I am in my third week post Rad treatment. I've read posts on the mucous issues taking time to resolve. But I still have some questions.

1. Am I the only one suffering sleep deprivation? I have to sleep sitting up, and wake about ever 1 1/2 hours to clear all the mucous. The interrupted sleep is starting to cause me some real mood problems. Am i the only one with this problem?

2. When I try to talk to people, mucous production accelerates and my speech has to be interrupted frequently to clear the throat. A real "downer" in public places. Again, am I the only one with this problem?

I'd value answers to the above, and any further information that sheds insight on coping with the mucous problems Post-TX.

Me too...I rinsed a lot, drank a lot of water and spitted in a paper towel constantly. I used a water/salt/baking soda mixture that helped. I also took Mucinex and that appeared to help me. I literally thought it was going to choke me. I would spend about an hour in the bathroom before bed and another hour in the bathroom when I woke up just to clear the mucous. Hopefully yours gets better like mine did. It just recently slowed down for me.


Is it spitted or spat? Okay...I would spit in a paper towel constantly...or should i say rolls of paper towels

Same here... it was driving me insane.

All day I was constantly holding a tissue to my mouth ready for me to try and clear all that muck out of my mouth before I choked on it.

During the night I would also have to sleep elevated and would be up and down to the bathroom doing exactly the same thing, whilst continually making me feel so sick. Not being able to sleep makes you feel even worse.

I thought it was never going to end --- but it does. You are certainly not alone having to go through it.

Take care
Karen

Hell, I am so dry in my mouth and throat, I would welcome mucous that got into my throat or mouth. I get a little mucous about 1 to 2 times a day. After choking it as far up as my tongue, I have to just about manually take it out or if I get lucky, one good cough and it's like a cannon going off. Better have Kleenex at hand for that.

Hi there Jim

I went from one extreme to another.

I have a dozen lotions and potions to help me with my dry mouth of a night now..... go figure!!

After another appointment with the dental hygenist yesterday I now have another lot of gels to add to my collection.... oooh man I am sooo over this....

Karen

I also had the sleep problem and it got worse with my recent surgery -- I used to go to sleep anywhere, instantly -- Now I was finding myself half-awake until O-Dark-Thirty and then I would sleep all day, it seemed.

During my immediate post-radiation period, I even tried Ambien and it didn't make a dent.

I now take a cocktail of ibuprofen (for my wrist/hand), melatonin, benedryl and a prescription, ancient anti-depressent (Trazadone) that has a side effect of drowsiness, which works for me.

Charlie,

Again this is all a normal part of your recovery and it will resolve itself but then you will be left with dry mouth that will last a long long time. Over 2 years out and I'm maybe 95% normal and I don't ecpect it to improve anymore.