Saliva thicken post treatment

Purplemountain
Purplemountain Member Posts: 119
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello all.

I am two weeks out of treatment.  I've notice my saliva is getting thicker and thicker.  Is that a sign of progress?  At night when I sleep, there is no saliva at all and the mouth is dry like a dessert.  But in the morning, the saliva comes back but very thick. 

Does anyone know what all this mean?  Anyone have similar experience?  Is this going to change and be better down the road?

Thanks.

PM

Comments

  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #2
    Changes

    It changes and changes aqnd changes!  Dry at night is usual, wake up with mouth glued.  Thick, thin, no saliva seems to have no reason.  The more active I am, the drier my mouth gets.  Sugar free hard candy during the day and lots of water still.  I have never gotten beyond the 1 year mark before I get hit again and have more surgery and treatments.  Just got to the one year mark in November for my eye removal due to cancer followed by treatment, then Cyberknife in September for mets to cheek.  Only side effect from Cyberknife was 2 weeks of fatigue (I can handle that).

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #3
    normal

    PM,

    Put a check in the normal box.  I know exactly what you mean by dry mouth n the morning.  Weird thing for me is I can have a mouth full of saliva and still have extremely dry mouth, figure that one out.

    The saliva does seem to come and go.  During the day while I am active, there appears to be more and at night when I am resting , there is less.

    I also, rinse with Biotene throughout the day and use the occasional Xylimelt tablet.  Always a Xylimelt at bedtime.

    Progress is slow and steady at your stage in the game, set your “feel good” meter for micro improvements,

    Welcome to the new normal.

    Matt

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #4
    The Mantra....

    This is one of those "Everyone is different" answers. As was said, it changes and changes some more and there is no rhyme or reason other than it depends on where your cancer was and where and how much the rads hit you. I was the Sahara Desert for a while and then, like you, I awoke dry and then all of a sudden I had some saliva. It dried up fast though. Now, going on 8 months post Tx, I have most of it back but it's thicker than before. I do get a bit drier at bedtime but as soon as I go to sleep I'm fine. I don't have enough to eat without water. That and chronic swallowing issues are part of it. I still have 4-5 months before I reach what will be considered my "new normal" but I anticipate my eating habits to be the same or a little better than they are now... "chew chew, sip, swallow".... But at least I can eat and enjoy it at times.

    Hang in there, it will bet better.

    Positive thoughts and prayers

    "T"

     

     

     

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