From what the rad tech told me, the tube will be inserted using ultrasound. That's similar to the ultrasound method they used when doing my inital FNA biopsy. I did come away yesterday with Fluconazole for the thrush and what the RO called "magic swizzle". Label reads "antacid/xylo visc/diphenydramine". Sure tastes like lidocaine and maalox. Not a cocktail I learned in bartending school. It does numb the throat enough to swallow food. So far so good in that respect. For dinner I got some LaChoy Chow Mein vegetables and had them over rice with beef broth. Ate 2 large bowls and it was easy to swallow. I thought of the veggies earlier and remembered how soft and squishy they are. I'd rather have my own stir fry, but that will have to wait a while.

The magic swizzle sounds like what we know as magic mouthwash. There are many variations (and apparently many different names).

You are doing great with eating if you can still manage rice. Thats one food I used to love but its something that I cant eat anymore, the rice sticks and makes me choke. Pay special attention to your intake calories every single day and push to hit at the very least the minimums of 2500 calories and 48-64 oz of water. If you can do more calories like 3000/3500 that will only help you get thru this easier. I know Im a broken record about this, I struggled like crazy and I dont want anyone else to suffer like I did from the mistakes I made.

I was wondering how you managed with the chemo? Did you up your water intake around when you had the first dose? Have you noticed any chemo side effects yet? If so, what ones? Just curious as I dont remember you mentioning much about the chemo.

Hang in there, you really are doing very well so far

Christine, yes, I did ok with the rice, but I knew about the sticking. I tried some canned salmon last night and just couldn't. Not because of pain so much as it wouldn't go down, but seemed to lodge in the larynx. I gave up. Did all right with broccoli cheese soup. The broccoli pieces were small. I have to get more diligent about calorie counting. I don't know what I'm getting. I've been finishing the day with ice cream. That piles them up. Nutritionist recommended grazing and I that's what I do. She had VA send me a couple of cases of Glucerna and I have 2 cans a day at least. RO suggested putting it in my smoothies,

As to the chemo; at least the first round was nearly symptom free. I took the meds over the 2 days following. No nausea at all. I had a few spasms and the hiccups. I didn;t bother with the Ondansetron after those 2 days. Didn't need. I'm off shortly for hydration. Round 2 of Cisplatin will be June 14. We'll see if that tolerance holds up. 12 of 33 rads as of today. The throat is protesting. I don't want to overdo the swizzle, but little else helps. Still, feels like I'm getting through this pretty well.

I hated the idea of the PEG, but so looking forward to having it now. Most of you know the feeling, I simply cannot swallow. It's beyond description. Not just muscle pain from swallowing, but all tissue inside the mouth, tongue and even the sockets where molars used to live are all so irritated by anything...Jello, pudding, smoothies. No matter what. I've been woozy and dizzy from lack of food. A bit angry that someone was dragging their feet. I should have gotten it last week. This hernia business threw things off. Radiology will be fitting it on Thursday. Chemo #2 on Wenesday

TrevorL.

Been there. PEG, although not a pleasant thing, works. Two thing come to mind. First is hydration. If your not eating your probably not getting enough liquids as well. The PEG should solve this problem as water is pretty easy to do on the PEG. However, for the next day or two getting hydration through arm is something you should consider. A least for me, a couple a bags of water/saline had huge short term benefits.

Second, food or formula is another thing, Boost, or any other high cal supplement is basically vegetable oil and corn syrup. Your stomach may not like this mysterious liquid that just showed up in your body. I probably through up 12 times before I learned to go very slow. Do not just Bolus a can of food in a minute or two. Go slow, Maybe a can over hour. Don't be tempted to just jam it in. Having a bucket near by, just in case, is also a good idea.