hi all. could you tell me that if i have a little saliva after my rts,does this mean that i may be able to eat normally after a while when my remaining gland makes more saliva to compensate for the one that is no longer working..

Hi Carl

My son kept one of his salivary glands and once everything had settled down after RT he had no problems eating. Take Care

Mum
x

hi carl
lets hope you will have saliva and be able to eat,me on the other hand i had a scan done on my saliva glands and mine had shrivilled up.i find chewing gum helps me with a little saliva.lets hope you will be lucky.love shirl xxx

Hi Carl, although I don't have the answer to your question, I wanted to pass on a bit of advice from my nurse. She highly recommends the use of products by a company called Biotene. They make products for relieving the sysmptoms of dry mouth such as toothpaste, mouthwash, Daytime & Night time Moisturizing gels, etc. For more information on the product you can go to the following website: www.biotene.com.
I would strongly suggest though that you talk with your own doctor or dentist before trying any of these products as every individual case is different.

Hope this helps some what though. Best Wishes, Cricket

Thanks all

Hi, thanks for that, roughly how long did it take to happen after radiotherapy..

quote:

Originally posted by Mum:
Hi Carl

My son kept one of his salivary glands and once everything had settled down after RT he had no problems eating. Take Care

Mum
x

Hi carl it was literally within a few weeks, I would say only about 3-4 weeks. As soon as the soreness had started to settle.

Mum
x

Thankyou for your speedy reply i have a little saliva at moment enough to eat a little cheese omlette without too much fluid, i am 16 days past my last radiotherapy treatment so i am hoping too that once all the swelling etc has gone that i too can have toast and jam again, does your son now eat a totally normal diat... Carl S

Yes eats normally now
Mum

Hi Mum,
If i may ask what was your sons treatment was it the same as mine ie radical neck dissection and 33x radiotherapies

Hi Carl,
A small suggestion - dont even go for toast or anything hard coarsy stuff. I made that mistake and am paying for it till date. I would suggest stick to a semi solid diet for sometime till your ENT gives you the green signal. The reason I say this is your food passage does weaken with RT and eating toast etc. has every chance of creating a fistula and though it does heal on its own in about nine days, mine did not.
Ananth

Hi,
Thanks for that am doing soups and weetabix, soft bread and butter, also boiled egg and omlette,am only 18 past my last radiotherapy.
Take care Carl..

Hi Carl
I take it you only had one side of your neck/face irradiated after your neck dissection?
If so things must be pretty hopeful for decent saliva production in th future.

tony k

Hi Carl,
A little more on "Salivatis". If your throat is really very sore and it really hurts when swallowing you could try some xylocaine spray -a liquid local anesthesia spray. I would do this just befor eating and had no problems as my mouth had enough moisture and the food went in very smoothly. (thats where I made the error of eating solid food like toasts etc).

I think you must be drooling now after so much advise!!!,
Take care Buddy and may the force of salivating be with you",

Love and Hugs ( I always part with some hugs and love to men but no kisses - which are only for the lovely ladies),
Ananth

Hi, Yes i only had one side rtd and am starting to get a decent amount of saliva back already. I think a lot depends on how proffessional the planning is done as to how much damage is done..Take care Carl..

quote:

Originally posted by tonyk:
Hi Carl
I take it you only had one side of your neck/face irradiated after your neck dissection?
If so things must be pretty hopeful for decent saliva production in th future.

tony k