Sore mouth

Ga978
Ga978 Member Posts: 4 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi everyone, I just found this site, and wish I had found it earlier! I finished my chemo and 35 RAD at the end of October for BOT with one node removed. . Now I am recovering from the side effects of the treatment. Has anyone had a problem with sores on the side of the tongue ? I assume it is a burn from the radiation? It just won"t seem to heal and is very painful. Is this a common experience?

Thank everyone for all the good information:)

Comments

  • Tim6003
    Tim6003 Member Posts: 1,514 Member
    #2
    Same here ..
    Finished my rads for BOT in January 2012 and also had one lymph node affected....I did not have surgery...yes, I had mouth sores and ones like you described...be sure and gargle with that salt / warm water solution and other rinses they prescribed to you...stay aways from mouthwashes with alcohol and be sure and brush / floss several times a day (carefully and slowly) ...the salt / warm water rinse and spit will do a good job of keeping that at bay...

    Best,

    Tim
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
    As well as the salt/soda/water solution....
    you might want to go to the health food store and pick up some L-Glutamine...I had horrible mouth sores from 5FU chemo (even plain water was too much)...I'd swish with the sal/soda solution, and then use the L-Glutamine...you can swallow it, so was getting some hydration with it. L-Glutamine helps healing. These were the only two things I could get into my mouth during that time...everything else simply stung too much.

    There will others replying to you...the sides of the tongue seem to take a beating.

    p
  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    welcome fellow warrior
    Ga978,

    Besides using Magic Mouth Wash for mouth and throat sores I had Lidocaine gel that was specifically for the tongue sores. Definitely stops pain temporarily. I was also going through multiple glasses of salt and soda mixture for swish and spit. All these things together made me feel like I was in (some kind of ) control and seemed to aid in healing. The sores on the tongue should just about run their course, since you finished treatments. Also, I drank lots of water, lots.

    I was stage IVa, SCC, BOT, HPV+ and 1 lymph node left side of neck (surgery, 35 rads, 8 Erbitux), 9 months post, no drugs, no sores, little taste, little saliva, lot happy. Good Luck!

    Best,

    Matt
  • Ga978
    Ga978 Member Posts: 4 Member
    #5
    Tim6003 said:

    Same here ..
    Finished my rads for BOT in January 2012 and also had one lymph node affected....I did not have surgery...yes, I had mouth sores and ones like you described...be sure and gargle with that salt / warm water solution and other rinses they prescribed to you...stay aways from mouthwashes with alcohol and be sure and brush / floss several times a day (carefully and slowly) ...the salt / warm water rinse and spit will do a good job of keeping that at bay...

    Best,

    Tim

    Sore mouth
    Thank you so much just for normalizing the side of the tongue sores. How long does it take to heal? I am having a hard time deciding what is reasonable side effect and what is not, and I was beginning to panic.

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