Waking up each morning , extremely dehydrated

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Robyn64
Robyn64 Member Posts: 124
edited August 2016 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi there ,

Its beem a very long while since I was here last. Been moving forward with my life It will be 2 years on monday since I finished my treatment.

I initially lost 43 kgs and have put a fair bit back on now. My appetite is most certainly back and can eat most things now, I struggle a bit with chicken , some meats and hamburgers.

My only concern at the moment is  Im waking up each morning very very dehydrated.  Im not sure what to do ???

I have water by my bed at night and a spray for dry mouth. I tend to sleep with my mouth open. So having saliary glands that are not working at 100 % makes for a very dry mouth and throat by morning. I wake about 2 - 3 times a night for the toilet and much needed sips of water, whicch gives me broken sleep.

How do you all cope with this much dry mouth especially if you sleep with your mouth open ?

My husband says my snoring is getting worse and I need to see a sleep clinic , he thinks I may have sleep apnoea. Im not sure if this can fix anything ? Would be a sleep clinic be able to help , even somebody with dry mouth ?

Would some sort of mask or something to cover mouth help minimise my dry mouth ? I think similar to those used for sleep apnnoea ?

I wake up tired , headachy from dehyration and I just dont like getting up inthe morning anymore. My husband at times thinks im just being lazy , but broken sleep like this and being so dry in my mouth and down my throat , Im sooooo tired.

Help much appreciated , thank you ,

 

Robyn

 

 

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
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    dry mouth

    Robyn,

    As long as I stick 2 xylimelt tablets between my lower lip and gum (1 left, 1 right) I make it through the night. I have been doing this for 4 years.  If I don’t my mouth dries shut.  I also rinse  with biotene (for what it is worth) and spray stoppers 4.

    Matt

  • slk2015
    slk2015 Member Posts: 54
    edited August 2016 #3
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    Dry mouth, etc

    While all of this can be frustrating, I have had dry-mouth for years.  In a rather bizzare twist, I drool at night on my pillow and get it soggy.  Of course, then there's nothing left in my mouth.  I don't know if I sleep with my mouth open, but the drooling would indicate probably so.  My husband is a "mouth breather" due to multipl broken noses growing up.  He drinks water at night to keep from constant throat clearing.  I wake up with cotton mouth no matter what and just have gotten used to it.  (It did pretty much destroy my teeth so be prepared for that--it can happen.)

    As for the getting up to go to the bathroom, it is possible to adjust to the getting up.  I wake up anywhere from two to ten or more times a night.  That's pretty much been true my whole life--as a child, I had a nightlight to find my way to the bathroom at one a.m.  It takes a while to get used to and one has to give up on the idea of "normal" sleep but it can be done.  We have all been taught that people have to sleep through the night, but many simply do not.  You will be tired for a while, yes. 

    A test for sleep apnea is a good idea, even if you don't think you have it.  If it turns out you do, there are ways to treat that.  I have been told that some of the solutions dry out your throat, so you might want to ask about that if it becomes necessary.  

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #4
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    Dry mouth

    Bioteene mouthwash helps. 

  • Bill_Litchfield
    Bill_Litchfield Member Posts: 19
    #5
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    Definitely consider a sleep study

    My oncologist recommended that I have a sleep study done. For some patients the radiation treatment can cause some structural changes in the area of treatment which can bring on sleep breathing issues or exacerbate existing ones. My study found that I had some minor episodes through the night though they were not sufficient for me to need a CPAP right now but I should keep a close eye on my sleep quality and go back to the sleep center for re-evaluation if necessary. CPAP works using constant air pressure through the nose, so keeping the mouth closed is essential and they have chin straps that can do that comfortably for you through the night. The dry mouth/throat issue can be addressed with humidifier running in conjuction with the CPAP. The sleep experts will be able to address all that for you.

  • MichaelHill1
    MichaelHill1 Member Posts: 13
    #6
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    Dry mouth/Dehydrated

    I woke up one morning 2:00 A.M. 3 weeks into radiation.  Extreme desert mouth.  Got a sore throat to boot.  The same thing happened when I moved to Colorado for work.  Extremely dry out there compared to what I was used to.  Answer:  Humidifier.  Got one that morning and have slept normally since.  I got the Vicks filter free cool mist unit. Around 30 bucks.  Put that on your night stand and crank it up.  Good luck.

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