Difficulty swallowing, a radiation side efffect?

agness

Wow, I'm so sorry for your pain and discomfort, not to mention the lack of consideration by your docs. I am truly perturbed by the practice of radiation oncology as it is used as a blunt force instrument without any regard for nuance or patient side effects, short or long term.

I had proton therapy which is more targeted so I didn't have any scattering. The areas treated had some buffer zone around them (much to my chagrin) but still I think the damage was fairly confined. My throat healed up quickly after the field was pared back. I haven't had any other trouble with swallowing.

Is there any information I can get to help? My energetic healer, who does massage and some other body work is willing to share what she did. I sent a message to my RO offering her the contact and she didn't reply.

Ann

Hopeful82014

I'd like to thank the OP for starting this thread and everyone who's responded. I'm adding this issue to those I need to settle with whatever RO I end up working with. Although I was told the SC nodes would be treated, no one had mentioned this possible effect. Having seen esophageal cancer first hand I'm really wary of anything that might contribute to it. And yes, I did have a friend who died of it years after being treated for bc, and now I wonder if radiation didn't contribute to that.

slv58

Ann thank you for your concern. It's weird but after noticing this feeling after my first week of rads, I was sure my thyroid was being 'hit'. When tx was finished I waited 3 months and begged my mo to do a thyroid test. It came back normal. At my next physical with my PCP I asked her to run a thyroid and it was sky high! I'm now on synthroid, but my symptoms are still there. I'm exhausted most of the time (could be due to my recurrence) hair and skin is super dry and still thickening when I swallow. I've now begged for a parathyroid test but apparently is within normal limits. I'm still thinking parathyroid as this would explain all my muscle, bone joint aches. May also explain throat thickening, but tests aren't wrong.

fairfieldlady

I had a mastectomy on 3rd March this year and since the anaesthetic I have trouble swallowing certain foods.  It's odd because some meals are fine, and others difficult. I hoped it was the anaesthetic but it appears to be getting worse - bread, cake, and chicken a particular problem.  I'm eating a lot of soup! I haven't had radiation but wonder if there is any connection at all between drugs used during surgery and this problem.  I am hoping it goes away because I worry about oesphogeal cancer.

johnnykkr

A Soft, plain,Diet may help. Try different foods to find out which are easiest to swallow. Avoid foods that may irritate your throat. This includes

• Dry foods
• Highly spiced foods
• Very hot foods or drinks
• Alcohol, particularly spirits

You may need High to Drinks this too

• Build Up
• Complan
• Fortisip

Other high calorie food supplements are available on prescription. Ask your specialist nurse or dietician to advise you. The soreness usually gets better within a few weeks of your treatment finishing, but this depends on how much treatment you've had.

yoga_girl

fairfieldlady

Had the same happen to me after surgery, partial mastectomy. Was given multiple scripts for antibiotics.  18 months post surgery; 12 months post rads; 90% improved today.  I had a raw throat for 10 months (similar to sinus infection drainage raw throat).  After rads, more throat, mouth, SEs to deal with.  I did experience scatter.

Results of surgery and treatments are different for everyone. 

Therapeutic Broth Soup seems to help. Use low sodium and organic base to start your soup with.  Any spice or veg that creates heat (pepper/onions, etc.) avoid; dairy products will cause mucus to produce; also avoid.  It will get better, how soon depends on your immune system and healing process.

 

jarris77

I started having trouble years ago where food would get "stuck". Right after chemo the problem got pretty severe. I called my oncologist (sometimes SE of chemo) who referred me to my gastro Dr. who went in and stretched my esophagus (dialation?). It solved the problem immediately. After almost 2 years, I have noticed a little more trouble with swallowing. I have talked to a few people that have had to go in and have the procedure done every few years. Might be worth checking.

agness

Throwing out some different perspectives on this complaint.

Throat Chakra
When I was having throat pain, a friend told me that supporting my throat chakra might be worth trying as well. This chakra or energy center is identified in ayurveda and at its core is about being heard. In some ways the experience of breast cancer treatment can make us feel stifled and not heard. Even worse is when we actually aren't being heard -- so your doc telling you there is nothing wrong is kinda making things worse. My friend told me to wear turquoise around my neck and to try to sing. I was feeling very much not heard by my RO when this was happening to me but when I complained about it to my naturopath and physical therapist they very awesomely told me that they would be there to support me even if my MO couldn't. They made me feel validated.

This might be very "out there", sometimes we need to be open to different ideas when western medicine doesn't have anything to offer. Here is a link to learn more about this chakra: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4646/7-Ways-to-Bala...


Plum Pit Qi
When my throat was hurting and I was in to see my naturopathic oncologist, his resident assistant commented that what I was describing sounded exactly like what in Chinese medicine is called Plum Pit Qi. It comes from blocked emotions, including feelings of sadness and frustration. What could be more frustrating and saddening than going through breast cancer treatment, on top of the diagnosis of cancer. It is hard to get holistic approach from doctors trained in allopathic medicine with their focus so much on eliminating the malignancy. There is a lot more to healing from both cancer and treatment and we see that as patients. Acupuncture and chinese medicine can treat this condition and while it offers no promises I've seen it do amazing things in my body over the years in dealing with infertility and fibroids long before I included it in my complementary care over the past year. Read more about it here: https://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/...

helenkruse

Hi to all the ladies here.I hope that 2018 is far better than 2017 because like money,we can ALWAYS use a good year. haha I have been wondering about something. I had a lumpectomy and then about 2 weeks later go back in for breast cancer. I had the lymph node out too. I had about 16 weeks of daily radiation and missed the last 2 or 3 because I ran out of money for gas and I had a 45 minute drive one way. I was then prescribed Tamoxifin. I started throwing up and not even having as much as a burn from the radiation and not get sick during it, I never thought about the treatments. I kept telling my Oncologist they were making me sick. So after a while of not being heard I stopped taking them and told him Yes, I take them. I didn't. After I stopped taking them I was still vomiting. It was like every 2 months. I am 55 and I was 42 when I lost my Husband to cancer in 2004 when he was 45. I live in a rural area in South Carolina we picked out but he never made it here. It's on 2.48 acres and the road frontage is wooded so you can't see my place from the road. I'm back here by myself. I do have 5 other neighbours nearby,but they are busy. I'm 10 minutes fro Downtown Camden,SC and the Hos[ital. I kept telling my Oncologist and the Primary but no one really listened so I didn't think about it until I got sick again, tossing my cookies for 48 hours straight,sometimes 72 hours. I'm sick like this and back here alone. I just rode it out. Then it was every 6 weeks, every 4 and now it's every 3 weeks, for 30 hours. Close to being like clockwork. I feel like glass or something in my esophogus even weeks after being sick. It takes me 2 days to get close to 90%. I wonder if the radiation did something. My Primary Doctor has seen me sick and I have gotten phenergan for the vomiting. It didn't work. Could the radiation have done something? I'm scheduled for January 3rd (2018) for OutPatient Surgery so they could use the camera and look around. I've been drinking antacid since the last time I got sick almost 2 weeks ago.

yoga_girl

radiation induced nausea and vomiting

reference articles are located:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/136/topics/844633?page=2&post_creation=true#post_5114049