I am looking for some insight into my desperation.

I am almost 5 months out of treatment and still can not take any food by mouth because of what I perceive to be the lack of saliva.

Basically, my mouth is as dry as the Sahara dessert. The only thing I have is a thick saliva that pools in the back of the throat. No matter how hard I swallow, that thick saliva seems to stay in the back of the throat. So when I try to swallow anything other than water or clear liquids, whatever I am trying to swallow just gets stuck in the throat.

My oncologist referred me to a speech therapist for swallowing exercises, but the exercises have nothing to do with what I see as a salivary problem. While I am faithfully performing all the exercises, my logic tells me this is not the solution.

Am I to expect any improvement in salivary function more than 5 months out of treatment?

Has anyone else out here suffered as I am?

I am still taking all nourishment via PEG. Obviously I am starting to wonder if I am to plan on PEG feeding the rest of my life.

I've tried Biotene and several other brands of moisturizing products for the mouth and throat. All they do is add to a pasty feeling on the roof of my mouth.

Frankly, I am getting a bit desperate and depressed by the lack of any return to some degree of swallowing function.