I am trying to find others who have had choking problems while trying to learn to eat again post tx. If there are any of you out there, please tell me what your doctors did about it and if the problem was able to be remedied. Was it from radiation effects or something else? And did the problem go away on its own? Or did you have to have something done to correct it?

Yes, I had choking problems from radiation depending on what I was eating. I cut everything into very small pieces before eating and drank lots of water. It was really bad the first month or so after radiation. I generally found that if I choked on something, I could cough it up and then would have no more problems for the rest of the meal. Doctors did nothing. Not even certain if I had a swallow test. Problem never went completely away until second cancer but did improve with time.

There are swallowing exercises you can be given and I would suggest you get a swallow test. Your speech therapist should do an eval for you. Make certain you do as much swallowing as possible, even if only liquid. These muscles must be kept active or you can have permanent problems.

Take care,
Eileen

Yes, choking problems following surgery to remove epiglottis. I was fed through the nose for 4 days while doctor sent me to speech therapy for swallowing test. I had a modified barium swallow while they fed me fruit cocktail and crackers. Always they had me hold my breath and turn my head different directions while watching the food go down on the x ray machine. Finally they found the combination that would work for me. I was also given swallowing exercises (supraglottic swallow) which I now do pretty well or without conscious effort.

After being released from hospital I continued for about 4 months with the speech therapy people to be sure I wasn't aspirating food. I never choke now but sometimes if get in a hurry or eat the wrong food (rice, peanut butter...) I have some trouble with aspiration. Always able to cough it back up and try again with lots of water.

I still find that I get choked easily, now 18 months post Tx. I do it more so when drinking something as opposed to eating. My ENT told me that this was due to tissue changes in my throat following radiation.

Bill D.

Yes, same here. I went through the re-learning process with a speech therapist and positioning food, etc. I seem to do fine for the most part, but every now and then when I seem to be not paying enough attention, going too fast, etc., I choke or something gets stuck. Things with starch are tougher to handle, along with most meats (Unless it's full of fat!). I'm now gaining weight and my surgeon said it's due to hammering the gravies and sauces to help get the food down. At least I can eat!! As Bill said, I was also told the radiation plays a major role in the tissue changes. Continue to "exercise" and practice. The problem never completely goes away but you can continue to make it better.

Steve

I should also mention something else regarding the choking I experience from time to time while drinking a liquid. It is somewhat like what we refer to in the South as "swallowing the wrong way". It then takes me some time to clear my throat to normal again when this happens. I suspect it is one of those rather small things I will have to get used to.

Bill D.

I am over 4 (almost 4 1/2 in my books!) post transaction and I still have swallowing issues with food and liquids. The liquids not cooperating end up with a mouth full of really thick, salty goo. Top that off with a Nissen Fundoplication and if it gets past the throat, the esophageal spincter gets another chance to reject. That one is much more painful. Noodles that used to be the easiest are hit and miss, caramels at Christmas proved near fatal but were eventually handled with a self-control heimlich type maneuver from "deep within". I felt faint from the lack of oxygen but knew what I had to do. When the weather changes from 80 to 25 and back every other day for the past two weeks, it's like Groundhog Day; you never know what to expect. Hot spicy foods trigger the esophageal rejection and that one really hurts deep in the chest.

But, you kow what? I still eat every doggone thing I like and just hope it is a good experience. Even the worst is better than the tube, the boost or the TPN through the port!

I don't know about the rest of you but that first 15-30 minutes every day I seem to have to reteach the swallow, if you will.

The day always starts with a grin, though, because I wake up! I think through it all, that is truly the best time of the day.

I don't know if I ever get used to it, but I know just like bad software, I have developed a significant number of "workarounds" for each specific instance. It's been a tremendously long time since I sneezed food out of my nose and that was really the only one that bugged me, and especially my dinner guests!

X28 hello,

I would like to add something to this subject. I had choking after treatment. I was about 9 mo. past and I went in for a dilation of the esophagus. This is where they stretch the scare tissues in the Throat, caused from Radiation. It helped me 100% I have had the procedure done 2 times.

I do have problems with certain foods like potatoes, anything that seems to pack in the throat. I still need lots of liquids when eating that type of food. I have found meats that have lots of moisture like chicken thighs are easier to eat.

Hope this will be of some help to you.
Take care,
Diane

I'm only two months out from my last Rad treatment and I have a heck of a time getting anything, say the size of an asprin, down my throat. I wind up gagging on things as small as a piece of potato in Cambells cream of potato soup. I want it to get better quicker but we all know that won't happen...so its hang tuff and take it easy.

dear gary im 5mos out of tx for vocal cord cancer,. the first couple of mos i had a lot of trouble coughing.boost seem to make it worse had to stop that.still have some ttouble swallowing at times. ent says my vocal cord is swollen again