Hi everyone,

I have just 7 more radiation treatments and 1 chemo and I am done with this torture. Right now my mouth is producing non-stop mucus which is causing me to gag, dry heave, barf etc.. It is also interfering with my sleep big time. I am lucky to be able to sleep 20 minutes before waking up choking my but off. Anyone that has been through this can understand how much it hurts to dry heave with a throat that is continuously on fire from the radiation.

A nurse at the hospital suggested I take Mucinex to help loosen the mucus and flem from my lungs and throat. It seems that all this does is create more or at least thinner mucus. Certainly has not relieved it. Other than that, I walk around with my salt/baking soda rinse.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for Me?

Thank you

Jon

Jon;
Been there, Done that!! My RO prescribed me a formula (Miles Mixture), but the salt/Baking Soda rinse you reference was the best suggestion I received. I did get to the point in treatment where I couldn't even stand that in my mouth from the "roasting". With only 7 more treatments to go you will see an improvement fairly quick after you finish, so keep rinsing all you can. There's light at the end. Just hang in there....

Steve

Roll with it. It's all you can do. In my personal experience Steve is a little over-optomistic. It was several weeks post Tx that I noticed the slightest pereceptible positive improvement and for a while after that the improvements ocurred in what seemed like 3 week increments. I threw up so much that the acid polished my teeth like glass - and I still survived!

The good news is it WILL pass.

There have been many discussions on this problem since we all went through it. Do a search on "mucous".

One day, magically, the thick stringy mucous just stopped.

Jon,

Now you know what we've all been talking about. I spit for weeks, then magically one evening while putting my boys (kids) to sleep, I noticed that I hadn't spit in an hour. "I must have been able to swallow" for the first time in weeks. At that point I had to retrain myself to swallow again. From that point I was psychologically and physically rolling. I carried a spitting cup with tissues on the bottom to soak-up the "good" stuff. I also carried throw-up bags. Zip lock bags to toss one whenever you might need to. You're about to enter the toughest 3-4 weeks of your life. Keep up with your pain meds, your stool softeners, and your phone calls. Were all with you for support. All my best to my buddy.

Rob

I stopped radiation two weeks ago and the only side effects I have are fatigue, taste, and the need to constantly spit. I found sleeping with two pillows helps at night (keep head propped), sleeping with a humidifier, and rinsing my mouth with club soda helps. I go through a lot of club soda especially first thing in the morning. I haven't figured out if Mucinex works for me. I take it on the rare days I'll be out of the house and can't freely spit. It is slowly getting better.

robs three weeks post tx just about ,and his gunk is still flowing freely

Jon,

It goes with the territory. I kept a cup with me everywhere I went including one on my nightstand. Yes I would wake up unable to breath and sometimes I wouldn't even make the 10 feet to the bathroom to "polish my teeth" as Gary so eloquently put it. Nothing worked for me and as others have said one day it just stops and it never comes back.

Good news is about 3 weeks post Tx and you WILL feel like a new man. Two weeks post Tx and you will be calling me a liar but trust me the end is only a month away so hang tough for the last uphill mile.

The suction machine helped keep John more comfortable. He also used Rincinol, Alkolol,Musinex and Guaifenesin. You might also inquire about Hyoscyamine tablets or liquid. Good Luck. Amy in the Ozarks

Thanks for all of you advice! Didn't really learn anything new, but you neve know. Never thought the end would come. 33 treatments ranks right up their with animal cruelety as far as I am concern.

Jon

Jon,

It is barbaric to say the least. I think it ranks right up there with prison camp torture as seen in some dark movies only ours lasts a whole lot longer and it's much more expensive. The majority of us had it so we know exactly what you've been through. Once you get past week 2 or 3 post Tx you officially walk out of that dark tunnel and you will feel like a totally different person.