Drinks that help with dry mouth (xerostomia)

Anonymous7/6/2023
Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

I'm wondering if it would be useful to create a list of drinks that those of us with Xerostomia have found helpful?

It becomes quickly and disappointingly clear that water is next to useless! Artificial saliva isn't great and I found Pilocarpine made me quite unwell.

So what has helped you? Here is my list, so far. I know it's short, but I might add to it as time goes on LOL:

Lukewarm, or cool, white coffee. No sugar. 

Cherry juice. Cold. No sugar. Cartons that Asda sell. 

Almost flat, cold Diet Coke. 

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #2
    dry mouth

    E,

    I have to say I have had great luck with Xylimelt tablets.

    They kept my mouth moist  4 months after rads ended, while on a 3 hour hike over rough terrain and I still pop a couple at bedtime.

    I still drink a lot of water every day, like ice tea and pop not so much and I like milk with meals.

    Matt

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #3
    Milk seems to be more

    Milk seems to be more successful than water, I've found. 

    I was always a huge water drinker, almost polydipsia... When I was a kid they used to pull me away from the tap, I'm not joking! I still drink about 2 litres of water a day, but it's not so refreshing, it doesn't give me a buzz anymore. 

    i used to drink buckets of strong tea, but tea tastes AWFUL now LOL!

    So I'm experimenting with different things now. As I am liqiuds only now, I want to make those liquids a bit more exciting!

  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #4
    options

    some that work for me

    skim milk, but i add very cold water at approx 50/50.... i like it cold so i add ice alot of the times. i also enjoy with the milk dipping gram crackers for cound of two and they fall apart in mouth and slide right down

    i do not do it often but whe i get the urge of a change with some fizz, i like Mug Rootbeer (not diet). it is only rootbeer that i know of that has sassafras in it. it seems to hang around and make mouth moist for swome time. another addition to the mug rootbeer and the only alcohol i can drink is add rum to the rootbeer. alcohol burn my throat but not this mixture

    i have tried most ice tea both homemade and purchased in drive thru. Steak and Shake's unsweetened ice tea does do something nice for me. 

    good luck, keep looking you never know what will work. 

    john

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #5
    strangely enough...

    warm drinks and water help me the most.  Coffee, hot chocolate (not quite "hot" though) and room temperature water.  Soft drinks make me drool like crazy so I go from one extreme to another :) 

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #6
    I still drink a ton of water...

    by the sipfulls....I seem to be sipping on it all day.  I do like sweetened ice tea, too.....and that's my "out to dinner" drink. 

    It gets better, tho.....still after 2 years, I'm finding improvements.

    p

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #7
    phrannie51 said:

    I still drink a ton of water...

    by the sipfulls....I seem to be sipping on it all day.  I do like sweetened ice tea, too.....and that's my "out to dinner" drink. 

    It gets better, tho.....still after 2 years, I'm finding improvements.

    p

    Drinks

    I was on the warm root beer train for quite awhile. For more than a year, I drank everything (except milk & Ensure) room temp, including water. Now, 2+ years out, I'm loving my water ice cold. I tried a fruit punch and Hawaiian punch last week, neither worked :-( Have recently been able to add Pepsi and Sprite back in the mix along with a sip of my husband's cold beer. It all takes time.

    Early on, when water would not quench my thirst, I would try Xylimelt or Stoppers4.  Biotene did not work for me.

    Good luck!

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #8
    Rootbeer

    I wish we could buy Rootbeer over here! When Macdonalds first came (showing my age here LOL) - they sold rootbeer, but nobody liked it - except me haha. You can't get it anywhere nowadays!

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #9
    try alakaline water

    I found that hi PH water was quite soothing. Rather than acidic liquids search out a couple bottles of high PH water. It is quite "smooth" feeling and might help a bit. Of course, there is no magic to fix dry mouth other than time.

    Good luck,

    Don

     

  • Guzzle
    Guzzle Member Posts: 710
    #10
    donfoo said:

    try alakaline water

    I found that hi PH water was quite soothing. Rather than acidic liquids search out a couple bottles of high PH water. It is quite "smooth" feeling and might help a bit. Of course, there is no magic to fix dry mouth other than time.

    Good luck,

    Don

     

    non root

    ....beer. In moderation of course.

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #11
    What is high pH water? What

    What is high pH water? What is it sold as?

     

    Beer - that'd be nice - or a little tot of rum, which I used to like occasionally. I'm too scared now to touch alcohol in case it makes my cancer come back! LOL Tongue Out

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #12
    Estelle_H said:

    What is high pH water? What

    What is high pH water? What is it sold as?

     

    Beer - that'd be nice - or a little tot of rum, which I used to like occasionally. I'm too scared now to touch alcohol in case it makes my cancer come back! LOL Tongue Out

    Estelle, I understand your

    Estelle, I understand your fear.  I haven't had a beer since dx 8/2009.  i would love to have a bud light but don't want to change making the cancer come back a 3rd time.  guess i will just do without.

    dj

  • Guzzle
    Guzzle Member Posts: 710
    #13
    debbiejeanne said:

    Estelle, I understand your

    Estelle, I understand your fear.  I haven't had a beer since dx 8/2009.  i would love to have a bud light but don't want to change making the cancer come back a 3rd time.  guess i will just do without.

    dj

    Beer

    Been many a debate. My Dr. Says ok in moderation but I do avoid anything stronger. G.

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #14
    Estelle_H said:

    What is high pH water? What

    What is high pH water? What is it sold as?

     

    Beer - that'd be nice - or a little tot of rum, which I used to like occasionally. I'm too scared now to touch alcohol in case it makes my cancer come back! LOL Tongue Out

    Look for the 9.5 pH variety.

    Look for the 9.5 pH variety. It is not all that common so you have to look, maybe a health food section or shop. Some brands are Essentia, Qure

    google "alkaline bottled water"

    For all those who have trouble swallowing liquid, you gotta at least try one bottle!

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #15
    donfoo said:

    Look for the 9.5 pH variety.

    Look for the 9.5 pH variety. It is not all that common so you have to look, maybe a health food section or shop. Some brands are Essentia, Qure

    google "alkaline bottled water"

    For all those who have trouble swallowing liquid, you gotta at least try one bottle!

    Thank you Donfoo! I will defo

    Thank you Donfoo! I will defo find some and try it :)

    I wanted to start a thread that would be useful and helpful - I think our very best resource is our collective experience!

    Tongue Out

  • FRONT AND CENTER
    FRONT AND CENTER Member Posts: 29
    #16
    Guzzle said:

    Beer

    Been many a debate. My Dr. Says ok in moderation but I do avoid anything stronger. G.

    Drinking alcohol

    Hi Guzzle,

    Just reading this thread and wanted to chime in that my doc seems to agree with you.  He said alcohol doesn't cause cancer, it's the smoking that you do when you drink.  

    I indulge on occassion but definitely in moderation.  

    My doc also said that sugar doesn't CAUSE cancer, it feeds it.  Funny but radiation seemed to nuke all cravings for sweets, which is ok by me except now I have to find other things to eat.  HAHAHA.

    Cheers!  K

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #17
    My dad struggled with dry

    My dad struggled with dry mouth and his doctor gave him a prescription.  He took it a few weeks (I'd have to find out the name if you're interested) and it seemed to help a little.  Now he drinks a lot of milkshakes (vanilla ice cream and skim milk), it seems to be not only high calorie, but help with dry mouth.  He usually follows that with some ice water or dr. pepper.  Hope this helps.  Praying for you!

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #18
    Pilocarpine? I believe it can

    Pilocarpine? I believe it can help some people, but some have nasty side effects with it xxxx thanks about the Dr Pepper tip :))

  • CherieLW
    CherieLW Member Posts: 472
    #19
    Estelle_H said:

    Pilocarpine? I believe it can

    Pilocarpine? I believe it can help some people, but some have nasty side effects with it xxxx thanks about the Dr Pepper tip :))

    No problem! I hope you are

    No problem! I hope you are able to find something that can help.  Another good friend of mine suggested trying spoonful of manuka honey.  I tried to get dad to try it, but he wouldn't.  Think it was too sweet for him and he was picky!  But if it works! 

  • kurt3000gt
    kurt3000gt Member Posts: 4
    #20
    After 6 wks since last RAD

    After 6 wks since last RAD treatment, the only sure thing is Milk or warm cocoa. I do use some riteaid dry mouth mouthwash, helps a bit.  .. and finally in last 2 weeks I can tolerate some of the ALOE drink mixes, that helps for 30 mins or so, VILOE brand, aloe and coconut works best for me! 

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