| Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | Hi, Audrey there is something we call 'magic mouthwash' that will help numb the pain of swallowing - it also includes maalox, which will with constipation due to taking pain meds. Ask about it.
My husband did all of his fluids standing up at the very end - I don't know if it helped physically or mentally, but it did help him.
Sorry, don't know the answer on the vomitin - but I am sure someone will be along that does.
Maria
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010 TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,024 "OCF Kiwi Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | "OCF Kiwi Down Under" Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,024 | Hi Audrey, Kris too does all his swallowing standing up, then it's just tip and swallow. Being in a good upright position certainly does help to avoid any reflux. I would be asking your team for some antiemetics - that's anti nausea medication. I would suggest taking these regularly. Some of these meds help with gastric peristalsis - moving stomach contents on down through the bowel so they don't pool in the stomach and can't be regurgitated. I would also ask for a proton pump inhibitor such as omeprazole which would improve any reflux that may be causing a problem. Hope this helps, Tammy.
Caregiver/advocate to Husband Kris age 59@ diagnosis DX Dec '10 SCC BOT T4aN2bM0 HPV+ve.Cisplatin x3 35 IMRT. PET 6/11 clear. R) level 2-4 neck dissection 8/1/11 to remove residual node - necrotic with NED Feb '12 Ca back.. 3/8/12 total glossectomy/laryngectomy/bilat neck dissection/partial pharyngectomy etc. clear margins. All nodes negative for disease. PEG in. March 2017 - 5 years disease free. Woohoo!
| | | | Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 111 "OCF across the pond" Senior Member (100+ posts) | "OCF across the pond" Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Apr 2012 Posts: 111 | Hi Audrey, I agree with Tammy, it is important to make sure he takes regular anti nausea medication. Talk to the docs about finding the right one, there are a lot of options so speak out if they are not working. I had a lot gastric reflux and was given lansoprozole which is a proton pump inhibitor and it worked a treat. You need to ask for liquid or powder forms of medications that can be give down the tube.
I had a stomach gastric tube rather than a nasal one so can't comment on the effect of the tube on vomiting, but taking small amounts regularly through the tube should be easier on the stomach. When I was completely off eating I had a pump delivering the feed slowly overnight. Though the danger of that with the nasal tube might be that it is easy to pull out while asleep, but it might be an option through the day. My problem with vommiting was due to the thick saliva from mucositis making me gag. There was not a lot I could do about that but live through it, and take extra feed down the tube afterwards.
Taking what ever he can by swallowing is really important, to keep the swallowing muscles active. Warm water was the best I could manage at my worst. To help the mouth pain I rinsed very frequently with a bicarbonate mouthwash (1 tsp to 1 pint water)which I still use. I was also prescribed a mouthwash called Difflam (benzydamine)which numbs the sore mouth, and an antacid/oxetacaine oral suspension to help ease the pain. Hope the chemo is going OK. Sally
Last edited by saxicola; 09-03-2012 09:07 AM.
Dx 10/11 51yrs LBOT Stage 4 2nodes HPV16+. Non-smoker mod alcohol. 10/11 Induction chemox2 (Docetaxel, 5-Flu, Cisplatin) then Cisplatinx2 IMRTx30. Ended 01/13/12. 12/07/11 RIG. RIG removed 05/05/12. 4/12 CT scan clear. Visual scope checks clear as of 10/13. Learning to live with eating challenges.
| | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 3,267 Likes: 1 | Good luck. Sometimes chemo is stopped due to the toxicities when a patients life is in danger or benefits do not outweigh the risk. As mentioned, radiation is more important. Chemo stays in your body for a while to be effective as a radio sensitizer, which increases its effectiveness from 5-25 percent, depending in drug. sounds like a
10/09 T1N2bM0 Tonsil 11/09 Taxo Cisp 5-FU, 6 Months Hosp 01/11 35 IMRT 70Gy 7 Wks 06/11 30 HBO 08/11 RND PNI 06/12 SND PNI LVI 08/12 RND Pec Flap IORT 12 Gy 10/12 25 IMRT 50Gy 6 Wks Taxo Erbitux 10/13 SND 10/13 TBO/Angiograph 10/13 RND Carotid Remove IORT 10Gy PNI 12/13 25 Protons 50Gy 6 Wks Carbo 11/14 All Teeth Extract 30 HBO 03/15 Sequestromy Buccal Flap ORN 09/16 Mandibulectomy Fib Flap Sternotomy 04/17 Regraft hypergranulation Donor Site 06/17 Heart Attack Stent 02/19 Finally Cancer Free Took 10 yrs
| | | | Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 4 Member | Member Joined: Jul 2012 Posts: 4 | I have measurable hearing loss after 5th cisplatin, so it was stopped (5 out of 7). The medical oncologist doesn't seem concerned at all, although the Rad Onc suggested we go back to 35 fraction schedule instead of 33 (total 70 Gray - ouch). I declined the opportunity and he didn't argue - in fact told me the tumor was already completely obliterated after 28 fractions. They can't tell me what doesn't work, only what they are sure does. And there's poor documentation yet for the HPV patient compared with the tobacco patient. | | |
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