| | Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 23 Member | OP  Member
Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 23 | I've tried gargling with salt water and getting an oral sponge back that far is pretty hard without gagging.
Im constantly trying to clear my throat to no avail and a lot of times it interrupts my breathing. Any tips on how to get rid of this stuff?
8/24/11- SCC stage3:tongue reconstruct from left arm & radical neck, feeding tube,trache.
3/28/12- SCC:radical neck again,chemo/radiation.
Started Cisplatin/radiation 5/2/12. Finished 6/13/12.
37yr old male.
7/19/13: All checks/scans have been good. Body weight and strength have return.
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Jodezilla
I had similar issue and gargled with seltzer water which sort of fizzed up and let me spit out the saliva. Only the small cans worked as a one shot deal because the bigger, more economical bottles just did not keep the carbonation high enough to grab the saliva. But I just bought 24 can cases - Safeway generic brand - It was next to the tonic water which burned my mouth when I bought one by mistake since it has quinine in it.
It can not hurt to buy one six pack and try it out.
I hope it works for you as well as it did for me
Charm
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 23 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 23 | Thank you very much, Im going to try it tomorrow.
8/24/11- SCC stage3:tongue reconstruct from left arm & radical neck, feeding tube,trache.
3/28/12- SCC:radical neck again,chemo/radiation.
Started Cisplatin/radiation 5/2/12. Finished 6/13/12.
37yr old male.
7/19/13: All checks/scans have been good. Body weight and strength have return.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Ask the nurses to use the suction machine on you. They also have them available for rental. Keep rinsing with the salt/baking soda and warm water mixture at least 5 times a day. A water pik can also help to get the gunk out of your throat by aiming the water towards the back of your throat. The dental sponges can get any clumps out as a last resort.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | Must be chemo brain to have forgotten Christine's tip about the suction machine. My doctors put in the order after my second round of cancer for a rental machine and they dropped it off at my door. It looks like a little blower motor with a rube goldberg set up of tube and canister but it did suck up the thick ropy stuff like a vacumn cleaner. Here is a picture home suction machine
Last edited by Charm2017; 05-21-2012 11:15 AM. Reason: url glitch
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 78 Likes: 1 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2011 Posts: 78 Likes: 1 | Jodezilla,
The thick saliva was so bad for me. I had the nurses power wash my mouth with this power-mister they had. They did this everyday after treatment and a couple of times a week for about a month post. There were some days when the relief was just awesome & would leave me feeling significantly better for a couple of hours & some days when they could have done it all day long & it still may not have been enough.
Keep gargling with your baking soda & salt solution. Also standing in the steamy shower helps get some of the gunk out.
I'm almost 6 months out & I can just promise you that it does get better!!
Hang in there- it's tough and sucks but you can and you will get through this!!
Best to you!!
Sally
Sally, 38 years old
T1N0M0 Left Tongue Lesion, Moderately Differentiated
10 + year history Leukoplakia, Mild Dysplasia before cancer diagnosis 8/2011
Scheduled Partial Glossectomy & Neck Dissection 9-17-11
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Be very careful with hot steamy showers if using the fentayl patch. The patch and hot showers do NOT mix! A hot shower can cause the medication to be released too quickly and cause an overdose of fentayl.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,357 Likes: 5 | Water Pik is a God send. It is wonderful. Just fill it up and aim it into your mouth - lean over the sink and let whatever come out. Keep youreyes closed - it is gross! Don't forget to move it all around your mouth - it is great for your gums and teeth as well!
Donna
Donna,69, SCC L Tongue T2N1MO Stg IV 4/04 w/partial gloss;32 radtx; T2N2M0 Stg IV; R tongue-2nd partial gloss w/graft 10/07; 30 radtx/2 cispl 2/08. 3rd Oral Cancer surgery 1/22 - Stage 1. 2022 surgery eliminated swallowing and bottom left jaw. Now a “Tubie for Life”.no food envy - Thank God! Surviving isn't easy!!!! .Proudly Canadian - YES, UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE IS WONDERFUL! (Not perfect but definitely WONDERFUL)
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 23 Member | | OP Member
Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 23 | Im going to try the water pick. Some days are rough for sure, all it seems I do on those days is hack and spit. Other days aren't that bad, sleeping is about the form relief I can get. On the bright side Im still eating chicken noodle soup and drinking shakes. Next dose of chemo is tomorrow, to be honest Im kinda scared. Last time was sick for over a week and my saliva was normal.
Does anybody ever feel like that this treatment just isn't right ?
You get so sick and messed-up from something thats suppose to help you just seems so counter-intuitive.
8/24/11- SCC stage3:tongue reconstruct from left arm & radical neck, feeding tube,trache.
3/28/12- SCC:radical neck again,chemo/radiation.
Started Cisplatin/radiation 5/2/12. Finished 6/13/12.
37yr old male.
7/19/13: All checks/scans have been good. Body weight and strength have return.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 | Jode - those thoughts of the treatment not being right are natural and it's hard to disagree with them in principle. Unfortunately the slash, burn and poison school of cancer treatment is more or less all that we have right now.
If you want to read a great, albeit long, summary of the history of this bitch of a condition and where we are now in treating it I recommend Dr. Siddarth Mukherjee's Pulitzer prize-winning masterpiece "The Emperor of All Maladies".
Meanwhile, my thoughts are with you as you fight on. So glad you're still able to eat! I hope some of the suggestions above help you with the saliva issue.
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 67 "OCF Canuck" Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 67 | I came across these tips (different site) about a year ago for reducing thick saliva:
1. Swish, then swallow papaya juice from a glass, not metal, container to cut thick saliva.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon unflavored Adolph's meat tenderizer in 1 cup of water, swish and gargle, but do not swallow.
I haven't tried them - has anyone? I know that papaya and Adolph's contain the same enzymes. It made sense to me...
Pain late 2009. Dx as change in altitude. Sore spot on tongue late 2010. Dx as irritation.
Leukoplakia Bx Feb 2011 - Lichen Planus.
Bx May 2011 - Hyperplasia. Same sample retested as SCC.
June 2011 Rt Hemigloss,ND,rff,33 Rads. Hosp for 15 days w/bi-lateral pneumonia.
T3N1M0 Stage IV.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 25 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | | Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2012 Posts: 25 | My best results came using flavored soda water sold at Walmart and swishing and gargling it. It cuts through the thick secretions and clears the back of the throat.
Give it a try. Best to you in your recovery.
Last edited by Jack Snodgrass; 06-04-2012 03:35 PM.
64 YO M Non Smoker ,light drinker Dx 11/11 SCC Stg IV BOT/L
Tx Carboplatin & Docetaxel weekly and Rad daily X 7 weeks
PEG in 2/12 out 6/12
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