My radiation nurses told me to take "Natural Vegetable Laxative" pills (that's what Safeway puts on the label), aka Senna Concentrate -- The main ingredient is Sennosides -- Small brown pills that can be swallowed or ground up and PEG'd (Hmm, can PEG be a verb?) -- Works for me.

I found that I didn't need pain meds during the radiation as much as I did anti-nausea meds -- Like the pain meds, it's important to stay ahead of the 'need curve', rather than try to catch up.

Age 67 1/2
Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05
Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08
Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08
Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06
Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08)
Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08)
On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.