It has been a few weeks since I posted a message. I am the main caregiver for my husband, Don. He had heavy duty radiation(6/16-8/11/05) and neck disection (10/10/05) for a cancerous tumor on his left tonsil. Don has been on a feeding tube since 7/05. I have received some good suggestions from this website so I am back again for help. I wish there was something I could do for Don. The doctors don't know what to do.
My husband suffers from severe dysphagia diagnosed 12/05. He was undergoing ST and was making progress wish his swallowing exercises. On 1/25/06 a cat scan showed that the cancer had metastasized to his lungs, liver and bones. Don elected to have chemo. Chemo drugs: Taxotere and Cisplatin. He is also taking Neulasta, Aranesp and Zometa for his bones. A 4/5/06 cat scan showed that the tumoes in his lungs and liver and decreased but the bone lesions increased in number and size.

My husband has a high tolerance for pain. He is on Roxicet (28 mg) per day. He tried Duragesic but that only made him nauseous. His main concern is the pain he gets from coughing up the secretions. See below.

Don is having a MAJOR PROBLEM WITH SECRETIONS. His throat is raw and I hate to be so descriptive but he is coughing and throwing up blood. He is rinsing and gargling with Guaifenesin, Papaya juice mixed with club sode and for his sore throat gargling with children's tylenol. He is afraid to use Lidocaine since he complains that it is his throat that burns when he coughs or throws up.

Does anyone have any good suggestions on what I can do to relieve the pain in his throat.

Also, if I put Guaifenesin down his tube will that ease the secretions or make them worse?

Don would be better able to handle the chemo side effects if he did not have to deal with the secretions.

Any help you can offer would be appreciated.
Thank you all, Eileen