My husband is 9 weeks post modradicalneck dissection and still has great difficulty swallowing.He has had a barium swallow and it appears fine.The ENT says it takes time.The Laryenx remains swollen. Is all this normal and how long does it take to eat without coughing.He has lost 40 lbs even with a gt which he hated to use.Only 10 lbs have comeback Thanks

Hi Laurie,

Well we are all different as far as recovery. Yes, it will all take time.
Nine weeks is not very long. I was able to swallow much better at 3 & 4 months. Only little bits, with lots of moisture. I also had feeding tube until 9 months out. It help keep my food intake at good level and also my liquid intake at the max.

I would eat only small meals every few hours. I drank the can stuff which helped with the throat muscles. That seemed to help me.
I did have dilation of the esophagus at 9 mo. I was choking off and on. Had some scare tissues from Radiation.

Hope this was of some help.
take care,
Diane

Laurie
I was at the Doctors office today asking about post-Tx swelling. I'm 5 months out from a left mandible removal/reconstruction, and 9 weeks post radiation (30 IMRT treatments).

Although I have had swelling to one degree or another since surgery, the past week has seen the swelling get significantly worse.

The Doctors tell me that lymphedema is nearly unavoidable in a neck dissection.Removing the drainage system leaves no place for the excess fluids to go. It can affect only surface tissue, or it can go much deeper, depending on a lo of different factors; how many nodes they removed, where they removed them from, etc.

I asked about applying heat, or cold. They say it wouldn't help appreciably. Ibuprophen will help a bit (it's a good anti-inflamitory), but not a lot.

They did suggest gentle massage was probably the best means of reducing the swelling. The Doctor showed me a couple of techniques to employ, so we'll see.

Swallowing has taken a bit of effort, but it's been not too bad for me the past week or two. It did take a few painful days though.

I hope your husband starts to find the swelling is improving. It seemed to take forever, and now I'm in one of those cycles where the progress has reversed a bit, but I know it'll get better
Wayne

Laurie,

I had noticeable swelling for MANY months following neck dissection/partial glossectomy/radiation (not sure how much was attributable to surgery vs. radiation). I never had a feeding tube, but spent a long time dealing with recurring swallowing problems and eating in VERY small bites with large amounts of liquid to get enough food down. Eventually, things started to improve, but it was a very slow process for me. I did manage to get back to the point where eating became almost second nature again, and I had to worry about putting on too much weight.

That being said, I'd suggest that you make sure your husband's doctors are continuing to watch his progress, as several others here have had more severe swallowing issues that needed treatment.

Cathy

My husband has had chronic swelling he never had a neck dissection. The drs say its from all the radiation he goes on steroids to help with all the pressure and that helps him talk better as the swelling alos occurs in his tongue. He went through alot after he had a major bleed from the vessels near the tonsils belived to be from radiation that had exposed the vessels. So here we are dealing with all this swelling and even in his ankles. They really have no answers for us. Has anyone else experienced this and did it go away. He had his last radiation August 11th 06
Take Care
B

Hi lauriern;
9 weeks post TX and 10 pound gain. I would say that's success! Wayne and Diane have received the same information I've been getting from my Dr.'s. This whole eating thing is a subject all on its own. Everyone is totally different but basically all the same. It's tough! I'm three months post TX and tonight had a cheeseburger, which I couldn't have even imagined eating ever again a few weeks ago. It took 40 minutes and 2 1/2 bottles of water, but I ate it and I'm ecstatic that I can eat!!

I have "the neck" and just Wednesday had my second visit with a speech therapist that works with my ENT. (therapy was suggested by other folks here) The first week she scoped my throat, explained how things work in there, what has happened due to the treatments, and taught me exercises to improve my swallowing and speech. This week she actually massaged my tongue, cheeks, and then my neck, showing my wife and I how to properly complete the movements. WOW, we were amazed that after the session I actually had a fairly normal neck and my chin was visible! It returned the following day to a large degree but still is down from where it was even three days later. (Oh honey, time for another massage LOL) This started out to help me swallow but we have learned a lot of tricks so far.

Best Wishes,

Steve

Steve--- not one to shy away from counseling do you do house visits. Perhaps you can sit my wife and myself down to discuss this massage technique. Eating cheeseburgers and daily massages at post 4 mos. is incredible. I got an ensure and a backslap but not one to complain I'm trying to enjoy the new normal. Ha! Ha!
It is great to see others doing so well so early after treatment Congrats!
Mark D.

Hey Mark,
Wife hasn't "taken the hint" yet so daily massages aren't on the menu at this time. The therapist showed her but it hasn't been brought up again. (LOL-bless her heart, after what she's done for me the past year I'm not pushing the massage thing too hard, at least for now.) Have to tell you though I'm still floating over the cheeseburger tonight!! Paying for it now as my throat feels almost closed shut at this point, but man it was great at the time. I hope the backslap didn't coincide with the ensure!! LOL

Regards,
Steve

I don't know how many times I have to say this guys, but PHYSICAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY really can help in most cases. You go twice a week, it is covered by insurance, if you get lucky, your spouse learns how to do it, if you get REAL lucky, like Gary, your wife is a massage therapist. But if your not that lucky, you'll walk out of the PT's office twice week, feeling like you have just been to a Spa and you didn't even have to pay for it. Find a good one and GO FOR IT.

Eileen

My son is experiencing some sweling in his neck where lymph nodes were removed and I found your posts very interesting and wondered what the massage technique was. I looked it up on the mayoclinic.com and they mention that "Manual lymmph drainage involves special hand strokes" . . but their reference is to the limbs. What disturbs me a little is that they also say "avoid massage on areas of your body that have received radiation therapy." So now I'm thinking maybe it would take a massage therapist to really know the correct way to do this? Anyone have any clarification on this? Thanks.