Zinc?
Comments
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ThanksKTeacher said:Search Head and Neck Cancer
The search box is in the upper right on the topic page. Check with your doctor before you begin anything. How long have you been out of treatment?
KTeacher,
Thank you for the search info. I am new to this site so I appreciate your help. I'm a new one, only out of treatment for 2 weeks. I would for sure check with my doctor but I was just wondering if anyone had any luck or had ever even heard of this before.0 -
ZINC
Hi Billie 67,
Yes, I heard the same thing, but what I think we needed was anti-radiation shielding. Now that I am 14 weeks post I do take a low dose multivitamin (it is on my chart, I am not hiding anything) and it has a shot of zinc. I can not tell you it is working, but I can tell you it is not working yet. I hate to think what we (H&N) might ingest if someone said it turned the taste buds back on. I walk around with a prayer in my head and all my fingers and toes crossed in hopes of eating normal again; that is tasting normal again.
Right now I am eating a little bit, but on a scale of 1 to o10 I never get above a 2. 2 months ago I could not get to a 1. Something is better.
10 bucks to the first person to reveal the secret.
Happy Smoothie,
Matt0 -
Zinc...Billie67 said:Thanks
KTeacher,
Thank you for the search info. I am new to this site so I appreciate your help. I'm a new one, only out of treatment for 2 weeks. I would for sure check with my doctor but I was just wondering if anyone had any luck or had ever even heard of this before.
Since you already found the other post, you know Charles (IrishGypsie) took Zinc supplements.
I have heard of it, can't really recommend it one way or the other.
Being you are only out of treatment for two weeks, I think you are hoping to rush the process.
It's slow, very slow, and I think it pretty much recovers at it's own pace.
Most get nearly all if not all of their taste and saliva back...eventually. Usually, some of that will start within the first few months and progress for several months.
In reading the other post, you'll see where mine came back 100%, over two plus years and saliva around 95%.
But at just a few months I had a lot of both return, just not totally.
I also had absolutely no taste or saliva...a bottle of water with me 24/7. A sip of water every bite of food and every few words when speaking.
Anyways, at two weeks out andchecking with your ND, I wouldn't see a problem at giving it a shot...
Best,
John0 -
HumorCivilMatt said:ZINC
Hi Billie 67,
Yes, I heard the same thing, but what I think we needed was anti-radiation shielding. Now that I am 14 weeks post I do take a low dose multivitamin (it is on my chart, I am not hiding anything) and it has a shot of zinc. I can not tell you it is working, but I can tell you it is not working yet. I hate to think what we (H&N) might ingest if someone said it turned the taste buds back on. I walk around with a prayer in my head and all my fingers and toes crossed in hopes of eating normal again; that is tasting normal again.
Right now I am eating a little bit, but on a scale of 1 to o10 I never get above a 2. 2 months ago I could not get to a 1. Something is better.
10 bucks to the first person to reveal the secret.
Happy Smoothie,
Matt
Matt,
I love your humor, just what we need. I have to agree I think I'd try just about anything they said was the magic fix. This simply sucks! I'm only 2 weeks out and was trying to get a jump start, you are 14 weeks and still only a 2 ugh! I'm so sorry!
Here's hoping both of our prayers are answered soon!
Billie0 -
The Secret.....CivilMatt said:ZINC
Hi Billie 67,
Yes, I heard the same thing, but what I think we needed was anti-radiation shielding. Now that I am 14 weeks post I do take a low dose multivitamin (it is on my chart, I am not hiding anything) and it has a shot of zinc. I can not tell you it is working, but I can tell you it is not working yet. I hate to think what we (H&N) might ingest if someone said it turned the taste buds back on. I walk around with a prayer in my head and all my fingers and toes crossed in hopes of eating normal again; that is tasting normal again.
Right now I am eating a little bit, but on a scale of 1 to o10 I never get above a 2. 2 months ago I could not get to a 1. Something is better.
10 bucks to the first person to reveal the secret.
Happy Smoothie,
Matt
TIME...0 -
What exactly was your cancerCivilMatt said:ZINC
Hi Billie 67,
Yes, I heard the same thing, but what I think we needed was anti-radiation shielding. Now that I am 14 weeks post I do take a low dose multivitamin (it is on my chart, I am not hiding anything) and it has a shot of zinc. I can not tell you it is working, but I can tell you it is not working yet. I hate to think what we (H&N) might ingest if someone said it turned the taste buds back on. I walk around with a prayer in my head and all my fingers and toes crossed in hopes of eating normal again; that is tasting normal again.
Right now I am eating a little bit, but on a scale of 1 to o10 I never get above a 2. 2 months ago I could not get to a 1. Something is better.
10 bucks to the first person to reveal the secret.
Happy Smoothie,
Matt
What exactly was your cancer Matt?0 -
zink
2 1/2 years out.chemo doc suggested zink. i'm on my 2nd bottle and still no taste. better luck to you, it must have worked for someone.0 -
12weekswild willy said:zink
2 1/2 years out.chemo doc suggested zink. i'm on my 2nd bottle and still no taste. better luck to you, it must have worked for someone.
Out of rads tomorrow and a little taste has come back
but my problem is I have no saliva what so ever. I'm
trying to eat regular food ( no bread ) but I am eating
small portions of fish, chicken, steak, potatoes, veg, french
fries etc..( no all at once..lol). My problem is in doing so I
keep agrivating the palate and back of the mouth and blisters
pop up when I'm eating so I have to stop, then after a while
they go down, I think this is why the inside of my mouth is
taking its time to heal, it seems like its paper thin in there.
Like John said it just takes time, so if it is going to come back
( saliva/taste ) then I just have to be patient.
Ok, off now to eat a Steak & Ale pie....
God bless
Tonsil Dad,
Dan.0 -
Wow you are eating well! I'mTonsil Dad said:12weeks
Out of rads tomorrow and a little taste has come back
but my problem is I have no saliva what so ever. I'm
trying to eat regular food ( no bread ) but I am eating
small portions of fish, chicken, steak, potatoes, veg, french
fries etc..( no all at once..lol). My problem is in doing so I
keep agrivating the palate and back of the mouth and blisters
pop up when I'm eating so I have to stop, then after a while
they go down, I think this is why the inside of my mouth is
taking its time to heal, it seems like its paper thin in there.
Like John said it just takes time, so if it is going to come back
( saliva/taste ) then I just have to be patient.
Ok, off now to eat a Steak & Ale pie....
God bless
Tonsil Dad,
Dan.
Wow you are eating well! I'm 2 weeks done with trt and I'm just now able to eat yogurt and things like that. Keep up the good work!0 -
wow, you are all doing wellBillie67 said:Wow you are eating well! I'm
Wow you are eating well! I'm 2 weeks done with trt and I'm just now able to eat yogurt and things like that. Keep up the good work!
you are all doing well being such a short time out..... I remember where I was at 12 weeks and all I can say is OUCH. I felt like my whole head was on fire...and I think it still was actually. If you are eating yogurt at 2 weeks post, you are doing great.
John is correct -- nothing really helps except TIME. There is no magic pill that will make the process go quicker. It takes what it takes. If you were not a "patient" patient before all of this crap, you will be soon enough.
If you don't have a feeding tube, keep forcing yourself to eat and keep those swallowing muscles working. You don't want to lose that function. Even if the taste fades, keep working it at least by swallowing water.
good luck to you all.0 -
Thank you Ingrid. IIngrid K said:wow, you are all doing well
you are all doing well being such a short time out..... I remember where I was at 12 weeks and all I can say is OUCH. I felt like my whole head was on fire...and I think it still was actually. If you are eating yogurt at 2 weeks post, you are doing great.
John is correct -- nothing really helps except TIME. There is no magic pill that will make the process go quicker. It takes what it takes. If you were not a "patient" patient before all of this crap, you will be soon enough.
If you don't have a feeding tube, keep forcing yourself to eat and keep those swallowing muscles working. You don't want to lose that function. Even if the taste fades, keep working it at least by swallowing water.
good luck to you all.
Thank you Ingrid. I appreciate how kind everyone is, wish I came across this site sooner. Yes yogurt is what I can eat. I do have a PEG but want to use those muscles as much as possible. It does hurt to eat but not as bad as some of the things feel, yikes!
I do need to learn patience badly. I'm just really headstrong and want to be over this crap already! Too much to ask I know0 -
BillieBillie67 said:Thank you Ingrid. I
Thank you Ingrid. I appreciate how kind everyone is, wish I came across this site sooner. Yes yogurt is what I can eat. I do have a PEG but want to use those muscles as much as possible. It does hurt to eat but not as bad as some of the things feel, yikes!
I do need to learn patience badly. I'm just really headstrong and want to be over this crap already! Too much to ask I know
How is your voice? I read your profile and it is very similar to mine, only they caught mine at Stage 1. My rads were only a 4-6" area at my vocal cords, no node involvement, so no neck irradation. I was insitu 1 1/2 yrs. ago. When my voice started getting worse I was afraid it was back! Had no chemo. I completely lost my voice during rads. It is gradually coming back. They said I'll never sing again, but here's hoping!! If not, I can live with it, literally and figuratively!!
Just curious about how you're doing. I'm 3 weeks out today, from rads. Energy level terrific, if I'm not coughing. AND in the middle of all this I had a tooth problem (completely unrelated as my jaws did not get rads) but to buy a little time so I could lay back and endure a root canal, I've taken 2 doses of antibiotics, which has caused some other problems. I can't even imagine laying back for an hour for the root canal. I'm choking/coughing/spitting/gagging.....sorry for the visual, but I'm sure you're living that way too!! Well, we WILL make it!!! Regards! 0 -
Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums
One thing you all might try is the Citrus flavored Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums. I know that it has produced some saliva for me when nothing else seemed to work.
Charles - IrishGypsie has mentioned it also.
Also, in helping with the swallowing muscles...
I also didn't have a PEG, one thing that I liked and could actually very faintly taste was DelMonte Sliced Peaches in Light Syrup...the ones in the mason style jars.
They were cold and slippery, I could swallow them with minimal effort and even less pain.
Believe it or not, here is something else that I learned.
I was sitting around one day, watching all of those food channels when I had no taste, no saliva drooling imaginery drool......
You know that tingling sensation you get behind and lower on your ears when you taste something tart...or even the thought...and you get a little involuntary saliva.
That happened once while watching TV and some commercial came on with lemons or some other visual.
I actually had that sensation, and a tiny bit of saliva formed.
I think it was really only on one side of mu mouth and the tinest hint of wetness.
Anyways, I started trying to re-create and produce that sensation....and little by little it seemed to help.....
Anyways, just food for thought, and I am a bit Abi-Normal as most of you know, LOL....
Best,
John0 -
Mrs. Sargent,Mrs. Sarge said:Billie
How is your voice? I read your profile and it is very similar to mine, only they caught mine at Stage 1. My rads were only a 4-6" area at my vocal cords, no node involvement, so no neck irradation. I was insitu 1 1/2 yrs. ago. When my voice started getting worse I was afraid it was back! Had no chemo. I completely lost my voice during rads. It is gradually coming back. They said I'll never sing again, but here's hoping!! If not, I can live with it, literally and figuratively!! Just curious about how you're doing. I'm 3 weeks out today, from rads. Energy level terrific, if I'm not coughing. AND in the middle of all this I had a tooth problem (completely unrelated as my jaws did not get rads) but to buy a little time so I could lay back and endure a root canal, I've taken 2 doses of antibiotics, which has caused some other problems. I can't even imagine laying back for an hour for the root canal. I'm choking/coughing/spitting/gagging.....sorry for the visual, but I'm sure you're living that way too!! Well, we WILL make it!!! Regards!
My voice is
Mrs. Sargent,
My voice is barely a whisper but it's been this way since my biopsy. Drs seem to think it will get better after swelling from rads is gone.
My field of rads was rather large. A portion of my lower jaw and from behind one ear all the way around to behind the other. My burn is from my lower jaw (some cheek involved) and covers the whole front of my neck and down to just below my collar bone. That part is healing tho, thank goodness.0 -
John...I love the peaches!Skiffin16 said:Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums
One thing you all might try is the Citrus flavored Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums. I know that it has produced some saliva for me when nothing else seemed to work.
Charles - IrishGypsie has mentioned it also.
Also, in helping with the swallowing muscles...
I also didn't have a PEG, one thing that I liked and could actually very faintly taste was DelMonte Sliced Peaches in Light Syrup...the ones in the mason style jars.
They were cold and slippery, I could swallow them with minimal effort and even less pain.
Believe it or not, here is something else that I learned.
I was sitting around one day, watching all of those food channels when I had no taste, no saliva drooling imaginery drool......
You know that tingling sensation you get behind and lower on your ears when you taste something tart...or even the thought...and you get a little involuntary saliva.
That happened once while watching TV and some commercial came on with lemons or some other visual.
I actually had that sensation, and a tiny bit of saliva formed.
I think it was really only on one side of mu mouth and the tinest hint of wetness.
Anyways, I started trying to re-create and produce that sensation....and little by little it seemed to help.....
Anyways, just food for thought, and I am a bit Abi-Normal as most of you know, LOL....
Best,
John
John...I love the peaches! Also mango and guava slide down nicely. I'll have to try the citrus gum.
Ok this is weird, all I do is watch the food channels and I too produced some saliva! I ended up cutting a lemon and just touching it to my tongue and that helps too.0 -
John...I love the peaches!Skiffin16 said:Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums
One thing you all might try is the Citrus flavored Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums. I know that it has produced some saliva for me when nothing else seemed to work.
Charles - IrishGypsie has mentioned it also.
Also, in helping with the swallowing muscles...
I also didn't have a PEG, one thing that I liked and could actually very faintly taste was DelMonte Sliced Peaches in Light Syrup...the ones in the mason style jars.
They were cold and slippery, I could swallow them with minimal effort and even less pain.
Believe it or not, here is something else that I learned.
I was sitting around one day, watching all of those food channels when I had no taste, no saliva drooling imaginery drool......
You know that tingling sensation you get behind and lower on your ears when you taste something tart...or even the thought...and you get a little involuntary saliva.
That happened once while watching TV and some commercial came on with lemons or some other visual.
I actually had that sensation, and a tiny bit of saliva formed.
I think it was really only on one side of mu mouth and the tinest hint of wetness.
Anyways, I started trying to re-create and produce that sensation....and little by little it seemed to help.....
Anyways, just food for thought, and I am a bit Abi-Normal as most of you know, LOL....
Best,
John
John...I love the peaches! Also mango and guava slide down nicely. I'll have to try the citrus gum.
Ok this is weird, all I do is watch the food channels and I too produced some saliva! I ended up cutting a lemon and just touching it to my tongue and that helps too.0 -
Dear JohnSkiffin16 said:Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums
One thing you all might try is the Citrus flavored Sugar-Free Xylitol Chewing Gums. I know that it has produced some saliva for me when nothing else seemed to work.
Charles - IrishGypsie has mentioned it also.
Also, in helping with the swallowing muscles...
I also didn't have a PEG, one thing that I liked and could actually very faintly taste was DelMonte Sliced Peaches in Light Syrup...the ones in the mason style jars.
They were cold and slippery, I could swallow them with minimal effort and even less pain.
Believe it or not, here is something else that I learned.
I was sitting around one day, watching all of those food channels when I had no taste, no saliva drooling imaginery drool......
You know that tingling sensation you get behind and lower on your ears when you taste something tart...or even the thought...and you get a little involuntary saliva.
That happened once while watching TV and some commercial came on with lemons or some other visual.
I actually had that sensation, and a tiny bit of saliva formed.
I think it was really only on one side of mu mouth and the tinest hint of wetness.
Anyways, I started trying to re-create and produce that sensation....and little by little it seemed to help.....
Anyways, just food for thought, and I am a bit Abi-Normal as most of you know, LOL....
Best,
John
John,
Are you watching the same food channels as I am (maybe after midnight)? I’ll try, but I don’t get anything tingling. Then you made the jump from imaginary drool to real saliva? I beg you John, take me under your wing and help me to re-create saliva. You have got a captive audience here, I think you have the makings of a hit “how to” CD.
Spitless,
Matt0 -
ButtGlowCivilMatt said:Dear John
John,
Are you watching the same food channels as I am (maybe after midnight)? I’ll try, but I don’t get anything tingling. Then you made the jump from imaginary drool to real saliva? I beg you John, take me under your wing and help me to re-create saliva. You have got a captive audience here, I think you have the makings of a hit “how to” CD.
Spitless,
Matt
I can't make my butt glow though...., LOL.
Spitless in Seattle
BTW...it just happened a little once in awhile. And the return was anything but fast. It may or may not have had anything to do related to the sensation, but it did happen a few times and I tried more and more to re0create it and at times I could get just a little saliva.
I too had spit like paste, so think I couldn't even blow it out of my mouth.
I'd wake up with a tongue that more resembled a piece of dry jerky.
Believe brother, I've been there where you are...but it got better.
MATT... BTW, here's the grouper shot from the other day...;
Grouper - Opening Day
JG0
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