Sleeping at night

james chambliss
james chambliss Member Posts: 70
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
When i try to sleep at night I get really dry in the roof of my mouth. It feels weird and i still have the stuffy nose and have to blow it often. The stuffy nose at night goes away sometime, but that feeling in the roof of my mouth does not. Does that change or am i the only one with that?


Thanks,


James

P.S. Good Morning to all my new friends, it's a pleasure to know you.

Comments

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #2
    Morning James
    I'm more than 14 months post...while I have regained the majority of my salivary function back, night is still bad. I wake up every few hours because I'm so dry.... The dogs love it, because they get to go out for a potty break..mainly to look for the neighbors cat to chase.

    Anyways, sorry that I can't offer much help, but it still interferes with my sleep big time.

    Best,
    John
  • johnlax38
    johnlax38 Member Posts: 136
    #3
    Hey James,
    Yeah I'm about
    Hey James,

    Yeah I'm about two months out from Rads and I get the stuffy nose at night which forces me to breath through my mouth. It gets terribly dry and causes me to wake up in the middle of the night. My tongue is dried out, my lips and throat. I usually rinse with water and get back to bed. Not sure what to do about it, as my nose clogs from time to time and then sometimes its super clear. I just think its the healing process still.

    Stuff we have to deal with..blah
  • SIRENAF42
    SIRENAF42 Member Posts: 202
    #4
    johnlax38 said:

    Hey James,
    Yeah I'm about
    Hey James,

    Yeah I'm about two months out from Rads and I get the stuffy nose at night which forces me to breath through my mouth. It gets terribly dry and causes me to wake up in the middle of the night. My tongue is dried out, my lips and throat. I usually rinse with water and get back to bed. Not sure what to do about it, as my nose clogs from time to time and then sometimes its super clear. I just think its the healing process still.

    Stuff we have to deal with..blah

    Mouth Gel
    Been there.. done that. Dry mouth is the worse especially at night. There is a mouth gel, (Biotene is one brand) you can use to help keep it moist at night. I still use my sinus rinse 2 times a day to help with the mucous issues.

    Once I had the scar tissue removed from my sinus cavity, I was finally able to breath through my nose and had to "re-learn" how to not breath through my mouth all the time. I was so danged excited, slept sooo much better and now my mouth doesnt dry out as bad. Still use the gel when I have sinus issues, but not as often as I used to.
  • RushFan
    RushFan Member Posts: 224
    #5
    SIRENAF42 said:

    Mouth Gel
    Been there.. done that. Dry mouth is the worse especially at night. There is a mouth gel, (Biotene is one brand) you can use to help keep it moist at night. I still use my sinus rinse 2 times a day to help with the mucous issues.

    Once I had the scar tissue removed from my sinus cavity, I was finally able to breath through my nose and had to "re-learn" how to not breath through my mouth all the time. I was so danged excited, slept sooo much better and now my mouth doesnt dry out as bad. Still use the gel when I have sinus issues, but not as often as I used to.

    I'm four months post
    I'm four months post treatment and I prefer Biotene Moisturizing Mouth Spray. It has some tow types of oil in a minty spray. Works well for me. The Gel was a bit to thick for my liking.

    I'm awake about three times a night anyway...nature calling, so I have a spray of Biotene and back to sleep. Sinus issues have always been a problem for me, just got back on Nasonex to hopefully cut down on the nose runs.

    Best to you, and all here...
    Chuck.
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #6
    RushFan said:

    I'm four months post
    I'm four months post treatment and I prefer Biotene Moisturizing Mouth Spray. It has some tow types of oil in a minty spray. Works well for me. The Gel was a bit to thick for my liking.

    I'm awake about three times a night anyway...nature calling, so I have a spray of Biotene and back to sleep. Sinus issues have always been a problem for me, just got back on Nasonex to hopefully cut down on the nose runs.

    Best to you, and all here...
    Chuck.

    Ugg
    Looks like we just have to deal with it. I do sleep well sometimes for a couple of hours, but not that often. It could be worse as it has been in the past.



    James
  • johnlax38
    johnlax38 Member Posts: 136
    #7
    james chambliss said:

    Ugg
    Looks like we just have to deal with it. I do sleep well sometimes for a couple of hours, but not that often. It could be worse as it has been in the past.



    James

    Yeah it pretty much sucks. I
    Yeah it pretty much sucks. I toss and turn all night long, I can't sleep a whole night straight through. I get up at least once or twice just to clear my throat so I'm not inhaling the darn mucus.
  • Glenna M
    Glenna M Member Posts: 1,576
    #8
    johnlax38 said:

    Yeah it pretty much sucks. I
    Yeah it pretty much sucks. I toss and turn all night long, I can't sleep a whole night straight through. I get up at least once or twice just to clear my throat so I'm not inhaling the darn mucus.

    Still dry
    This month makes one year post treatment for me and my mouth gets really dry at night. I've always had sinus problems that make it difficult for me to breath through my nose which makes it much worse for me at night.

    I just assumed it was something I would have to live with. It's annoying but I'm adjusting.
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #9
    Glenna M said:

    Still dry
    This month makes one year post treatment for me and my mouth gets really dry at night. I've always had sinus problems that make it difficult for me to breath through my nose which makes it much worse for me at night.

    I just assumed it was something I would have to live with. It's annoying but I'm adjusting.

    Thanks all
    Well it seems we have no fix all for the sleeping at night. Which is good to know, i think i will adjust better knowing it's not going to change much. I am off to school. Then going in late tonight to the VA hospital for my 4 day chemo. Talk to you all soon!


    Take care,

    James
  • ToBeGolden
    ToBeGolden Member Posts: 695
    #10
    Nose Spray
    I have used CPAP (Constinuous Positive Airway Pressure) for Obstructive Sleep Apnea for years before I was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer. Since we have pets, my nose was constantly stuffed. CPAP blows air up the nose. So to be effective, I use an prescribed nose spray. There are generic forms of these sprays, so they will not be too expensive. I would talk to your doctor about whether a spray might be appropriate for you. Of course, there might be something about your cancer treatment that may make the spray inappropriate. Rick.
  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #11
    UNABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
    I AM COMING FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE WITH THIS. FOR THE LAST 3-4 NIGHTS I FELT LIKE I WAS HAVING RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE BODY, OR AS KRAMER CALLED THEM "THE JIMMY LEGS" I MENTIONED THIS TO MY RADIATION DOC AND ALSO TOLD HIM THAT WHEN I FELT LIKE I DID NOT NEED MY 100 MG FENTANYL PATCH ANY MORE I STOPPED COLD TURKEY. HE SAID THAT I HAD BEEN ON SOME TYPE OF A NARCOTIC SINCE EARLY JULY COMBINED WITH STOPPING THE FENTANYL COLD TURKEY VS DROPPING THE DOSE BY 25 MG OVER TIME, MY BODY WAS IN WITHDRAWL. I TOSSED AND TURNED ALL NIGHT, HAD NIGHT SWEATS FOLLOWED BY FREEZING TO DEATH.

    HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS??

    THANKS

    MIKE
  • JUDYV5
    JUDYV5 Member Posts: 392
    #12
    luv4lacrosse said:

    UNABLE TO SLEEP AT NIGHT
    I AM COMING FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE WITH THIS. FOR THE LAST 3-4 NIGHTS I FELT LIKE I WAS HAVING RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME THROUGHOUT MY ENTIRE BODY, OR AS KRAMER CALLED THEM "THE JIMMY LEGS" I MENTIONED THIS TO MY RADIATION DOC AND ALSO TOLD HIM THAT WHEN I FELT LIKE I DID NOT NEED MY 100 MG FENTANYL PATCH ANY MORE I STOPPED COLD TURKEY. HE SAID THAT I HAD BEEN ON SOME TYPE OF A NARCOTIC SINCE EARLY JULY COMBINED WITH STOPPING THE FENTANYL COLD TURKEY VS DROPPING THE DOSE BY 25 MG OVER TIME, MY BODY WAS IN WITHDRAWL. I TOSSED AND TURNED ALL NIGHT, HAD NIGHT SWEATS FOLLOWED BY FREEZING TO DEATH.

    HAS ANYONE ELSE EXPERIENCED THIS??

    THANKS

    MIKE

    Chemo shakes
    I always thought that feeling was caused by the cistplatin. I called it the chemo shakes.
    I think I got more done when I was experiencing that then when I was healthy. I couldn't stand to be still. It only happened a couple days after chemo then faded.
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #13
    Hi James
    I use a stuff called Stoppers 4 I get it online at www.drugstore.com it works great for me.

    All the best to you
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #14
    Hondo said:

    Hi James
    I use a stuff called Stoppers 4 I get it online at www.drugstore.com it works great for me.

    All the best to you

    Same
    I use the wonderful product. Stoppers is what I have been using for 5 plus years. I have tried any and eveything else.

    Also I have shared this with about 20 in my local head and neck cancer support group and all but one person use it.

    Give it a try!

    john
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #15
    fisrpotpe said:

    Same
    I use the wonderful product. Stoppers is what I have been using for 5 plus years. I have tried any and eveything else.

    Also I have shared this with about 20 in my local head and neck cancer support group and all but one person use it.

    Give it a try!

    john

    k
    I will look into it. All it's called is Stoppers?
  • stevenl
    stevenl Member Posts: 587
    #16
    james chambliss said:

    k
    I will look into it. All it's called is Stoppers?

    Stoppers
    Stoppers 4 dry mouth.
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #17
    fisrpotpe said:

    Same
    I use the wonderful product. Stoppers is what I have been using for 5 plus years. I have tried any and eveything else.

    Also I have shared this with about 20 in my local head and neck cancer support group and all but one person use it.

    Give it a try!

    john

    Stoppers 4
    http://www.jocottbrands.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=85&c

    This is the only place we can find it.
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #18
    fisrpotpe said:

    Stoppers 4
    http://www.jocottbrands.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=85&c

    This is the only place we can find it.

    Stoppers 4
    There's a few online stores that carry it...I think HONDO gets his from www.drugstore.com

    JG
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #19
    Skiffin16 said:

    Stoppers 4
    There's a few online stores that carry it...I think HONDO gets his from www.drugstore.com

    JG

    Thank you
    Thanks guys. It's weird, but lately i have been able to breath o.k. A little stuffy at times, but who know. I am also noticing a little saliva coming back. It's foamy though. I have wondered if it's from the chemo pills i am taking at home. Who knows. I am truly great full to have all of you to bounce things off of and learn what i don't know. Doctors seem to confuse things to me.


    Regards,


    James Chambliss

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