube after not eating real food for almost 3 months?
Thanks in advance for the replies and hope to run into some of you at a favorite buffett :-)

Bob Grey

Bob, My husband is 10 weeks out and never used the peg (though he still has it), but still can't eat real food. He has been drinking BOOST and ice cream shakes for 12 weeks now, along with cooked diced peaches. He has had acupuncture weekly through the cancer center (CCC) since pre-radiation ( 17 weeks now) and really never experienced nausea except the one week he skipped. He seems to think that what is stopping him from eating is 1) still a lot of swelling in the neck from a mod neck dissection, 2) spot at base of tongue that is not healing, and 3) some mild to moderate dry mouth. He says with only one of these issues, he could probably eat, but all three together are a real problem. Sounds like your main issue is the nausea though. Hope you find a solution soon. Would love to run into you at a buffett or any eating establishment! We used to eat out a lot, but we haven't been to a restaurant since Feb 11th. Eating out again (together) will be a huge milestone!

Hi Bob,
How long ago was the rad treatment?
It burns and hurts because they fried your throat. Try to be patient it should get better.

I didn't have the PEG, but did have radiation and trouble eating. I lost a lot of weight and did not eat much for a while. IT sucks, it hurts. But I am 2 months shy of 2 years post diagnosis and I am really glad to be here and I can eat so much more than I could 1 1/2 years ago!!

Try to hang in there! We've been there.

In the mean time, maybe try eating just very small amounts or find a gentle food that's agreeable. I found it helpful to mentally think of progress on a week by week recovery basis, rather than comparing it to life before cancer. I noticed I could eat a little more each week, or it didn't take me so long (45 minutes) to eat 1 container of yogurt, etc.

I went for creamy textures. Sour things still bother me (I lost 1/2 my tongue). How about Drinking boost/ensure? If that's ok try milk shakes, carnation instant breakfast mixed with milk. I even added cans of ensure to coffee!

good luck, and let us know how it goes,
michelle

Hi Bob,

It took 7 weeks for my mouth and tongue to heal enough to eat and remove the PEG tube. I had 35 rad treatments. Finished on Dec 7th and had the tube removed after my neck disection on Feb 1st. it takes a while for the tissue to heal. Also, what are you eating? Eat bland food such as oatmeal with a banana to get your stomach used to regualr food.

Good luck.

Steve

IT isnt the fact my mouth hurts...in fact everyone is very suprised how much it is healed and how much taste has returned. The problem is no matter what i eat whether its speggetti or just plain old bland food about 15 to 30 minutes later i feel like im going to get sick or i do get sick. But if i just do the boost i have no problems, just wondering if this is common after having to tube feed for so long then going back to regular eating to feel sick after wards.

I would ask the doctor if taking Compazine prior to eating would help with the nausea issues. I used to throw up a lot post Tx and then it just stopped - it was mainly linked to the mucositus and constipation from the pain meds.

Hi Bob! The day I finished radiation I told my hem/onc guy I wanted the peg out! The only reason I waited 2 weeks longer than that was because they wanted to take the inner portion of it out orthoscopically & I wanted my throat to heal up a little. I had it out with only local throat spray & no anesthesia, fully awake, no drugs. I felt sooo much better all around with that damn thing out of my stomach! The nausea went away almost completely, instantly! Get it out & start eating real food! Hope you start feeling better real soon! Erik

hi bob when i finished my rad.it took me about 4 wks before i could get even water down.it wasnice to start taking food by mouth again it will get better you take care wayne

Bob, I did not have a tube but I agree with Erik that nausea can be a side effect of the tube itself. Ask your doctor if you can go ahead on the removal sooner and get you feeling better!

Bob, I had pretty bad nausea during tx and after. When I started to eat again I actually stop my nausea meds and started on Nexium. I think my system had gotten so use to the liquid that any type of food would clause me neusea along with reflux.