Echoing Eileen's post, this time around the mucous was much worse and the portable suction machine was a big help. If you can gargle with Seltzer water, that was how I got through my first round with no PEG. I swallowed a sip of Ensure, then gargled with Seltzer and spit out the mucous, sip of Ensure. Although it took a half hour, the feeding tube with gravity bag takes just about as long -(although I now admit the PEG is a very easy way to take in nutrition)
I hated the dry heaves, especially since some acidic stuff would come up and burn my throat. Nothing helped the dry heaves during the second round of radiation which thank God only lasted a week.
You can do this, and don't discount the pain medications. Get yourself a fentanyl patch (start with 25mcg, and go to 50mcg quickly) as they really helped with numbing the sore throat and letting me swallow.
charm