Unfortunately, you cant rush the healing process. I thought as one of the younger patients (38yo at the time) I would breeze through my treatment. It was a solid 6-8 weeks post treatment I think before I could start working half days at a desk job.

It takes a loooong time for your saliva to thin out a bit, the radiation continues to do damage for a number of weeks after the actual treatment stops. Then finally you start to heal.

I would say 2 years post treatment I can eat some small amount of dry foods before needing a drink. I can sit at my desk without a drink no problem for hours on end. Flying is a bit different. I need a bottle of water. Also at night I wake 1-3 times depending on relative humidity and need a drink.

I would say the jump/timeframes in differences between functionality of the salivary glands are around 3 months out, 6 months out, a year out then 2 years out.