gargling with club soda really helps clearing up that thick as hell mucus... I must have gone thru a 55 gallon drum of the stuff in the first 3 months post treatment.

Brian- 3 months- I hope it is gone much sooner than that. I already passed the 3 week mark that many said it stopped for. Tomorrow will be 5 weeks post radiation. Paul B I have a bottle of Juven mixed up and waiting for me in the other room. Hope it does not taste awful and does the job.

Baby steps today I ate half a pancake, yesterday it was 1/4 a Quesadilla. What I found interesting , while eating the pancake this morning and the Quesadilla yesterday no foamy stuff was being produced in my mouth. When I stopped 5 minutes later it was back. Yesterday I went to see the Dr. and the Speech therapist. I wanted the Dr. to look at the roof of my mouth, no real explanation as to what it happened. Just reminded me I was only 4 weeks out and base of tongue cancer recovery takes time.

More next week.

Everyone is different, learned it the hard way. Some people coasted thru others not so much. It really has to do with how the dosage is delivered and your physiology.

I'm looking back at my posts, and it was around the 4th week post treatment that things turned for me regarding the mucus.I contracted a flu around week 4 that could have delayed other progress a bit. Got off the pain meds and started back to work around week 5 for half days, and back full time around week 7 or 8.

@Brian- it was around week 4 the mucous went away and now I have this other stuff that seems to be a mix between mucous and thick saliva. Not really sure what the heck it is. Interesting, I woke up this morning, no dry mouth, no foam or whatever I am calling this gunk. Took about an hour and it started and has not stopped since.

I have travels scheduled for the end of April, lets see if I make it or not.

Hi Leonard! We are all so very different with this. I am a year out and have the same thing you are describing at this point in your journey. My last battle the tumor got into my soft palate nerves and I lost that function so now some of this issue I believe is attributed to sinuses as well. I use the salt and baking soda mix very frequently. Keep containers stashed in all the bathrooms at home as it draws it out, at least for me. When in a work environment I use water or keep an "Extra water bottle" with mix in it and excuse myself to a restroom to expectorate (I also carry four or five sheets of paper towels folded in my pocket). I get it though, what a pain in the rear but hey, we're on the green side of the grass. Good luck to you with traveling, just be strategic and planned out, you will be fine! Prayers and all my best!

@ Steve F. Wow what a journey you have had. I went to see the Dr. He said he just shows irritation in the soft pallet area. For me I will not travel till this is over.

Although it should be obvious I never realized how much dry mouth would be a problem for your throat. I am now getting serious dry mouth through the night and day sometimes. When I clear it with water it is not long before the gunk begins again. Hope this means I am on my way to another change although the soft pallet in the roof of my mouth has become more sensitive. Had swallow test yesterday and was told I am doing remarkablle, better than most at this stage. Watched the recording of before and after was like watching a monster movie, very weird to see how all this works in your mouth and throat.

That is Great Leonard! Sounds like you are in the right direction! That "Junk" can build up quickly, I sure know that (As many on here know). Stay the course my Friend, further breakthroughs are on the horizon!

It has been several weeks since my last update. It was getting depressing saying the same thing, having the same problems and side effects. I just passed 12 weeks post radiation, I know I have a ways to go and a few more weeks till the follow up Pet Scan. I am although Happy - Very Happy to report I have turned the corner !!!
The green mucous as others stated would be gone in 4 to 5 weeks is gone and it took about 5 to 6 weeks. The thick saliva is still there but comes and goes and gets better all the time. I use water and other items like mucinex to thin it out.

I had not eaten anything other than trying a few foods here and there until recently. Today I a in Germany for work, I needed to go to Poland, Germany and Switzerland. I was Concerned the thick salvia, not eating getting somewhat week, how would it work for me.

I decided to take a short trip to a customer and many friends in the Nashville area, short flight and one night in a hotel. How would I do, what I learned is the hotel room dried out my throat, it was really bad, could not open the window, it was the first night without the three humidifiers I have around me in my room. I even at a little bit of brisket in one of the local restaurants. (really want to go to Austin for great brisket soon)

I came back home and had one new concern, I had headaches , sensitivity in my head and earaches that were more painful than anything else I had been through during the treatments. My wonderful Dr. at Fox Chase Cancer Center, responded to a text over the weekend, he frequently will do this and said come in Monday morning, I am concerned you have a Sinus infection. Turns out I was having a reaction to allergies, which I never really had before. Some allergy medicine a little sedated and flownase, I was in great shape except for making the dry mouth worse.

It was now off to Europe, day one I had something to eat in the airport lounge, Chicken Satay. The balance of the week was exactly like this ,eating more each day, having less gunk in my mouth and less incidences of dry mouth. Now I am still having some challenges but I am really pushing it, I even at pickles again, small pieces. (Side note, I tried a piece of Jalapeño popcorn last week, that was a big mistake) There were a few things I had problems swallowing or burned my mouth but I keep trying. If I push to hard I pay for it at night, my biggest challenge is still the dry mouth and how it impacts my throat. I do not have the process for how best to manage this down and hope it does ease up as I recover. The next big milestone is May 19th, petscan day.

For all that have responded, for all that have shared, it has helped, thank You !!! I hope to be able to repay the support by sharing my experience and story with others who are going through this journey.

I know there will be some typos or errors in this post, I wanted to write it and did not have much time. I wanted to share my success her at week 12 and thank everyone. I wanted to thank the Dr.s, Nurses and support team at Fox Chase. Next step to hopefully be told I am cancer free.

Leonard

Leonard,

You are doing amazingly well. I want to say don't push so hard but you seem to have good sense of your limits. Except for the hot stuff. LOL

If you were one who could really take the heat, it may take time. All my taste and senses got back to normal in the first year or so. The one think that took nearly three years was the ability to take hot. I mean really hot, habanero and Thai, birdseye chili hot. i can take the heat but the only annoying side effect is my head sweats like crazy. Such a pain as a napkin gets really soaked and my hair gets all messed up. LOL

I wish you well on your journey back to your old self. Seems like you are doing great. don

This will be my last post in this category and maybe for a long time. This Thursday I had my PetScan and was pronounced free of Cancer.

I am 13 weeks post radiation. I am back to eating food as long as there are no serious spices or heat in them. I have been surprised a few times by the spices. My throat is still sore, I have not taken pain meds in over a week but know I will need to from time to time over the next several months. Dry mouth sucks wakes me every two hours, adapting and trying different solutions. I still get the gunk in my mouth and throat but think it is exasperated by Allergies. I am taking Allegra and Mucinex tablets each day, using considerably less tissues to spit into these days :-) My voice has gotten a little worse like I have too much gunk in my throat and can not clear it, I think this will get better over time. All in all I am on a good path.

I know my recovery still has some time to go, they say it is one year or so before you know what your new normal will be. last week I learned about lymphedema as my neck swelled up. This is the next challenge I need to get under control. I kept thinking my swelling in my neck was still from radiation, I had no idea it was lymphedema.

The feedback, advise and timelines from those on this site and off have been a great help to me. I thank all of you, I hope my postings and information gives comfort and information to others as they go through this process.