Magic Mouth Wash?

ditto1
ditto1 Member Posts: 660
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I am curious, how does the MMW feel, I just cannot comprehend how you swallow something that makes your thoart numb, it seems to me that it would be like shutting down your ability to breath and something scary. I swished it in my mouth once after problems with my original chemo treatment but never swallowed it and remember my lip felt numb but not much more than that. It seems from the post I do remember seeing that its designed to numb so one can swallow and tolerate the pain. Diane suggested just give it a try so I would know, makes sense but thought I would see what others had to say. Either way for any one who used or is using it I would appreciate your thoughts. Im just confused (slightly scared of the numbing). As always thanks for being there.

Comments

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #2
    for awhile
    I coukd not swallow at all for about a half hour after using it. The amount of numbing I got from mmw gradually became less, so eventually that wasnt a problem. But while this effect lasted, I couldnt use mmw before eating, only after. PS, it didnt effect breathing.
  • Ingrid K
    Ingrid K Member Posts: 813
    #3
    longtermsurvivor said:

    for awhile
    I coukd not swallow at all for about a half hour after using it. The amount of numbing I got from mmw gradually became less, so eventually that wasnt a problem. But while this effect lasted, I couldnt use mmw before eating, only after. PS, it didnt effect breathing.

    MM Practice
    Hi Ditto1,

    I would gag on the MM, so I could not use it, but I think Mrs. Ditto's idea of practicing with it ahead of time is excellent ! as LTS said, it won't affect your breathing, so take the time you have an practice, so that when you really need it, you can use it.

    Good luck with your treatments.
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #4
    Ingrid K said:

    MM Practice
    Hi Ditto1,

    I would gag on the MM, so I could not use it, but I think Mrs. Ditto's idea of practicing with it ahead of time is excellent ! as LTS said, it won't affect your breathing, so take the time you have an practice, so that when you really need it, you can use it.

    Good luck with your treatments.

    Hi Ditto1,
    Magic mouthwash
    Hi Ditto1,

    Magic mouthwash is really not as bad as it looks. You could always try a very small qunatity.

    When mouth is sore, it really helps. I cannot swalllow large quantity as well so what i do id takd 15ml, swish it around my mouth and spit it out. Than take another 10 ml and swallow that part for throat.

    Sam
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #5
    love the stuff
    Hi ditto1,

    I loved the stuff, I slugged down probably 6 bottles of the stuff during the worst times. I could not taste, so the flavor NEVER bothered me. I remember the first time I swallowed it, I was scared, but the nurses and doctor told me it was ok, so I did. I would only sip 1 to 2 tea spoons at a time, swish it around, hold it in my mouth and ever so slowly swallow it in tiny, tiny sips. I would use it sporadically through the day, some times not at all, sometimes every hour. Always, at bed time I would take it. First I would gargle, rinse and spit with the baking soda, salt mixture, then just before jumping under the covers it was a hit of magic mouth wash. This would numb my mouth and throat enough so I could fall asleep. Also, on radiation day, I would take a hit out in the parking lot just prior to treatment. Ah those were the days.

    Some folks on the bus can’t stand the taste, but I came to appreciate how well it worked for me. Very funny thing, today at 13 weeks post, I think it tastes terrible and wonder how I ever drank any let alone 6 bottles, go figure.

    Good luck with treatments,

    Matt
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #6
    Strangely, I've only had to use it since I finished rads....
    and the same thing happened to me as Pat...I couldn't swallow anything for about 20 minutes, everything was so numb. My bottle said to keep it in my mouth for one minute before swallowing, so that's what I did...it may mess up your swallower for a few minutes, but you can still breath :)....it really works.

    p
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #7
    No Problems
    I also had no problems with it....

    You could try swishing it around a little and spitting it out, swallowing the remainder with saliva.

    That would cut it down and numb it enough maybe to take a little more with out spitting it out.

    Just a thought anyways....

    Simple doing the first could provide enough numbing for you to get the calories in.

    JG
  • davidkay
    davidkay Member Posts: 5
    #8
    Magic Mouthwash experience
    I used this for a while during the worst part of radiation. It is NOT necessary to swallow it. For me, the effects only lasted about a half hour, so had to use immediately before eating.
  • tommyodavey
    tommyodavey Member Posts: 727 Member
    #9
    davidkay said:

    Magic Mouthwash experience
    I used this for a while during the worst part of radiation. It is NOT necessary to swallow it. For me, the effects only lasted about a half hour, so had to use immediately before eating.

    MMW
    I didn't really care for the taste but was still able to use it. Mine had an anti-fungal agent in it so I thought it wise to use during and after RT.

    What worked even better was the pure Lidocaine Viscous 2%. The problem with that stuff is the taste and texture. Really thick going down so it gets stuck in my throat for maybe 15 minutes. It does numb the heck out of my mouth and throat though. Like the others I gargle it and swallow in very small amounts to get the full effect.

    Can't they give it a better taste?

    Tom
  • Sam999
    Sam999 Member Posts: 319 Member
    #10
    tommyodavey said:

    MMW
    I didn't really care for the taste but was still able to use it. Mine had an anti-fungal agent in it so I thought it wise to use during and after RT.

    What worked even better was the pure Lidocaine Viscous 2%. The problem with that stuff is the taste and texture. Really thick going down so it gets stuck in my throat for maybe 15 minutes. It does numb the heck out of my mouth and throat though. Like the others I gargle it and swallow in very small amounts to get the full effect.

    Can't they give it a better taste?

    Tom

    Matt,
    Did your doc okay it
    Matt,

    Did your doc okay it to use prior to radiation? I will ask mine tmorrow, but if i could use it will solve the problem for throat dryness for those 10 mins.

    Thanks,
    Sam
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #11
    Sam999 said:

    Matt,
    Did your doc okay it
    Matt,

    Did your doc okay it to use prior to radiation? I will ask mine tmorrow, but if i could use it will solve the problem for throat dryness for those 10 mins.

    Thanks,
    Sam

    got me there
    Sam,

    Funny thing, I never asked. I did it a lot of times just prior to treatment. I never thought to ask (radiation brain and all).

    If I had to bet, I would say it is OK. Why wouldn’t it be?

    Busted,

    Matt
  • ditto1
    ditto1 Member Posts: 660
    #12
    CivilMatt said:

    got me there
    Sam,

    Funny thing, I never asked. I did it a lot of times just prior to treatment. I never thought to ask (radiation brain and all).

    If I had to bet, I would say it is OK. Why wouldn’t it be?

    Busted,

    Matt

    Thanks as always
    for your replies, so the key to MMW is to numb so one can eat or drink when the RADS or whatever has made it nearly impossible to eat and drink. So how does the drink or food feel do you even feel it going down since the thoart is numb? I know from your reponses it sounds like no matter what it is something that maybe necessary to tolerate the pain of the thoart and to either ease the pain or just to get food / drink down. Still seems creepy so thats why Im so grateful to you folks for giving me a response. Matt I guess it must have really helped you from your response on how much you went thru.. I guess I will know sooner than later and hopefully this will be like many of the fears that was somewhat unfounded.
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #13
    ditto1 said:

    Thanks as always
    for your replies, so the key to MMW is to numb so one can eat or drink when the RADS or whatever has made it nearly impossible to eat and drink. So how does the drink or food feel do you even feel it going down since the thoart is numb? I know from your reponses it sounds like no matter what it is something that maybe necessary to tolerate the pain of the thoart and to either ease the pain or just to get food / drink down. Still seems creepy so thats why Im so grateful to you folks for giving me a response. Matt I guess it must have really helped you from your response on how much you went thru.. I guess I will know sooner than later and hopefully this will be like many of the fears that was somewhat unfounded.

    numbing but delightful
    Ditto1,

    I mainly used magic mouth wash for (throat, back of the mouth) pain. After a bummer of a hamburger during week 3, solid food was out for me. I guess the mmw helped me drink my smoothies, but I never used mmw to help with swallowing specifically. Also, my taste buds were checking out so there wasn’t much to taste.

    It is creepy, the whole mess were all in is creepy, but mostly creepy to outsiders those of us that have rode the bus, “we know the score” and no question is off limits (bite my tongue).

    As I’ve said before, I could be a spokes man for the Magic Mouth Wash I used. My mmw never lost its special powers and the strength never got weaker. I think there are a number of different formulas used to concoct the stuff and mine was oh so good.

    I’ve still got a bottle and a half if I have to prove it (just kidding about the prove it part)

    Stay Happy, Bottoms Up,

    Matt
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #14
    ditto1 said:

    Thanks as always
    for your replies, so the key to MMW is to numb so one can eat or drink when the RADS or whatever has made it nearly impossible to eat and drink. So how does the drink or food feel do you even feel it going down since the thoart is numb? I know from your reponses it sounds like no matter what it is something that maybe necessary to tolerate the pain of the thoart and to either ease the pain or just to get food / drink down. Still seems creepy so thats why Im so grateful to you folks for giving me a response. Matt I guess it must have really helped you from your response on how much you went thru.. I guess I will know sooner than later and hopefully this will be like many of the fears that was somewhat unfounded.

    Swallowing..
    Ditto.., it didn't effect my ability to swallow. It just numbed it up for 15 - 20 minutes. Long enough to get a dew Ensure Plus, some water and a few sliced peaches in me.

    Then I'd finish it off with a percocet ground up in a little water to take the edge off of any pain afterwards.

    The best thing for me that I did after each of these ordeals of feeding and pain management, was a warm shower.

    For whatever reason, I got in a habit of taking a really warm to hot shower after each feeding.

    The warm water felt so good on my throat and skin...took any pain away instantly it seemed.

    Best,
    John

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