I apologize if this has already been addressed in other posts. I am one week post finishing rad treatments. I am starting to develop a combo of dry mouth and foamy mucous. I I tried to eat some soup and it was a no-go, just couldn't deal with it. So, back to my shakes. This is typical, right? Also, I am still on the Fentynal patches and do not anticipate weaning right now but I want to shortly and am not really sure the best way to do this. Can you share your experiences? Thanks so much.

I can't help with the fentanyl but what you are experience at this point is very normal. Congrats on getting through it. Hugs

Jessica,

As Cheryl stated, what you are experienced is normal. The radiation healing process varies from person to person, but it generally takes a few months to heal. Even though you finished RT, the radiation is still impacting your mouth so it may still get worse before starting to improve.

You will need to wean yourself off the Fentanyl patches and your doctor should discuss that with you. Again, that will vary from person to person and it will depend on your pain level as you step down to a lower dose. Make sure you do not just stop using it as you could go through withdrawal symptoms.

Congrats on finishing!

The patch should be stepped down from. Say you are on 150, for a week or 2 you would go down to 125, then a week or 2 go to 100, and so on. The lowest patch there is would be 12.5. Believe it or not, the 12.5 really is strong! When you are ready to be rid of the patch, make sure your doc takes you slowly off it.

I have passed your post over to another member who also has frothy mucous. They have gone all over for help, but their situation is much different than yours. They have this going on for several years after finishing rads. This is the only member who I have heard of that has the frothy mucous. Everyone else went from the thick,ropey, choking mucous right over to dry mouth. Its part of the healing process.

Best wishes with your recovery!

Thanks. My mucous has decided to change back to the thick, ropey yucko kind. Changing mucous - how lovely! Thank you guys for the responses. Just going to keep using the tussin and hope it eventually helps.

A water pik with warm water will help get the thick ropey mucous out of your mouth. Use it on the lowest setting.

It will be one step forward and one step back for a while. Best wishes with your recovery.

You are doing really great!! Hang in there.
Kathy

You might want to try mucinex for the thick mucus. It seemed to help me more than robitussin. I would buy stock in these items if I new how. The radiation really messes with those lovely membranes of ours. Good luck in your care. Definitely have your doctor help you titrate down off the fentynal. I blew it once and got really ill.

Adfitinal suggestions for the thick mucus is to sleep on an incline, use a humidifier, drink water often and before sleeping, rinsing often with salt water & baking soda solution, rinsing with papaya or pineapple juice, rinsing with seltzer water. I hope these, and the other suggestions help. Good luck.

Thanks. I have been trying everything but I end up spending hours spitting out mucous and then it stops and I have dry mouth no matter what I do. I have not tried papaya or pineapple juice, thank you for that suggestion Paul. My hours have also become so messed up, I am up all night and end up sleeping most of the day. I am just trying to get through these next few weeks following rad treatment as best I can, but it is rough! Sorry to complain, thanks so much again.

Another is rinsing with meat tenderizer, Adolf's brand I read, mixed with liquid. Maybe use the papaya juice with it even. It may seem odd, but when I read it about using meat tenderizer for mucus, I recalled having back surgery 30 years ago for a herniated disc, and had a cymopapain injection ( basically meat tenderizer and papaya) to loosen the disc material off of the nerve, and it worked, so it may be good for the mucus too.

The bottom line is these few weeks are the pits and you are doing everything you can to get through them. If your hours are screwed up, so be it. The light at the end of the tunnel gets brighter and brighter with each passing day!! Count on it and enjoy your sleep when you can.
Kathy

Thanks Kathy, that is exactly what I need to hear!

You're welcome...hang in there.

HI Curly

My Alex has ongoing issues with "foam" which is exactly as he describes it. It has improved over the past 2 years but is particularly obvious when he is tired or has been talking alot.

I understand the mechanisms of many drug actions, including how cough medicines work, so when we discussed the cough medicine as a possible solution, it made sense to me that it should be an expectorant. There are two sorts of cough medicines. One is a "suppressant" which dampens down the cough reflex and is mostly recommended when you need to stop a cough (usually because it is keeping you awake at night and hurts). The other medicine is an "expectorant" which makes it easier to cough the gunk up by making it less viscous and sticky. In Australia, Robotussin is a brand that contains a suppressant, which goes against what I think you are trying to achieve (unless you DO want to stop the cough). Formulations differ from country to country so check this with your pharmacist first. Explain to the pharmacist that you want to thin the mucous or make it easier to cough and he/she may recommend a better alternative.

Having said all that, neither of these worked for Alex. To this day, he wakes with a dry mouth that develops into foam the second he starts talking or drinking.

Alex's saviour has been the Water Pik and as ChristineB suggests, done at the lowest speed. Alex also found that slightly warmed water (tepid) was good. Pandora also warned Alex that he should close his eyes to what came out of his mouth. I would second that suggestion and add "close the bathroom door" to the advice .

This method of "foam" control works for a couple of hours, and Alex uses his water pik before he goes out.

Alex is peculiar in that he is the only one I know of who has "foam" as an ongoing issue (although now I read that there is one other), so yours is likely to go away in time as for most people.

Also, I would like to reiterate what others have already said - it DOES get better. It is important you keep reminding yourself of this, so you know the frustration (and possibly self consciousness) you are currently experiencing will be but a memory in a few months time

Hi Karen:

I am the one Christine mentioned who has this horrible foamy mucus in my mouth 24/7. I wake in the a.m. with a super dry mouth, and as soon as I brush my teeth, rinse my mouth, the foam starts. Mine has a horrible taste (putrid sweet and sometimes like buttermilk, yuk but mostly so sweet it's unbearable. This is when I haven't even eaten anything, so it's not the normal "taste distortion" that most have following radiation/chemo. I have been to many ENTs, had gastro edoscopies, and other tests, to no avail. Does Alex have any type "taste" with his? Sometimes during the day the foam will change to a solid drip down my throat. I've tried EVERYTHING imaginable for post-nasal drip; the "foamy stuff" is what is so bad - I feel like a rabid dog, and sometimes my mouth gets so full, it seeps out onto the sides of my lips. I'm going to send you a PM tomorrow with some other information and see if it sounds familiar to Alex. Tell him to hang in there - hopefully we'll find a solution or it'll stop. I just had my FIFTH anniversity since treatments in November. This foam started about 2 years ago. Nite nite.

Julieann

My thick, disgusting mucous morphed into foamy mucous about 4 weeks post rad. It varies in amount but builds as the day goes on (I am about 10 weeks post rad now). I m hoping it will one day morph into saliva, as after the thick mucous, the dry mouth is the worst part of treatment so far for me.

The most helpful thing I have found so far is brushing my teeth and mouth (gums, roof of mouth, & tongue + teeth), carefully and gently, using my electric toothbrush. This removes the foam "coating" that builds up, until it build up again. The downside is that brushing the roof of the mouth and back of the tongue gags me, but I can live with that.

Swishing the mouth frequently with fluid seems to slow the buildup. Letting the fluid (water with baking soda, e.g.) sit in the mouth for several minutes, if tolerated, seems to be better for removing the mucous than just swishing for a moment.

DO check with your oncologist or oncological dentist before trying this as it may not be appropriate for your situation or stage of recovery. Good luck, and happy holidays.

I am 11 years out and I lost most of it. The one thing that helps is lemon drops. Out of everything I tried lemon drops allow me to feel my own saliva. I suggest that for a good dripping mouth. he he he!