Gail thank you for posting about this frequently unnoticed dysphagia problem. I was 5 years out when I had an esophogram barium swallow study as a precursor to a hiatal hernia surgery. The study showed that with very thin viscous liquids I was aspirating some of it into my left lung with out even knowing it. As it turned out this condition, while not bad enough to be a risk for choking during swallowing, has given me chronic aspiration pneumonia, for which I have been on antibiotics several times. I am working with a GI doctor to write a section for the web site on it right now, but following Barry's issues with it allows us all to be aware of something that is so subtle that many may not know that they have this post treatment issue. Much of the problem is due to physical shape changes in the oral cavity (in the oropharynx), reduction in size of the epiglottis from radiation treatments, and reduced propreoception or a sense of feeling in the back of the throat also from radiation treatments.

Brian, stage 4 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director. The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.