Thrush

terryscarlett
terryscarlett Member Posts: 143
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
David has this crap again! Has anyone else had thrush constantly since treatments finished? I know David's salavia glands in his mouth are gone andthat is probably the cause, just wondered if any of you has had a constant case of thrush. His just keeps coming back...?

Comments

  • skipper85
    skipper85 Member Posts: 229
    #2
    Thrush

    My husband has thrush problems on and off. If your husband wears dentures the yeast may be clinging onto them. Make sure he cleans them every day and removes all the denture adhesive. You might want to ask your dentist if he has a suggestion about any special cleaning solutions.

    Prescription Nystatin is what helps my husband. It's a nasty problem. That's actually how we first learned my husband had cancer. He had a thrush infection so bad he couldn't swallow. Then when it cleared up and his throat was still sore he went back to the doctor and the rest is history.

    Hope you can get it under control. Best of luck.

    Skipper
  • abbimom
    abbimom Member Posts: 87 Member
    #3
    skipper85 said:

    Thrush

    My husband has thrush problems on and off. If your husband wears dentures the yeast may be clinging onto them. Make sure he cleans them every day and removes all the denture adhesive. You might want to ask your dentist if he has a suggestion about any special cleaning solutions.

    Prescription Nystatin is what helps my husband. It's a nasty problem. That's actually how we first learned my husband had cancer. He had a thrush infection so bad he couldn't swallow. Then when it cleared up and his throat was still sore he went back to the doctor and the rest is history.

    Hope you can get it under control. Best of luck.

    Skipper

    thrush sucks
    I am 10 years post treatment and I still get thrush. Not as often as I use to. I either take nystatin or diflucan and that helps. I'm not sure how to prevent it. I use biotene products for mouthwash and toothpaste and I think that helped. Some people on this site has said that L Glutamine has helped them. I also carry around a spray moisturizer for my mouth and maybe that is helping too so my mouth doesn't get too dry. Good luck and best wishes,
    Linda
  • DrMary
    DrMary Member Posts: 531 Member
    #4
    Drugs and Vigilance
    Nystatin liquid (swish, gargle, swallow) worked the first time; the second time, they had him take diflucan for 2 weeks as well. You might consider asking the doctor to prescribe you some doses also - you can pass it back and forth otherwise.

    New toothbrushes for both of you now and then again when it clears up. Check your taps and tap water; most treated water does not grow mold, but it can grow in the faucet and then contaminate your water (and therefore your mouth). Consider switching to a filter (change it often and clean and dry (in the sun if possible) the pitcher often or just splurge on bottled water.

    Our sympathies - those hurt.
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #5
    DrMary said:

    Drugs and Vigilance
    Nystatin liquid (swish, gargle, swallow) worked the first time; the second time, they had him take diflucan for 2 weeks as well. You might consider asking the doctor to prescribe you some doses also - you can pass it back and forth otherwise.

    New toothbrushes for both of you now and then again when it clears up. Check your taps and tap water; most treated water does not grow mold, but it can grow in the faucet and then contaminate your water (and therefore your mouth). Consider switching to a filter (change it often and clean and dry (in the sun if possible) the pitcher often or just splurge on bottled water.

    Our sympathies - those hurt.

    Yech!!
    Hated thrush!! Agree with the others on Nysatin, L-glutamine and diflucan. I had thrush 3 times after treatment. I used all 3 of the above. What helped me the most was I started probiotics the last time I got it and after I started using that, it never came back. Could be a coincidence but I think the probiotics helped a bunch. Good luck to David with recovery!

    Positive thoughts!

    Greg
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #6
    Hi Terry
    Yes it is very easy to get while in treatment because his immune system is in shock with all the different chemicals, he may need to stay on nysatin or something. Make sure to let the oncal man know about the problem
  • Una
    Una Member Posts: 12
    #7
    Thrush
    Hi sorry to hear about that. I am replying from my Mum's account. After being on diflukan Mum was put on a super antibiotic and this cleared the thrush. I hope this helps
  • Pat in SC
    Pat in SC Member Posts: 5
    #8
    Una said:

    Thrush
    Hi sorry to hear about that. I am replying from my Mum's account. After being on diflukan Mum was put on a super antibiotic and this cleared the thrush. I hope this helps

    Thrush
    My solution for this problem may surprise you. BEER !!!. I sip beer most every day. I used to get thrush all the time. Any sugar such as in OJ would start it off. the last 5 years I do not any longer have this problem. I think that thrush is a yeast imbalance due to a lack of saliva and beer yeast corrects this problem.
    Pat
  • mixleader
    mixleader Member Posts: 267 Member
    #9
    Pat in SC said:

    Thrush
    My solution for this problem may surprise you. BEER !!!. I sip beer most every day. I used to get thrush all the time. Any sugar such as in OJ would start it off. the last 5 years I do not any longer have this problem. I think that thrush is a yeast imbalance due to a lack of saliva and beer yeast corrects this problem.
    Pat

    Beer and Thrush
    Well, Pat, I don't know if there is any scientific evidence of beer helping to prevent thrush, but I sure like the concept! Maybe there is something to this because I did not have any recurrences of thrush after I was treated during week 4 or so of my rads. At any rate, beer sometimes makes things seem less scary.

Discussion Boards