Hebbie Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 I am 8 months out of treatment now.....and still feel the lingering effects of radiation. Every single day, when I swallow my vitamins, the big ones get stuck right in my chest. At lunchtime, it's the big calcium pill and at dinnertime, it's the multivitamin. I dread taking them. They go half way down and then I can feel them get stuck somewhere in the middle of my chest and the pain just radiates all over the place, I can't talk and have to keep taking slow sips of water until it gets unstuck and goes down. I can actually feel if "fall down" and pass through. (It's pretty bazarre) Of course, even thought I KNOW I can still breath, I get panicky and my heart starts racing and I get lightheaded......fun stuff. Does anyone else have this issue since radiation? If so, how long has it lasted? I'm starting to wonder if this is a permanent gift .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Wood Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Heather, I can't answer the duration question, but I know Lucie had trouble swallowing during and after radiation for quite a while. I don't remember how long. On the big pills, could you crush them up and put them in a liquid? I know Lucie still has some trouble with big pills. Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Heather, My problems with swallowing horse pills ended about two months after my last radiation treatment...I can now swallow ALL of my "vitamins" with one big gulp of water (and I used to have problems making myself swallow ONE aspirin!)... My husband, on the other hand, has never been able to swallow medication and takes about three swallows per pill... Maybe, just maybe, you have a type of atrophy and your swallow muscle just ain't listening to the nerve that says "Swallow - NOW". My advice would be to talk to your radiation oncologist (or the office) and if you do NOT get closure there, try your GP - a scope may find that you have a small ulcer or something really easily "fixed". ...and maybe you should be taking chewables, like those Flintstone things! (I cheated and did that when the swallowing was rough...they're tastier, too!) Take care - hope you get this solved! Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Hey Hebbie, I don't have problems with pills or my chest, but I will say that I have problems swallowing in the throat area now and then. IT's a tough one to discribe. It's like I choke easily when I swallow (sometimes), or like it goes down the wrong pipe, never had that before my cancer or treatments. After 8+ years, I still do it. But, Life is GOOD, I'm still here to talk about it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hebbie Posted March 9, 2004 Author Share Posted March 9, 2004 Amen to that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhutch1366 Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Heather, Mine wasn't permanent, although I think it ran a good year and change. I still have to watch taking too large a gulp of water, though, for I will find I cannot swallow it.... Most of this stuff gets better, too slowly, over time.... XOXOX MaryAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betplace Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Now don't laugh, but I have a suggestion, unusual, but it may help. Can you coat the big pill in like veggie or olive oil, just a little bit, to help make it slide down easier? I don't know if it would work or not, but it seems to me it is worth a try. It just popped in my head as I read your problem. Try it, it can't hurt and might help. Blessings Betty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy RN Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Ask your Dr or pharmacist about liquid meds. I know there are alot of patients who can not swallow pills and they use liquids on them instead. Also check about crushing them with the pharmacist. Some meds can not be crushed. We used to mix them with jelly after I crushed them for my daughter. She was 20 before she could swallow most pills! Cindy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TBone Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Hi, I am on my 12th chest radiation treatment and just in the past couple of days have noticed this problem developing.I hope it doesn't last too long because it can be kind of scary.And I have the flash of pain when it gets stuck too.Seems it takes it a while to slide all the way down and I can feel it as it goes.So I don't have an answer but I do sympathize.TBone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckyg Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Heather, Radiation just keeps on giving and giving and giving. I have been told that the effects can last "up to 6 months" after the end of treatment, but I think I have blown that theory out of the water. I continue to have inflammation in my lung that is caused by the radiation--I have been on prednisone constantly since July. Lately I have started having the "stuck pill" problem more often than usual--not enough that I am ready to start investigating liquid medicine, but enough that it is annoying. No advice here--just confirmation that you aren't the only one with the problem. Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bphyllis Posted March 9, 2004 Share Posted March 9, 2004 Hi, I had throat cancer so I had a lot of radiation that effected my esophagus. They kind of over radiated I guess and my throat surgeon had to do about 10 out patient surgeries where he would do in and stretch the esophagus and sand the scar tissue from the radiation. It was not a big deal and I was back at work in two days. He said I would probably need to do this once a year which I am overdue. It helps with the indigestion too. Of course yours may just get better on its own. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandyS Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Heather - Mine lasted for quite a while too - and I was surprised recently when my doc gave me an antibiotic that was a real "horse pill" that I STILL had troubles with that. It IS awful and scary. Go ahead - be a baby! You deserve it - ask your doctor for liquids. Hugs and prayers, SandyS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Heather, I am almost a 7 months out from radiation and I still have problems swallowing pills. I take a lot of supplements and chase them with a lot of water. What really helps is to eat somthing like a couple of almonds to knock the pills down. Try it it really works for me. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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