I'll jump in and say, take the nausea meds BEFORE they are needed, and keep them going, if nausea has been an issue before. I had lower-dose chemo (spaced differently), so it wasn't a problem for me ... which is wild, because I usually get nauseated with everything. But it's one of those things you have to stop before they start, and keep treating for a few days after it would have passed, to keep it at bay. Same for pain, if there are predictable pain times. (And never be afraid to ask for help with pain ... you do what you have to, to get through this, and then wean off later. Radiation is like nothing else on this earth, it is so weird.)

Magic Mouthwash is a catch-all name for various prescriptions ... different combinations that have lidocaine, and a few other ingredients. You can swish and spit, or some swish and swallow, to numb the mouth and throat long enough to be able to take a few bites. When it works, it's worth its weight in gold. But since it coats, it wears off as you eat ... so sometimes needs refreshing during a meal.

Hope Christine or somebody can come back and give you better answers, and answer your other questions too!