Can anyone give me advise on total laryngectomy please for my dad x

Gem123

Hi, my dad had a total laryngectomy 2 years ago and all was ok (apart from many chest infections over the years) but 3 weeks ago eating has become a problem as he can't eat solids anymore due to it feeling like it's stuck and a gurgling sound. He's currently on a liquid diet but I'm wondering is there anyone out there that could relate to this and offer advice? He has COPD too which doesn't help but on many nebules for this. Any advice will be greatly appreciated x

poppy123456

HI and welcome.

I'm one of the community champions here on scope and i'm here to help and advise others.

I'm afraid as no one here is medically trained therefore we wouldn't be able to give you any medical advice. I'd advise him to speak to his GP and hopefully they will be able to help him.

Gem123

Thankyou so much for replying, yes he's been back to the gp and just recently got out of hospital he's now waiting for an appointment to see a specialist but I'm just worrying a lot in the meantime, I've liquidised his meals and he has yogurts and milk but we are still waiting on getting meal replacement drinks on prescription for him too, he's also lost the ability to speak even when using his speech button in his stoma so I'm not sure what's going on but just seems strange for this to be happening 2 years on. Thankyou for your replies though I appreciate it x

chiarieds

Hi @Gem123 - I'm sorry to read your Dad's having difficulties. Do you know when he'll be seeing a specialist?

Karenjames67

Hi sorry to hear your dad is struggling. 
My daughter is 21 she had a tracyostomy for 6 years.i understand that there not the same but Emily is also having eating difficulties. 
She just come out of hdu because her swallow has become a problem she is asperating. She is having a Vidio of her swallow. Your dad needs speech and language accessment. 

Adrian_Scope

Hi @Gem123 and welcome to the community. I'm sorry you're so concerned about your father at the moment. Have you had any progress with getting support or sorting the prescription for his meal replacement drinks?

Gem123

Hi everyone, thankyou so much for all your replies and sorry for the delay in replying, my dad has been to the hospital recently and they have confirmed his gullet has narrowed a lot so they are now prescribing meal replacement drinks for him until he gets his appointment to go back as they are going to do a swallow test followed by a procedure that involves putting a deflated balloon down his gullet and inflating it to see if it widens the pipe for him so hoping the procedure works but will update when he's had it done :-) they said he should get his appointment within the next 2 weeks so I'm really hoping it works out good for him. Thanks again to you all you've been great and this seems such a lovely site for advise xx

Gem123

They haven't mentioned speech therapy yet, so sorry to hear that Karen about your daughter, wow such a young age too, sending big hugs to your daughter and hope she is ok xx

kawasaki59

Gem123 said:

Hi, my dad had a total laryngectomy 2 years ago and all was ok (apart from many chest infections over the years) but 3 weeks ago eating has become a problem as he can't eat solids anymore due to it feeling like it's stuck and a gurgling sound. He's currently on a liquid diet but I'm wondering is there anyone out there that could relate to this and offer advice? He has COPD too which doesn't help but on many nebules for this. Any advice will be greatly appreciated x

Hi I've just joined.  I'm now in my 24th year as a total laryngectomy survivor.  Chew your food more n drink plenty of water with it. Also mince n mashed potatoes are good only eat small amounts at a time. If your dad is losing bit of weight can try chocolate n sweets n cream.  Pasta is also soft avoid bread n cakes as get bit stodgy.  I really hope he perks up. I will send your dad heart felt prayers.