Hi, Could you tell me what a fistula is please...

quote:

Originally posted by ANANTH:
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 Carl,

A fistula is like a tunnel in between the food and air passage. Normally during the course of radiation - your passages do take a beating and one has to be very careful with what you are taking it( thats why I mentioned the toast in particular). Once the two passages become one all the food that you are eating begins to go in from the food passage into your air passage, creating havoc. I have no idea why the doctors do not really mention this but if you go through the net you will find fistulas in the throat are fairly common in cancer patients who are going through or have gone through radiation. When my fistula came around - it refused to heal (it normally heals on its own in about ten days) and everything the doctors tried - it refused. On slitting open my throat to seal the fistula - they found I had four fistulas en todo - one visable and the rest behind the passages. There was enough tissue to repair three of them and they did so hoping the last one would do so in time. Well - it did not and even since I have been on the peg, not having been able to eat anything solid or even drink a sip of water orally. Its only liquids through the peg and I complete eight glorious years of not eating on the 01st. of June.

Take care Carl - this is advise which is useful.
Love and hugs,
Ananth

Carl,
Just one more thing - have they recommended Hyperbaric once the radiation is over? Again its a subject that the docs do not always mention(well in India at least). It is really very useful for a fast recovery.
Love and hugs,
Ananth

Hi,
I would imagine that all is ok and i have no fistula because i am 18 days post rts and have been on a soft diat and i have not had any food go down the wrong passage.
carl x