I just joined the group. I had radiation in 2000 (tongue tumor) and excision of a small lung tumor (metastatic?) in 2003. I had two dilation of the upper esophagus but I have to drink liquids in order to swallow. Got completely used to it.

Strange things are happening, however, now. After the radiation my left jaw joint (they call it, I believe, TMJ) always bothered me limiting opening of my mouth. Now, for a second time, I got some infection there resulting if further limitation of mouth opening and excrutiating pain. It has to be an infection - a week standard cure with amoxicillin brings an end to it - the worst pain is gone in 24 hours.

Anyone experienced something like that? Next Thursday I am going to see a specialist who will run a detailed X-ray of my jaws and joints. In the meantime, the infection will be gone so he will probably see nothing... The infection has to be in soft tissues - the almost immediate response to amoxicillin indicates that.

And I thought I was done with cancer afterf 10 or 7 years. OK, maybe with cancer but the radiation caused a lot of damage as all of us who got it know.

I was fortunate to have a general practicioner who referred me to a gasto-entero specialist who performed the dilation. Prior to that - only liquid food (Ensure). Still better than the gastric feeding tube - very impractical in restaurants.

Well, at 76 I am doing reasonably well except for these little unpleasant occurrences.

Goo luck to all of you!