Help for Dry Mouth at Night

6Cyn
6Cyn Member Posts: 29
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

My husband still has a pretty dry mouth at night - he hooked up a Camelback Hydration bag to the bed frame and now he doesn't need to get up to get a sip of water. Try it!

 

Hope everyone is well and enjoying SPRING.

 

Cynthia

Comments

  • HAWVET
    HAWVET Member Posts: 318
    #2
    Thank you for the

    Thank you for the information.  It adds to other recommendations and gives us several alternatives.

  • jwilli
    jwilli Member Posts: 9
    #3
    hydration bag

    Where do you get this bag ? I use Biotene gel about four times a night. Thanks

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #4
    dry mouth

    Cynthia,

    Great idea!

    I keep a glass of water and take 2 Xylimelts before bed time.

    At 2 years post I am actually approaching being able to make it through the night with nothing. 

    Skiffin was correct (as were many veterans) it does get better with time.

    Matt

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #5
    CivilMatt said:

    dry mouth

    Cynthia,

    Great idea!

    I keep a glass of water and take 2 Xylimelts before bed time.

    At 2 years post I am actually approaching being able to make it through the night with nothing. 

    Skiffin was correct (as were many veterans) it does get better with time.

    Matt

    I have just the oppsite

    I have just the oppsite problem.My mouth just keeps filling up with slivia.And even more as I try to talk.I have to stop and spit otherwise I mumble or drull all over the place.Into my 3rd week of rads so not sure if it will effect my glands or not had thisproblem before surgery.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #6
    thennies61 said:

    I have just the oppsite

    I have just the oppsite problem.My mouth just keeps filling up with slivia.And even more as I try to talk.I have to stop and spit otherwise I mumble or drull all over the place.Into my 3rd week of rads so not sure if it will effect my glands or not had thisproblem before surgery.

    Drool Brother

    T61,

    Get this, my mouth often feels driest when I have plenty of saliva.  I think the feel from rads is part of the problem.

    Also, I keep a supply of pillow cases for drool clean-up.

    Matt

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #7
    CivilMatt said:

    Drool Brother

    T61,

    Get this, my mouth often feels driest when I have plenty of saliva.  I think the feel from rads is part of the problem.

    Also, I keep a supply of pillow cases for drool clean-up.

    Matt

    Mine also.Think I'm able to

    Mine also.Think I'm able to swallow something but then can't feels dry and still use either a thick shake or pudding.Sometimes sleep with a towel.Should of been my first clue last summer that something was wrong but figured it would go away.

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #8
    thennies61 said:

    Mine also.Think I'm able to

    Mine also.Think I'm able to swallow something but then can't feels dry and still use either a thick shake or pudding.Sometimes sleep with a towel.Should of been my first clue last summer that something was wrong but figured it would go away.

    just the way it is

    T61,

    I do not think anything is wrong.  I just think, this is the new normal.  At 2 years post things are still getting better, I taste more, I can wonder away from my water bottle and as they figure out my Thyroid my energy is getting stronger.

    Matt

  • KB56
    KB56 Member Posts: 318 Member
    #9
    Dry mouth

    I started taking the Salagen ( or generic equivalent) and think that it's really helping, especially at night.    I had taken it when I finished treatment but wanted to see if I could do without it or if it made a difference. I think it really does. 

     

    Still have aver the water by the bed and like having it handy. 

    Keith

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #10
    Hi Cynthia

     

    I have been using Stoppers 4 for almost 6 years now and it has been great for me, a few sprays and off to sleep again. A few years ago things changed and instead of dry mouth my sliver started to come back and I did not need it as much, but I still keep it by my bed side just in case.

     

    Glad you found something that works for you.

     

    Tim Hondo

  • Roar
    Roar Member Posts: 269 Member
    #11
    side effects

    16 months post treatment - dry mouth still a huge issue at night  - every time i eat i am still spitting up phlem. ringing in the ear sucks as does my hearing and tingling in the toes - other than that i feel fine., cant go up to bed without my ottle of water or for that matter travel anywhere without my bottle of water

  • Time Bandit
    Time Bandit Member Posts: 23
    #12
    thennies61 said:

    I have just the oppsite

    I have just the oppsite problem.My mouth just keeps filling up with slivia.And even more as I try to talk.I have to stop and spit otherwise I mumble or drull all over the place.Into my 3rd week of rads so not sure if it will effect my glands or not had thisproblem before surgery.

    Dry mouth

    I had the same issue and I do mean had. My wife really got upset about the extra spit but you can swallow only so much. i would carry a plastic cup with a lid with me whereever i went. This will change. it took a few weeks after the rediationtreatment stoped before I had a complete reversal. Now i don't have enough but it seems to be improving. it's been a year since my last radiation treatment.

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #13
    Depends

    At almost a year out, I've gained probably 70% of my saliva back. It's not enough to eat without the "chew, chew, sip, swallow" routine but I do "Ok" at night for the most part. What I find odd and I have no idea why this happens, if I lay on my back watching a movie or browsing with my laptop, my mouth goes really dry. However, if I lay on my side or get up for anything, the saliva starts flowing. I sometimes awaken with a bit of dry mouth but using a breathing strip on my nose helps me from catching flies when I sleep ;) You got me. All part of the "new normal" I guess.

    Positive thoughts and prayers

     

  • denistd
    denistd Member Posts: 597
    #14
    fishmanpa said:

    Depends

    At almost a year out, I've gained probably 70% of my saliva back. It's not enough to eat without the "chew, chew, sip, swallow" routine but I do "Ok" at night for the most part. What I find odd and I have no idea why this happens, if I lay on my back watching a movie or browsing with my laptop, my mouth goes really dry. However, if I lay on my side or get up for anything, the saliva starts flowing. I sometimes awaken with a bit of dry mouth but using a breathing strip on my nose helps me from catching flies when I sleep ;) You got me. All part of the "new normal" I guess.

    Positive thoughts and prayers

     

    heck

    I thought I was the only one that had that, laying on my back problem. Not so much now but a few weeks after I finished tx that started happening and got a lot worse, I used to lie on my back a lot to nap, but my mouth would go dry in an instant, it is 75% better now. 

     

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