My husband has had the stomach pull for oesophageal cancer and is 14 months post op he is doing really well but

[Wassell]

He is having difficulty swallowing even really soft food . He seems to have gone a bit backwards. He has had dilatation and that is fine, he also has a sore throat all the time . Does anyone else have this problem

[Melvy]

Hi I had cancer removed 14 months ago. Everything seemed to be going reasonably well then I had feeling of food sticking in throat. Had dilatation which seemed to improve it. Now I have sore throat and lost all interest in food.

[Hidden]

I think you should ask the specialist nurses for advice / an appointment because they will want to see him making steady progress. The sore throat might possibly be reflux, but the cause of it will be worth checking. The dilatation / stretch often improves things, but they will be used to people coming back for a bit more 'fine tuning'.

[sportsman]

My surgeon suggested that the new "plumbing" often coped better with more solid food since it had something to grip on to. To a degree I found this true. In my case the sore throat problem has eased with time but it took several years and seems never to go completely. The occasional Strepsil and use of Gaviscon Advance can be helpful.

[Stevewellswood]

I always seem to have a sore throat but the doctors don't seem to be to worried about it

[Spikey]

Whilst I have not suffered from these problems myself, it would appear from reading the postings on this website that they are common problems post-op. From the sound of it, the sore throat and difficulty swallowing are possibly related, and both could be caused by scar tissue. I agree with Alan that the best advice is to go back to your medical team.

[Wassell in reply to Spikey]

Hi we have asked the surgeon and specialist nurse about the sore throat but they too don' t seem to be worried and don't really offer any explanation. They said the difficulty swallowing could be down to anxiety. We are open to any suggestions as my husband is getting very down about it.

[Spikey in reply to Wassell]

Without knowing more details of your husband's case, it is difficult to offer any definitive advice, and I hesitate to criticise his medical team. However, if I were 14 months post-op, still having difficulty swallowing and suffering from a constant sore throat and the medical team didn't seem to be worried and didn't offer any explanation, I would consider seeking a second opinion, or, at the very least, expressing my dissatisfaction. Has your husband seen a gastroenterologist, or had a recent endoscopy? If not, you could try asking to be referred.

[strangetimes in reply to Spikey]

Completely agree with Spikey . I think the "everyone reacts differently " approach sometimes results in the medical profession not pursuing reported symptoms .