My husband is having very frightening episodes of choking so badly he is afraid he is going to die. he is in his 5th week of radiaion and chemo... help???

Hi,
I am assuming this is because of mucous? A suction machine might help. Try to keep elevayed while sleeping. Talk to the radiologist about problem. Is there some med he can take? Tell him to hang in there. It is awful, but we survived.

Take care,
Eileen

He says it is from a super sensitive gag reflex that leads to the choking

Is he taking any anti-anxiety meds? They may help him to relax a little.

Mucositus is very common in rad therapy, I have been out of treatment for a year and I still have it. I sleep in a recliner and still wake up choking. It is tough, but better than the alternative. Expectorants work but only temporarily. It is just part of the fight..
Darrell

Hi All, When I had my radiation they had to put me in the hospital because I couldn't swallow. The Doctor also told me I could have stoped it anytime. The things that we have to endure for a
good life. I hope he gets better.
Cathy

Brenda,
Hi

It might help him relax if he works out a sign system with the radiation technicians to stop the treatment and take him out of his mask if that's what he needs.

When I bad mucous towards the end of treatment, the technicians said that all i had to do was raise my right arm off the table and they would interrupt the treatment, come into the room and get me upright. They also rushed in once the treatment was over to get me out of a horizontal position as quickly as possible.
Hang in there. - Sheldon

My Husband also has an extremely quick gag reflex.
The best thing for him was sedation just before radiation, it calmed us both down!
All during his rad treatment I would stand beside the Tech watching the screen, ready to jump to his rescue , except when one day we had a new guy in and I had to tear him a new one when he tried to stop me, silly boy! Just knowing I was doing that helped him relax.
best of luck to both of you
Marica

Thanks for all the 'words of wisdom and experience. We tried it all and found the combination of the anti-anxiety medication, Robitussin and small sips of the soda water have made a big differance in the comfort level.. 9 days of radiation and 2 chemo treatments left. Thanks again.. it is such a comfort to hear from people who have regretfully "been there""

well for me, they gave me a two break after 4 weeks... i had a wonderful recovery and returned for 3 more weeks... hoping that i would be able to finish without delay... it all worked out.

has your husband been offered a break, if he needs it?

cu,
larryb

Hi

My father is in his second full week of radiation. He has stage 4 Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx. He was initially hospitalized for two weeks and received 2 units of blood. He was bleeding from his mouth and received his first few doses of high rads with the hopes of stopping the bleeding. We have him home now and take him for his daily radiation treatments. However, we have not been told anything about the treatments, what to expect from the treatments or what kind of a recovery he may make. He gags alot and has a g-tube that we give him all his meds thru. He had us disconnect his feading and said he will not go back on it. It is very sweet and it is coming up in his throat and gaging him. Does anyone have any suggestions on some types of homemade protein drinks we give him thru the g tube?

Thank you so much
Donna

oops I meant he had 24 units of blood during his two week stay in the hospital.

Donna