By the way Joanna, while I like your term gutters..they are actually called a sulcus. Just a bit of ubif (useless but interesting facts) that I thought you'ed like to know

Eric,
For me the gunk quit flowing a month or so after treatment ended. I used to keep a Yankauer suction machine by my easy chair during the day and carry it to my bedside at night to suck up all the stuff.
Unfortunately, once the stuff quit coming, the dry mouth arrived and has never improved. I recently tried a new drug to improve salivation. It is called Exovac, and after taking 3 a day for the past few weeks, as far as I can tell, it has done absolutely.....
nothing! So I have quit taking it.

Danny G.

Senekot-S works wonders for constipation if taken regularly. The generic kind works just as well as the brand name. The pharmacist said the key is to take it every day. As long as you are on daily pain meds, you should be taking something daily for the bowels as well.

Rosie

Thanks, all, for the good advice... things are flowing OK for the moment, but my doc gave me something potent as a sample just in case we have another road block... he called it a "detergent." Yikes! I forget the name off-hand but the nurse said it was "explosive" stuff... Yeah yeah, everyone's a comedian... :p

Still blessed by these boards and have passed the address on to my doc so he can tell others who come along behind us...

One neat development -- was able to eat at Red Lobster last night with my wife for Valentine's Day... I actually had decent taste, but my mouth is still pretty sensitive to temperature, hot or cold... the throat is still raw, and every bite gets washed down with a gulp of water, but we're making progess!! Slow and steady wins the race, right?

I get laughed at because of what the IMRT radition did to my facial hair. From the jawline down and on my neck, it's gone, but it's growing OK above it. People think when I haven't shaved in a few days, that I'm trying to grow one of those Elvis-like mullets that you used to see in the 70s... I'm like, "No, this is from the radiation, and my skin is still very sensitive to razors so I don't shave often."

A couple people told me it looked cool and to let it grow... go figure... call it the IMRT mullet...

ATH...buy yourself an electric razor and don't look back. A blade is too hard on a radiated neck and catches on the scars from a surgical event. I was in the same boat; I have a perfect goatee now without shaving, no neck hair and no hair on my jaw line to speak of on either side. I used to hate goatees, now I hardly have to shave at all, and the goatee keeps everyone's eyes off my missing piece of neck. Right about the time that I went through this Brad Pitt made goatees a popular thing.... well that was partly good, at least I was in style, but I sure as hell am no Brad Pitt. ( I wasn

Hi, I'm just a few weeks ahead of you as far as treatment. I fished up radiation treatment on 12/29/03, 8 weeks ago.

First off, I'm feeling SO Much better than before - each week gets easier & better, BUT.....

Yes, I am still tired a lot. And there doesn't seem to be rhyme or reason to it. Post-surgery or during rad treatments I would have an energetic day and then be exhausted the next 2 days. Now, my fatigue doesn't seem to be as predictable. Although I suspect, as I am feeling better, I end up doing more of my "normal" activities and forget that I am still recovering.

I'm lucky that I didn't have any bowel trouble - never needed the various bottles and prescriptions the doctor sent me home with (hey, I find I need a second bathroom counter or medicine closet just to hold all my meds, rinses, toothbrushes, etc!!)

But I do drink a lot of water. Finally, last night at dinner I put a pitcher of water next to me rather than jumping up and refilling my large glass 4 times/meal. Also I don't know about diet - I'm not eating huge amounts of anything, but I usually have yogurt and soy milk daily.

The thick saliva, spit/mucus was a big problem for me too. I'm happy to report it is much better now. One thing helpful were some "lollipop" dental sponges I got from the drs office. They look like q-tips with a green sponge at the tip. The were great for sweeping away the the stuff that mixes with food and never seems to get out of your mouth. I just checked and it is called "DenTips" disposable oral swab, by Medline Accucare. (Also good post-surgery or during rad treatments whenbrushing is tough).

Although I am definitely eating more food, a bigger variety of food, and getting more taste back I still have trouble eating (radiation and losing 1/2 my tongue, and a split lower jaw). Like, the fatigue/energy level it doesn't seem to be predictable. Somedays I eat ok. Then later, I have trouble or no interest in eating the same item. Some days I just don't have an appetite or feel like chewing. (that's why i have a lot of yogurt/soy milk. Cans of ensure get soo dull)

I thought my weight loss was leveling off, but it seems to still be decreasing. I haven't minded losing the weight, but worry about the CONTINUEING loss.

I too think of writing the "Get Cancer - Lose Weight" guide. Cutting off part of your tongue, or having a growing tumor inside your mouth also helps. I joke sometimes with friends that I finally lost weigt, but now I have scars instead (and talk funny)!

Its good to be able to laugh about things and share with this bulletin board!
Thanks everyone!
Michelle

Hi
This diet has one big advantage over all others... There is no going back.. Am eating chocolate while posting this.. am going for more more biopsies and more surgery over the next few weeks so I think I can pig out today...
Cheers
Helen

I think we could all contribute to the "Get Cancer - Lose Weight" diet guide... it could be bigger than Atkins! I've dropped about 40 pounds since my original surgery in October. Folks are calling me skinny, something I haven't heard since high school. I don't mind actually, though I wish I wouldn't have lost muscle-tone as well...

I'm a lot like MIchelle. My desire to eat and my energy level in general goes up and down... I'm back at work and feeling great some days. Other days, I come home after a half-day and take three-to-four hour naps... Some days I can deal with real food OK. Others, I prefer Gatorade and applesauce...

But things are getting better week by week, and I thank God for that... Prayers to you Helen as you undergo more surgeries and biopsies in the weeks ahead...

Eric

Hi:
I am a year post radiation(after surgery) and still have problems with thick saliva and swallowing. However, I have added turkey, pasta and salmon to my diet. It takes me a long time to eat about 40-50% of what I used to consume. My main drink is buttermilk as it is thick and easy to swallow.
You may have to experiment awhile to determine the types opf foog you can handle. Good Luck.