YEAH DIZ!!!!

Congrats on finishing your treatments!!!

Let the healing begin!!!


PS... The dry mouth is horrible, its something we all have been thru. Time makes everything better. At least Id like to think so, but it really could be we just learn to accept it and target other things to watch? When just finishing rads, almost everyone has the thick gunky, ropey mucous thats difficult to get out especially challenging when its in the back of the throat. That usually lasts for 4-8/9 weeks post rads then it stops and within 24 hours later comes the driest dry mouth ever!!! Thats the dry mouth phase most of us are familiar with. Yes, the dry mouth when just finishing rads is an annoyance, uncomfortable and a bit of a problem for some patients but its not as bothersome as what most of us encountered 4-9 weeks post rads. You did GREAT going thru rads!!! Im hoping your recovery phase will be similar being fairly smooth getting back to as close to your regular self as possible. Luckily for you, being young gives you a big advantage for faster healing.

Yes, drinking lots of water (48-64 oz) helps. Continuing to take in 2500+ calories (and the 48-64 oz of water) every single day will help you to recover quicker by alleviating your dry mouth and to thin the mucous. Some patients get a portable suction machine to use at home from a medical supply company. In the US it requires a doctors prescription to get one. Every doctor appointment, ask the nurses to suction out any of the thick gunky mucous.

Over the counter (in the US) to help dry mouth like (in the US) reditabs that stick to the top of your mouth and it helps keep your mouth moisturized. Doing frequent rinses (4+ times a day) using 1 cup warm water, 2 tsp baking soda and 2 tsp salt mixed together swishing it around your mouth and gargling for about a minute before spitting it out, doing at least 3 swish/gargles at a time should help too. You can also try running a humidifier at night, having a water bottle within reach at all times so you can take a couple sips during the night, sleeping with your head elevated... sort of like laying on an incline or slant may help. Over the counter dry mouth rinses have mixed results from those here who have used them. I didnt find much help from it so stopped using it.

Hope this helps you!!!