Here's a description of swallowing and you can see that leaning the head back tends to open the various flaps on the front of the neck leading to the lungs.

http://www.answers.com/topic/swallowing

Lani, thanks for the Hormel Thick and Easy tip -- I'll be looking for it.

Pete,

Well, there's that dad-blamed shelf I keep talking about! Thank you.

I just pulled out my can of Thick and Easy. It's distributed by: Hormel HealthLabs, Inc. They have the phone number & web site address on the can if you have trouble finding it. It gives instructions for both full and clear liquids to nectar-like, honey-like, and spoon-thick. Also up to mashed potato consistency, if needed.

Hope it helps. If anyone wants the phone or web address, just ask.

Lani

Hi Claudia,
My husband is dealing with the same problem..he wonders if he will be able to swallow also..only ice chips . It's been since Oct 2007, its been a year since his treatment & still has peg tube. Has had swallow test, "food stops at top of esophagus. His esophagus is still inflamed , so they have talked of esophagus dilation. Next month he has appt. with his ENT doctor..we will be discussing that subject. We've been told it could take long time to swallow , if ever. I don't like to talk to my husband about negative answers..but would like to hear from others..if some good progress.
Barb G

I have been reading the posts on swalloing thick VS thin. The thicker the liquid or whatever i try to swallow,the more problem I have. I either have milk or water with me at all times. I have to use my fingers, to dislodge things from the roof of my mouth and around my gums. Wonder if i'm the only one with problem ?? I tried a peanut butter cup yesterday and boy did me and it have fun. Didn't think I was ever going to quit trying to choke.

Barb,

My throat closed up completely 17 months after rad ended. I was put in the hospital because I couldn't get anything at all down, and the peg tube was a distant memory by then.

They called in a gastroenterologist who dilated my throat the first time. I was able to begin eating again immediately. He couldn't stretch it out all the way at once, but had to do it gradually. I've had my throat dilated 2 more times and now I'm done unless I have a problem.

Getting your throat dilated is absolutely no problem. You go to sleep, and you wake up. That's it - no pain, and immediate results. Of course I have other eating and swallowing challenges, but not this one anymore. I don't know how much of your husband's problem will be fixed by having his throat dilated and how much is for other reasons, but please don't worry about this proocedure.

Lani

Does it ever end ? I'm sick to my stomach and Jim is despondent. I haven't seen this problem on the board so I am anxious to hear from anybody who is familiar with this. When Jim had his surgery in March, all of his teeth were extracted. He now has no teeth. Anyway a few months ago, he said that his bottom gums on the right side of his mouth looked a little different. There were a few white spots and it looked like new teeth were trying to come through. That's the only way I can describe it. The dr. looked at it and said that it was normal for it to look that way. Now, Jim noticed that in that same area, the skin on the gums looks inflamed and a little puffy and weird looking. I wonder what this is ? We are going to our ENT dr in Pgh who did the orginal surgery. We are both afraid of what we are going to hear. He won't talk and it's so frustrating. He's so so depressed. As i've said before, his petscan came back and it looks like mets to the lungs and the doctor so rudely blurted out that he has less than a year to live. Every since that diagnosis, he stopped living. He won't exercise, he won't talk to me and the list goes on. We did go for a 2nd opinion and this dr. said he never tells anybody how long they have to live. He did say though, that he does not recommend a biopsy and for us to wait for our 2nd petscan and he would recommentd taxall. The brutal doctor mentioned Erbitux or methotrexate to prolong his life by a couple of months and Jim said "no". I don't know whether to stick with 2nd opinion doctor or MISS BRUTAL the first doctor. I'm sorry for yakking but I'm a wreck. Can someone shed some light on some of the things I've mentioned...Thanks. Claudia PS: Don't know what I'd do without all of you....

Claudia...I am so sorry to hear about your situation...I am the patient and my husband is the one who doesn't talk and I can relate to your frustration. I had all of my teeth removed and months after I had white spots in my mouth went back to the dentist and he told me they were bone spurs or chips if you may they worked themselves out...I don't know if this relates to your husbands problen with his mouth the gums around the white spots got inflamed and red until they worked themselves out...they say third times the charm is there anyway you can get a third opinion?? Best of luck and I will keep you in my thoughts

Dianne

Thanks Di---Got up this morning and immediately ran to my computer to see if anyone was familiar with the gum problem and there you were....Thank you. I feel a lot better right now. I'll let you know what the dr says. Claudia

Claudia-Neil will be starting Taxol on Monday. Even though it is not a cure, it may buy some time. I'm so sorry Jim is so despondent. Can your son talk to him? Maybe he needs to be told how much he is needed. I'm sure you've done that youself already. The doctor of doom needs to be told how much trouble she caused with your husband. Maybe she'll be more sympathetic with the next patient. Our doctor at Sloan is the most wonderful person when it comes to hope. He said as long as Neil is willing to continue, he will help him. He is not giving us false hope but just SOME hope of having some more time. We know he can never be cured and that we don't have much but at least it's better that totally giving up.

Hve you thought about help for yourself? You know me-I totally understand what you're going through. I do feel that Neil's amazing attitude is helping me also. Please call me if you need to-you know the number.

Sue

Went to Dr in Pittsburgh who did jim's surgery in march. The growth on his gum looks suspicious so a biopsy was done so we are waiting for the results. Also, he will have a petscan done within a week or so. The drs. in Pittsburgh want him treated there instead of here in our hometown of New Castle. We don't know yet if they can do surgery or just more chemo and radiation. I don't know how much more he can take. I can't believe how fast that growth just popped up. It looks like a mushroom. We'll be canceling his speech therapy til this is all taken care of. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's so hard.