My mother went through several surgeries for Mucoepidermal Carcinoma in her jaw.
She had her jaw removed and then replaced. Unfortunately the cancer came back and her new jaw had to be removed along with part of her soft palate (sp?) The flap to cover the opening did not take. She is unable to eat any solid foods and is now experience an overwhelming amount of mucus being secreted into her throat. It is so thick she is unable to spit it out or swallow it. Because the mucus is so thick she has a very hard time swallowing anything but water. Everything else just stops at the mucus. She says it is almost like a veil and at times she feels like she is choking. She irrigates her nose 2-3 times a day. Uses a steroid spray and takes Sudafed or some other similar OTC medication. When she does take in liquids with or without the speech aid it does go up into her nose. Could this be causing excessive mucus to be secreted?

tarabulba,

Can't tell you why your mom has the excessive mucus, but suggest she use (rent) a portable suction machine to suction out the excess mucus. My sister could not swallow or spit the mucus out and we never went anywhere w/o the suction machine. It made such a difference, I can't imagine not having the use of it. It cost her about $30.00 a month as her insurance would not cover the expense (it was the type of insurance she opted for, it also did not cover medications). Needless to say it was worth every cent and more, we used it to clean out her mouth after she vomited, she says she feels she would have choked w/o it. It really made a difference to her quality of life at the time.

I wish the best to your mom and you.

Nancy

I don't understand the correlation between the mucous and what is going on with your mom's nose. But, I too, am a HUGE advocate for the portable suction machine. I would also recommend something to thin the mucous, like Robutussin with Guaffasin (sp?). Without these two things, my husband was not able to swallow any liquid nutrition.

Wishing you and your mom the best.

I think the heavy mucus could be part of the OC after surgery. I have read quite a few posts in here about people having problems with it. The day before yesterday, it took 1 hr and 45 minutes to get that stuff out of my throat so that I could quit coughing and choking. It is very unpleasant & makes one wonder if this is the time you might be choking to death. I can feel for your mom.

HOPE FOR MOM,
I went through the same thing during my treatment and after. But the mucus will eventually stop. It is hard to bear, and it is sad to hear others going through some of the affects I went through. It will pass in time, be positive and supportive. My doc had me on Roxicet oral solution pain meds. It helped me.
prays!

Thanks to all of you for giving me some hope that this could possibly become less of a problem if not completely disappear. We are trying a new ENT next week in hopes that maybe he might have some more insight. I have discussed a portable suction machine with my mother but she is leery. Perhaps now that someone else has experienced the help it gives her mind might change.

Thank you again.