Amazing Mucus

I'm seeing a lot of mucus mentioning throughout but not one dedicated mailstream.  So....I'll be the disgusting one and start it out.  Let me start by saying I am not picking on my husband because it is obvious he is suffering. 

What is up with the glue?  Holy cow.  My husband could literally gag himself to death if he didn't roll over at night.  I got him the mucus machine (thanks Julie) and he fills that during the day.  He does a lot of rinses with baking soda and salt.  He takes mucinex and guafinsin (spelling) as directed as well. 

Do all head and neck end up with the Amazing Mucus? 

Let's get a summary of Best in Show suggestions going.  I'm hopeful for a new one! 

Thanks,

Completed Grossed Out Wife aka Mediator 

Yeah, this is part of the whole lovely picture. One of the worst parts I might add. There's really not a whole lot more than you're already doing that can help the situation. You just have to endure then all of a sudden one day it is miraculously gone. There will be slight residuals after that but it will continue to improve over time. How much time you might ask. For me it took about 3 to 4 weeks after the end of treatment. It's really a good thing when you think about it. It makes you appreciate every mucus free day that much more. You'll never complain about a runny nose or a cold again because they will pale in comparison.

Good Luck!

Joe 

Yes ma'am. Mucus is part of the fun. My wife has nearly lost her lunch when I go into my mucus mode. Gross and no fun. In time it will get better.

Somethings to try...

The usual gargle all the time w/ baking soda, then gargle w/ salt water. Some people mix the two. I had better success doing it apart. Gargle w/  50/50 of peroxide and water. A teaspoon of honey a few times a day. Just swallow it down. Don't ask me why, but it works. Maybe the goo sticks to it and goes down??

Good luck and welcome to the club. Now go give your husband a great big french kiss!!

Rick

The mucus is bad, but sadly, the dry mouth that follows is worse.

Someone on the Oral Cancer Foundation board (it's a huge board with tons of great advice) suggested to my wife that I get a suction machine.  It made a world of difference. I got to the point where it hurt too much to spit. I'd fill it up a couple of times a day. I kept it by the bed and would have to use it a few times each night.  It was great, but would wake up my wife.

Like I said, the dry mouth that will follow is IMHO much worse. I'd trade it for mucus any day.  When/if his saliva returns it's probably going to be thick and sticky.

One thing I found that helped me was sleeping without a pillow, I didnt gag near as much. My "amazing mucus" period lasted about 3 weeks.

Like Joe said, the dry mouth that follows is no fun either. Pharmacies and stores like Target and Walmart stock Biotene and/or Stoppers products for dry mouth. Go on and get them located before you need them.

Mike.

"Like Joe said"

Sorry. Threeputt said it. My mistake, wish they had an edit function here.

 +1 on "Stoppers 4". I'm a year and a half out and I still keep it handy.  It's great for quick spray in the middle of the night.

Tom

On 2/26/2008 micromisterphone wrote:

One thing I found that helped me was sleeping without a pillow, I didnt gag near as much. My "amazing mucus" period lasted about 3 weeks.

Like Joe said, the dry mouth that follows is no fun either. Pharmacies and stores like Target and Walmart stock Biotene and/or Stoppers products for dry mouth. Go on and get them located before you need them.

Mike.

OMG. 

I am so glad you brought this up and so detailed and the others as well.  Imagine how I feel, I have this as well.  When this started 1 1/2 year ago, I didn't know what was going on, I thought I was drowning.  Mine is in the upper sinus cavity and it is absolutely disgusting.  My husband held me upside down, the first time this happened, this junk just went with gravity, I coughed, this ugly giant, green, sticky plastic looking thing came out and I thought I almost painted the wall with puke.

just the thought is just YUK.  I also have severe dry, throat, mouth. I constantly am sipping water just to keep the mouth moist.  Don't know about the machine, I started washing out my sinus with salty water, (a male friend does this) and said I would be fine, well, it does work, the crud does come out and I sound like a camel making all these noises just to get the stuff out.

As I've read, it's part of whatever did what to us.  But it is ok, I'm here and feeling 99.9% great.  Going on 2 years and it's marvelous.

God Bless and Good Luck you all!!!!

 Patricia

Thanks everyone!  We've added your tips to our daily routine now.  Counting down the treatments!

Kara 

It does get better, but at my worst, I was literally going through a box of Kleenex a day and filling up trashcans with used yucky Kleenex. It is so disgusting. At 31 years old, I sounded like an 80-year-old 4-pack-a day Pall Mall smoker and my lips were so cracked. Big turn-off, but my husband, bless him, did not complain.

And I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but two years out of treatment, my saliva is still like glue, I still have a slight mucus hack, and I have a completely closed esophagus due to poor doctoring, poor advice and poor luck, so I carry Kleenex or Puffs plus Lotion with me wherever I go. Luckily, the numerous meds I am on help it to dry up somewhat, but the doctor's subsequent attempts to open my esophagus landed me on a ventilator, so now I have residual sinus problems. But I have found I am the exception, not the rule, so don't go by my experiences!

Suffice it to say, I feel your pain! The best antidotes are those already mentioned and club soda in little twist cap bottles. Also, saline nasal sprays, a neti pot and Nasonex. Swish with it the club soda as frequently as possible clear out that sticky, yucky feeling. It works very well.