Our oncology nurses recommend "Smooth Move" -- a senna herbal tea -- over any of the over-the-counter laxatives for constipation. With that one should take Colace or a similar stool softener. That is, you take a combo of the stool softener and the laxative. The tea is available at herbal shops, GNC, Whole Foods etc.

For phelgm, they recommend Mucinex -- atime-release mediaction to thin secretions. It helped my husband a lot, he took 1 tab every 6 hours rather than 2 tabs every 12 (this was on recommendation of his oncologist). However it is a large tablet which cannot be cut or ground up, so if you can't get it down, take guafenesin syrup -- this can burn the throat so dilute the dose (2 teaspoons, as I recall) in 4-6 oz. of water. Ingesting the dose is what's important, it is OK if it is diluted. You also have to be sure to stay exceptionally well hydrated.

Chewing gum (either Biotene or XyliMax) both xylitol-containing gums, improves dry mouth and helps clean teeth but, again, the coatings (mild as they are) can burn the most sensitive throat so try this one carefully.

The best thing for mouth sores are Difflam mouth rinse or lozenges (benzydamine HCl) but unless you have a friend in UK. Europe or Australia, you are out of luck as it's not approved yet in USA. It's OTC in 37 countries however. Go figure. The salt/soda rinses do work however and our dental oncologist, an expert in radiation-induced mouth and dental issues, told us "do it [the rinse] as many times a day as you can -- if you can do it 20 times, that will be better than 2-3."

Gail