My mum is having radiotherapy at the moment and has a stent to aid eating. She is constantly coughing up thick gloopy phlegm

[gail221]

Any ideas what is causing this and what can be done. It builds up so that when she does manage to eat a bit, she then vomits most of it back. She has lost over 2 stone

[Hidden]

This might be because the stent is holding open the valve between your oesophagus and stomach (the lower oesophageal sphincter) and contents from a relatively empty stomach start refluxing up. A motility drug (ie helps the process of food processing through the digestive system) like domperidone might help.

[jay2908]

Sorry to hear your mum is having a difficult time. Please check with your doctors, I use Sudafed which helps with mucus. Also, it might be worth asking about a nasal gastric feeding tube. I had one during my treatment and took the pressure off eating enough calories.

[gail221]

Thanks for the replies. The doctors tried to pass a nasogastric tube yesterday but it got stuck so they are trying again today. I'll pass on your suggestions for the mucus to her so that she can speak to her doctor

[gutlesswonder]

If the nasogastric tube could not be passed it sounds as if the stent may have closed or is otherwise blocked. An endoscopic exam might be in order.

Whereabouts in the esophagus is the tumor/stent ? High ,middle,bottom?

If the annulus is indeed closed,for whatever reason,then the mucous problem probably stems from the failure to swallow. It is not generally appreciated that the sinuses (post-Nasal) and the salivary glands can contribute several litres in the course of 24 hours , this has to go somewhere.