Recurring Thrush post treatment

KB56
KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I was diagnosed with cancer in my right tonsil on  April 1st 2013 it had metastasized to the lymph nodes on the right side of my neck. Although it was stage IV when it was found, after surgery to remove the tonsil, 7 chemo treatments and 35 radiation treatments ( finished June 11th), I've had 2 clean scans and am doing well.   My throat finally quit hurting at the end of October, saliva glands are starting to come back and I've put back on 20 of the 30 pounds I lost (even with a Peg tube).   My biggest issue is that I can't seem to keep the Thrush at bay.   I am currently on my 7th bout with it and just can't keep it from coming back every few weeks.    I take diflucan and that knocks it out after a couple of weeks but each time I get Thrush it sets me back a little.   I eat Greek yogurt a couple of times every day trying to prevent it but it doesn't seem to help.   At least the Dr gave me some medicine to have on hand so when I feel it coming (and there us no question what it is when I feel the scratchy feeling in the back of my throat and my tongue starts getting really sore) I can start taking something before it gets really bad.   

Has anyone else dealt with the chronic, recurring Thrush and does anyone have any recommendations on how I can prevent it from coming back so frequently?  All in all I am really doing great and so thankful for how far I've come since June but if I could stop the Thrush from coming back every few weeks it would be huge.  

Thanks jus and wishing everyone the best during this holiday season,

Keith

 

Comments

  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #2
    Me too!

    I thought that I would never be rid of thrush, but it finally stopped.  I do have a crease on the side of my lip that gets inflamed easily and I have a cream for that, it includes nystatin.  I don't know if it might have something to do with stress on the body and immue system.  My mother-in-law had it when she fell and was hospitalized and my mother had it when she was hospitalized and later diagnosed with cancer.

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #3
    Sorry Keith for your

    Sorry Keith for your struggle. I don't know of a solution but wanted to let you know I am praying for an end to the thrush.

    Debbie

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #4
    there are protocals for long term suppression

    After you have the current infection under control with diflucan, go with twice a week maintenance therapy.  That  way, while you wait another handful of months for your tissues to heal, you won't get the active infection back.

     

    best

     

    Pat

  • PJ47
    PJ47 Member Posts: 376
    #5
    I do not know if what I have is thrush

    I have fissures in my tongue, but not white cottage cheese like spots and I cannot take Diflucan as it upsets my stomach even with food and gives me a headache.

     I hardly eat anything with sugar or high fructose corn syrup in it.  I believe that helps and I brush my tongue with tea tree oil.  It seems to help, but the true test will be awhile after  I am finished with rads this week.

    The long term protocol with diflucan sounds interesting if you can tolerate it.

     

    PJ

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #6
    PJ47 said:

    I do not know if what I have is thrush

    I have fissures in my tongue, but not white cottage cheese like spots and I cannot take Diflucan as it upsets my stomach even with food and gives me a headache.

     I hardly eat anything with sugar or high fructose corn syrup in it.  I believe that helps and I brush my tongue with tea tree oil.  It seems to help, but the true test will be awhile after  I am finished with rads this week.

    The long term protocol with diflucan sounds interesting if you can tolerate it.

     

    PJ

    Thrush

    PJ, it doesn't have to be white to be Thrush and it sounds like what you describe.   I also had lozenges that you let dissolve in your mouth and you took about 5 times a day buy those tended to upset my stomach much more than the diflucan.   The diflucan works for me but I just want to keep it under control.   Definitely will try the maintenance dose. 

    Keith

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #7
    longtermsurvivor said:

    there are protocals for long term suppression

    After you have the current infection under control with diflucan, go with twice a week maintenance therapy.  That  way, while you wait another handful of months for your tissues to heal, you won't get the active infection back.

     

    best

     

    Pat

    Pat, thanks for the suggestion and I put a call into my ENT on Friday to see what dose I need to take.   It seems like every 3-4 weeks it comes back and I was worried that the Trush would build up a resistance to the Diflucan and not sure what I would take after that.   I'm dealing with my 5th bought of Thrush right now since July.  

     

    Thanks

    Keith

  • Ginadet
    Ginadet Member Posts: 8
    #8
    You are not alone.  I

    You are not alone.  I experience recurring thrush too - about every 6 weeks or so.  Like you stated, I have learned to recognise the early signs and I adjust my diet immediately.  I drink kefir (probiotic yoghurt drink and also take probiotic capsules, cut out bread, flour, fruit and sugar along with taking diflucan and nystatin, and I usually start feeling better within the week.  Thankfully, my doctor has given me prescriptions for 12 refils of each.  I was referred to an Infectious Diseases doctor but was not suffering from thrush at the time I saw him but am supposed to go back when I am.  Apparently, the referral was to see if there was anything else they could prescribe (my radiation oncologist told me she had a patient who had to have a 6 week treatment of IV drugs - not sure what - prescribed by ID). I think I will also start on that maintenance dose to try to keep it at bay as it really does set you back a few steps!

  • PJ47
    PJ47 Member Posts: 376
    #9
    KB56 said:

    Thrush

    PJ, it doesn't have to be white to be Thrush and it sounds like what you describe.   I also had lozenges that you let dissolve in your mouth and you took about 5 times a day buy those tended to upset my stomach much more than the diflucan.   The diflucan works for me but I just want to keep it under control.   Definitely will try the maintenance dose. 

    Keith

    Dang

    My R/O gave me some of the lozenges and I read the warning that they make you nauseated, so I never tried them.  I figured if the Diflucan upset my stomach, they would also.  So I guess I will keep away from sugar and processed foods and brush the tongue with tea tree oil!

    PJ

  • metro22
    metro22 Member Posts: 16
    #10
    Sometimes a systemic like

    Sometimes a systemic like diflucan is not knocking it out you may want to also use - or use alone - Nystatin - a mouth since you swish and swallow 3-4 timess a day - jeck with your doctor. I keep iot on hand. To load up daily with even better probiotics - try Kefir instead of just yogurt - it isin the USA made by Lifeway and in most big grocery stores - very tasty to drink - or those little bottles of drinkable by Danon. Also I suppose you know that taking any antibiotics greatly increases your risk of getting thrush again.

     

    Wishing you well

  • ErthWlkr
    ErthWlkr Member Posts: 60
    #11
    Alternatives to diflucan, etc

    Hi Keith -
    Unfortunately, the lack of saliva makes the oral cavity a perfect site for these types of infections

    I had similar problems with thrush in my first year of recovery.  Initially my dentist had recommended one particular med which didn't eradicate the infection. He suggested a local oral sugeon who put me on diflucan. The medication worked but then the thrush came back again. Went back on diflucan and brought the infection down to a low level but didn't eliminate it. The doc said I should "work with it". Humbug.

    Did some research and bought two OTC products - Orithrush-D and Dioxychlor. I used the Orithrush as a mouthrinse 2X a day (morning/evening) and the Dioxychlor drops diluted in bottled water. I'd have a couple of ounces of that 1x per day.

    Within a week I cleared up the yeast infection that the drugs didn't. Few months down the road I was bothered again, used the same protocol, and again cleared the yeast infection. Was never bothered again - most likely also helped by the return of saliva and being deeper into recovery.

    Try to stay away from sugary foods and keep your mouth as clean as possible. Use a non-alcohol mouth rinse and take advantage of some of the Biotene line of products - mouthwash, toothpaste, and gum. Try some sugarless chewing gums - they usually contain xylitol as a sugar substitue which tends to stimulate saliva production. Clear water - most helpful!

    Hope the above helps - sometimes you have to keep trying different solutions even though we all seem to have similar problems.

    - Jeff

     

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #12
    ErthWlkr said:

    Alternatives to diflucan, etc

    Hi Keith -
    Unfortunately, the lack of saliva makes the oral cavity a perfect site for these types of infections

    I had similar problems with thrush in my first year of recovery.  Initially my dentist had recommended one particular med which didn't eradicate the infection. He suggested a local oral sugeon who put me on diflucan. The medication worked but then the thrush came back again. Went back on diflucan and brought the infection down to a low level but didn't eliminate it. The doc said I should "work with it". Humbug.

    Did some research and bought two OTC products - Orithrush-D and Dioxychlor. I used the Orithrush as a mouthrinse 2X a day (morning/evening) and the Dioxychlor drops diluted in bottled water. I'd have a couple of ounces of that 1x per day.

    Within a week I cleared up the yeast infection that the drugs didn't. Few months down the road I was bothered again, used the same protocol, and again cleared the yeast infection. Was never bothered again - most likely also helped by the return of saliva and being deeper into recovery.

    Try to stay away from sugary foods and keep your mouth as clean as possible. Use a non-alcohol mouth rinse and take advantage of some of the Biotene line of products - mouthwash, toothpaste, and gum. Try some sugarless chewing gums - they usually contain xylitol as a sugar substitue which tends to stimulate saliva production. Clear water - most helpful!

    Hope the above helps - sometimes you have to keep trying different solutions even though we all seem to have similar problems.

    - Jeff

     

    Thrush

    Jeff, thanks for the information and I did have a chance to talk with my ENT today.     Here's what they suggested:

    finish my current round of Diflucan, I started on Christmas Day and am supposed to take it 10 days.    they also perscribed some Nystatin, which I've never had before except what was in the Miracle Mouthwash,and take it 3 times a day.    Once I finish the 10 day regiment, then take nothing for 10 days and then take 5 days of both.  Stop for 10 days then do the 5 days and continue that cycle for a while.   I also bought Kifer per the earlier recommendation to compliment the Greek yogurt.   Plus I've eaten so much Greek yogurt the past few months  that i'm getting Thank You cards from Chobani:).  

     

    I'll definitely look into what you suggested as I really would like to get this under control as soon as possible because other than that I'm starting to feel really good.   I use the Biotene products every day as my saliva glands are coming back but not totally yet and I realize they may never come back 100% but that's a nuisance and something i can deal with.   

    Thanks for taking the time to provide the information and what worked for you!   Much apprectiated!

    Happy New Year to all!    Tomorrow's my wife and i 32nd wedding anniversary and I have a really nice bottle of Merlot and some lobster tails celebrate the anniversaryand a few months of solid progress.    I'm hoping the Merlot is easier to drink than the Cab I TRIED to drink on Christmas but I'm sure the Thrush had something to do with that.   It was a nice Cab and I always tried to save the "good stuff" and after going through what I/we did, I'm thinking, what the heck was  I saving it for! 2013 was a very tough year but i'm leaving the year much stronger than I started it and what a great feeling that is.   Back in June and July I didn't know if I would ever feel good again.  For those going through treatment and reading this thread, keep the faith as there is light at the end of the tunnel.  The tunnel was just a bit longer than i thought going in but it does end and it is a very bright light when you exit!

     

    All the best,

    Keith

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