Hello: Just finished 32 radiation treatments (68 Gy) and 6 weekly rounds of cisplatin for squamous cell carcinoma in larynx. Pain with swallowing and eating (drinking supplemental meal kate farms) in running in the 5-8 range. Even drinking water is painful. Switched from oxycodone to fentanyl patch yesterday; additionally taking liquid tylenol which burns going down. Also using lidocaine multiple times immediately before eating which helps somewhat but everything going down still burns. Does anyone have any additional recommendations for how to deal with nasty throat pain while getting soft diet and water down? Thanks very much and blessings to all who are struggling with various issues. Tom R

Unfortunately if my experience is any guide, this is a function of time and healing. There was a protracted period of time for me where everything hurt so badly that I was not eating as I should, and barely drinking enough water to stay hydrated, it was all too painful.

I was on the strongest of pain killers and nothing helped. Ultimately I ended up with a peg feeding tube because I had lost so much weight. Months later when the healing if the soft tissues in my throat tolerated eating cold really slippery things like chilled canned peaches, I started putting some weight back on.

But in the end the truth is things are going to hurt until the healing gets into full swing. Hope you have an easier go of it than I did, but there isn’t a magic bullet for this. B