Hi everyone. I've searched everywhere for answers to these questions but can't seem to find them so thought you may all be able to help. Steve is complaining of head and neck ache on and off but he believes it's because he's tense. I'm not so sure. He is also getting massive amounts of mucous which is starting to make him have trouble swallowing. This is why he believes he is tense. I have no idea what to think. I know mucous is common with treatment but Steve's treatment doesn't begin until tomorrow so we can't blame the radiation for it. He's had the mucous for months now but up until today it's never been an issue. Normally he could swallow it but now it just seems to be getting know where. He said he swallows but not all of it goes. Any help please?

I've had that same issue since before I finished radiation on March 27 of this year. The thick mucus had just parked at the top of my throat. This has been the biggest obstacle to my eating recently because it blocks me from being able to swallow. In fact, today was my very first 24 hour period with no PEG food since finishing tx! (Yipee!) Like Steve, I'd swallow, but it wouldn't move. Couldn't swallow it, couldn't cough it up, couldn't swallow past it. Finally, today, I was able to go a full day without that feeling and I could eat real food. I know it's different for everybody, but for me, it seems to finally be going away. Good luck to Steve tomorrow! Truth is, it'll get worse before it gets better, but it WILL get better, and we will all be here to help both of you through as best we can.

thanks Dana. Sounds like it's going to be a truly trying time. It's hard already and I expect it will get harder before getting easier as you've said. We will hang in there. I just expected the mucous to start after radiation had begun, not before. So my well planned things to expect list went out the window and I panicked. Just wondering also, does the pain from the tumour reduce as radiation progresses or does he have to deal with that pain as well as the side effects? Thanks again for your help.

Obviously the mucus is not related to the rad that hasn't started so I would talk to his primary care doctor or the dentist that removed his teeth. Dairy products, like milk can cause excessive mucus but surely if this problem has just come on the scene, there must be a logical explanation. That said, I think he needs to get this resolved soon because the rad will cause him enough problems in this dept.

Re his H & N pain. Again talk to his doctors as it may have something to do with his teeth removal and also consider the stress that he's undergoing right now. IMO not enough focus is put on the mental aspect of this or any cancer.

Thanks David. We changed him from oxydone to ordine today and the mucous appears to have disappeared or at least lessened. He went on the oxydone when his teeth came out and the excess mucous really seemed to get full on from that day. So not sure if it is the oxydone or the teeth. We have an appt with dentist tomorrow and then again with our specialist on wednesday. I have a huge list of questions to take with me thanks to everything I'm learning from all of you. It's nice to not feel so alone anymore.

I bet there are quite a few doctors that wish their patients had never come to this site and got an education on this cancer.

Power to the people!! lol

Power to the people indeed:

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER...that is why this board/website is so valuable.

lol...my ENT has told me to stay the "f" off the internet before...but at the time I was convinced I had seen leukoplakia on the other side of my mouth and was obsessed. My new PCP worries about that as well with me.

There are some surprisingly bad bits of info about oral cancer on the web. Besides those sites that want you to take some herb or something else, THE NCI AND THE CDC actually have some outdated information on their site about OC, and the ADA, oh my God, they would have you believe that a biopsy brush (sold by someone that gave them 9 million dollars) will prevent you from ever getting oral cancer.

The web is wonderful and dangerous place at the same time depending on what site you are on.....