Hello Dennis,
Welcome!
My mom had radiation to her tongue, both IMRT and Brachytherapy. Before I start, her pain has lessened quite a bit, but it is still present at times. She too is on oxycodone and uses the lidocaine--which she dabs on her finger and rubs around on her tongue....especially as she is eating. The one food that she can usually eat all the time is Campbell's Double Noodle Chicken Noodle, apparently the noodles slide down easier. Mom was also given Neurontin, fentayl patch, and effexor for pain. She seems to experience the most pain when her tongue is ...can't recall the term....'slothing' off, kind of sheds itself as a snake does. She still gets the ulcerated sores--which we use sodium chloride for--from the pharmacy. Also, she drinks the ensure plus, it carries approx 120 more calories. She also does not have afeeding tube, though, I do wish that she did as I have learned here that with proper nutrition your tongue will heal that much faster...less pain!
I'm sure that more will come to me, I'll post as soon as it does.
Overall, she is much more comfortable now than she was in the fall and winter.