End of week 2

dygit
dygit Member Posts: 40 Member
edited July 2016 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Finished my chemo and rads - 4/5 chemo and 23 rads to go.

Have had a few recent problems and thought I'd share and see what others had to say/offer.....

Have been taking Glutamine mixed with 6 oz. of water 3x daily and last at night before going to bed, letting it linger in my throat after swishing it around. On Thurs. night, woke up with the driest tongue - felt like it was in multiple pieces and very hard and crusty. Drank water and tried to sleep but kept walking up with the dry tongue. Sprayed some Stoppers and that helped a bit. Then next day my tongue was a little sore but otherwise ok. Same thing happened Friday night, but by Sat. am, my saliva was thick and my tongue was whitish and had soreness on various spots up top. Got a prescription for Clotrimizole tablets used for Thrush and they seem to help. Decided to lay off the glutamine as my last thing of the night on Saturday, and it was not as bad today.

In reading about Thrush, it seems that excessive mouth washing can cause the Candida fungus to go out of balance and explode. I am still brushing regularly, but rinsing less. Wonder what others have found!

Also, my peg tube hurt a bit last week and sure enough, a small infection was present and doc put me on Amoxy Clav for seven days. Pain is intermittent now and somewhat lessened. Does it always seem like someone is gently pulling you along by your peg tube when you're vertical? Annoying.....

Thanks for any insights!

 

Comments

  • Runningwahine
    Runningwahine Member Posts: 15
    #2
    I am halfway through my

    I am halfway through my treatments. I have had thrush twice. I use the glutamin/soda wash about 4x a day. I also brush regulary, I also do fluoride trays when the burn isn't bad. As far as the peg, It is very irritating when it flops around. So I wear a slimmer fitting tank top, and it doesn't move around. I also attach a plastic pill bag stuffed with a cotton ball because my tube likes to leak. I change it out and clean them with alcohol. I couldn't stand smelling it. 

  • dygit
    dygit Member Posts: 40 Member
    #3
    Runningwahine said:

    I am halfway through my

    I am halfway through my treatments. I have had thrush twice. I use the glutamin/soda wash about 4x a day. I also brush regulary, I also do fluoride trays when the burn isn't bad. As far as the peg, It is very irritating when it flops around. So I wear a slimmer fitting tank top, and it doesn't move around. I also attach a plastic pill bag stuffed with a cotton ball because my tube likes to leak. I change it out and clean them with alcohol. I couldn't stand smelling it. 

    Glutamine/ soda wash

    Thanks for your reply. What is the proportion of mix that you use? Hope the next 1/2 of your treatment goes smoothly...

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    PEG Problems

     

    You will learn as you go, when I see infection or redness, it is due to leakage. I use Neosporin or if it looks more like dipper rash I use Desitin within a few days it is all gone.

     

    Tim

     

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