Swallowing issues- No Peg

[danjay]

Wow, I too thought everyone knew about chin tucking. Experiment a bit too with turning left or
right when you do it. My right side is much weaker and turning to the right engages the left
more strongly and really helps. Your description of your Mom's nose gives me chills and bad
memories. I struggled too with an ulcer on the bridge of my nose but no choice but to use the
bipap. Finally moved to a mask that uses nasal pillows and after a couple months my nose
finally healed. Does your provider have a range of masks for you to try? Things are just going
to keep getting worse until you get the pressure off. I wish you the best of luck on this.
Dan

 

[brooksea]

Since Rose brought up the air blowing in the eye thing, I would like to mention that can be a very dangerous problem too!

The respiratory therapist that fitted my husband with the bipap told us that if air blows in your eyes from the mask, it will cause a "very horrible" eye infection.

My husband also makes the bottom straps tighter and the top ones a bit loose.

mndireland- Hope you can get your mum's ulcer cleared up soon. Like Dan said, it may not heal up anytime soon with the mask still putting pressure on the sore.

Good luck!

 

[Tfisher]

Ouch about the ulcer on the nose, my mom has had some redness every now and then on the bridge of her nose but nothing like that! She has been using a sham that you use to dry cars off with and cutting it into small squares to put between her nose and the mask.

We have heard of the chin tucking but maybe my mom needs to try to be more mindful of it now that she really can't eat anymore but it may make the few things she can still tolerate easier.

Here in Minnesota we call the tomato juice and beer a bloody beer! Bud Light makes them mixed together with Clamato and beer which is very tasty.

 

[mndireland]

Thanks all for the advice. Problems now getting a nurse or doctor out to dress the wound and keep it patched up! Apparently its not the doctors job, or the nurses, or the hospice, aaaargh the frustration of it!

Anyway, glad the thread has turned to happier times and alcohol ha ha

 

[Al]

Yur just sayin that because it's gettin close to St. Paddy's Day. When all the Irish are proud and the ones who aren't, wish they were Irish.

AL.

 

[BarryG]

I vote for green beer over red beer! I'm not Irish but do love Guinness

 

[mndireland]

Ha ha Al, YOu are soo right. By the way we had a great Paddys Day! Brought my mum out for it, and even though she was in her chair, and cant drink the bacardi she loves soo much, I couldnt get her out of the pub until 10pm after the DJ and music had finished. It was great to see her happy and smiling, and it was in our local so every song was dedicated to her! I think she enjoyed it soo much as she was like a celebrity in there, maybe because everyone hadnt seen her in so long, she was getting drinks from everybody!

The good days far outweigh the bad!

 

[feeling helpless]

just an idea...

Hi there,
very similar situation with dad at the mo. It's hard to watch this when it's happening especially the other day he had this blockage in his throat from 6am til about 5.30 in the late afternoon. His breathing was hard and shallow and his speech was almost non existant.. he couldn't lay down at all, even on his side and was too exhausted to sit up... anyway my point is i noticed you were in ireland so i'm assuming you can get the same drugs as us in the south of england.
He was prescribed something called Mucodine which is swallowed (or in dads case thrown down his neck) when it's really bad, it tatses disgusting and you may like to have some water standing by, but if you can take it without water this helps it work quicker. It's not instant but it helps break it up enough to dislodge the mucas.
We also have a thickening agent again your doc should be able to provide this. You can add it to water etc... hope this helps
Actually you could also ask your gp if he can prescribe some tablets which can be put under the tongue when this choking starts to get out of control (think its diazepam) it's instant in that it calms you down enough to help ease the situation. All of these thing have been tried and tested by dad and so far so good.. its not a cure for the problems but as tesco would say "every little helps".. take care, best wishes to everyone

 

[rose]

My new problem is that my mums sore on her nose, caused by the bi pap, has now cut right down to the bone, through all the plasters and padding ive been putting on. NOw its developed into an ulser, with another one starting by the look of it. She is on anti biotics now, but the ulser is really sore and painful, and she is in agony everytime I put the mask on, its awful! I know probably not going to get any helpful tips here but thought id have a moan about it anyway!

Actually, I might have a tip for you (after her current sore isn't weeping or open)

I hurt the underside of my nose, ... had been fooling around with mask strap adjustments, didn't notice it was too tight, and by morning I had a cluster of pin dot sized pus spots, and the area around it was really red. The following night I was dreading trying to wear the mask, even though the straps were correct again, and then, :idea: I remembered the silicone gel sheeting I'd used in the past on an incision line from a mole removal. So, I cut a strip of it and placed it over the sore spot, and the mask was completely painless. (I do not remember what brand it is.) The product I used was from my dermatologist & was packaged as a small rectangular sheet, and I'd snip off little pieces to place over the scar, I do know it does not have any sort of adhesive, it is sticky on its own. It can be washed and used over and for quite a few weeks/months. Its often used to help keep scars from becoming keloids ~ raising & thickening ~ as they heal. The great thing about it was it did not affect the seal of the mask, if anything it enhanced it, and it is something you could have your mum use long term, after the current problem is healed enough to where its closed. It is much more cushiony than any sort of cotton or rubber pads could be. Just a thought....