I am 8 months post op and 5 months post radiation. The one problem I have is any thing I drink will always drip out of my nose. A little embarrasing when out to eat. It hasn't gotten any better at all. I can always count on 5 to 10 drops running out my nose. Overall a minor problem but bothersome none the less. Anyone else have this problem?

Dan

Not me Dan, I run at the mouth.

Dan, I don't have such problem, either but I have read stories from two survivors in Hong Kong having such experienc after treatment to the head and neck area. They appeared on the news media mentioning their problem in drinking water. They had nose feeding tube for quite some time and when they had to eat on their own, they had your problem. They felt embarrassed when drinking something with color, like the grape juice. Like what you have described, the fluid would drip out from the nose in tiny drops. Both said they would not drink anything other than water in the public and there is no running like that if they take something thicker like cereals or congee. Dan, you are not alone but sorry I can't offer any help.

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.

You know what they say Dan - "If your nose runs and your feet smell then you're built upside down".

Dan,
Marcy had that problem afer her radiation treatments too. I believe the radiation caused a hole in her palate or somewhere in there.
She has that problem to this day.
She has to have kleenex wherever she is.

God Bless,
Michelle

Hi Dan

I don't quite have the exact same problem I don't think, but when ever I start eating about a third of the way into the meal I get a terrible case of runny nose/post nasal drip. Almost like during surgery they re-routed my salivary glands to my nose for lack of a better description.

Luckily the restaurants here usually provide a small pack of tissues with dinner, I think instead of napkins. Eating spaghetti with chopsticks can get messy sometimes.

Bob

Bob, you are describing EXACTLY what happens to me! I was just to darned embarrassed about it to post it. Half way through a meal, no matter what it is I'm eating, my nose starts running ALOT. It's the most bizarre thing. No clue what it's from though.
Minnie

Bob, I didn't notice this problem when we had dinner buffet last time in Hong Kong. You looked 100% normal eating a lot of food in the restaurant. Did you develop such problem recently?

Karen stage 4 tonsil cancer diagnosed in 9/01.

Hi Karen...Have had the problem for quite a while. I just got real good at hiding it.
Bob

hi Dan,

at first nothing went down my throat.. all came out my nose..

eating therapy had me doing stuff like saying the letter 'K' to help build things that close off that passage...

much later, i got my esophagus stretched..twice.

for me both things seem to help alot.

(also doing stuff to help the epiglottis do it's thing helps... that's mainly eating, which is hard to do when the main passage is too small and another is open rather than shut.)

i got better, but still have my days. a few weeks ago, i got a raisin to come out of my nose while eating breakfast... breakfast of champions!

cheers,
cu
larryb