THRUSH AGAIN!

GRAVEY
GRAVEY Member Posts: 83
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Welp, it's back, that thing my docs didnt tell me about, Thrush. Just a heads up for you guys and gals out there, there is a chance with your radiation treatments damage, that you will contract thrush. For those who dont know what that is, it is a yeast infection in your mouth, and man is it painful. The first time I got it, was on a Friday, I didnt know that is what I had, but by Monday, I was in so much pain in my throat, tongue and mouth, I went to my doc, and he was like " O, my h, you have thrush", and then explained to me what it was. I was like, "Thanks for telling me in advance ahole that this would be a possibility!" It hurts REALLY bad.
Now, I have gotten it for the third time my immune system is still beat down some what, so yay for me.......
Just look out again guys, you want to jump on top of it as soon as you can, because like I said, it's VERY painful. The Magic Mouthwash is supposed to have something in it that helps with the thrush also, but they prescribed me Diflucan. I take two pills the first day, then one pill a day for 10 days after. Thats just the regime my doc likes to use, but there are other methods of medicating yourself for treating it, your doc may choose another way. Just be diligent, because you may be associating the pain with your treatments, when the whole time you didnt know you had thrush. I wouldnt be a good source for symptoms to look for, other than pain in your throat and on your tongue, and a funky "hair" like look to your tongue, also your tongue may become yellowy in color like a yellowy or spotty fungus is growing in your mouth.

GRAVEY

Comments

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #2
    THURSH
    GRAVEH, thanks for the information. I've had a sore throat from time to time but today is the first time my tounge has bothered me. I feels as tho I've eaten but didn't let the food cool so it burned my tounge. I don't see any white bumps so I guess I'm ok, at least for now. Thanks again for the info.
    God Bless,
    Debbie
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #3
    Hey, Gravey
    Are you still in treatment?
    I got thrush twice during treatment, but haven't had it (knock on wood) since my rads ended in October 2008.
    And you're right. Thrush sucks.

    --Jim in Delaware
  • Tanager75
    Tanager75 Member Posts: 89 Member
    #4
    delnative said:

    Hey, Gravey
    Are you still in treatment?
    I got thrush twice during treatment, but haven't had it (knock on wood) since my rads ended in October 2008.
    And you're right. Thrush sucks.

    --Jim in Delaware

    Thrush
    I got thrush after each of my last two Cisplaten chemo's. Each time I was given a drug Fluoxin (?). I took this for about 7 days and it would clear up. My thrush was not to the point of pain. The nurse at the radiation clinic would look in my mouth each day. After each of the Chemo's, I also dehydrated and needed to have I.V. fluids on about days 5 and six. Along with the thrush, at weeks 5 through 7 of radiation and chemo I had the dry heaves each evening for about a half hour. I did learn to laugh about these patterns and routines. I used to be somewhat easily grossed out about body stuff not anymore. I have not had thrush or some of the other more difficult things I developed since about month 3.

    Hang in there it will get better,

    mark
  • Nidociv
    Nidociv Member Posts: 12
    #5
    Thursh
    Well I finished my treatments in Nov 08 but have had lots of mouth and throat problems since but never thrush till now.. I just started eating by mouth again this past December so last Friday when my throat, mouth and tongue became really sore and the white patches all over my tongue and mouth, I really began to worry. By Monday it was really bad and wasn't able to hardly eat or drink anything so I got into the doctors Monday evening. And yep it was thrush. I was just surprised it has been so long from treatment ending to get it. So my Doc prescribed me with a liquid called NYSTATIN.. I take 10 ml 3 times a day which you put in your mouth and swish around for awhile then swallow it and wow does it work. By today most of it is gone and I'm eating and drinking some again. Have to take this for 10 days. So thats my experience with another side effect. Take Care all

    Randy
  • GRAVEY
    GRAVEY Member Posts: 83
    #6
    delnative said:

    Hey, Gravey
    Are you still in treatment?
    I got thrush twice during treatment, but haven't had it (knock on wood) since my rads ended in October 2008.
    And you're right. Thrush sucks.

    --Jim in Delaware

    No Jim, my last rad was
    No Jim, my last rad was Dec.17th

    GRAVEY
  • Fire34
    Fire34 Member Posts: 365
    #7
    Thrush
    I started getting mouth sore after my about my second week of concurrent chemo rad with 5fu hydroxyurea and ytwice daily radiation. Diflucan worked for me also
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #8
    mouth sores
    Here is a post from another topic that may help others. I am not familiar with the med but the one who posted says it heals the sores quickli.
    My big gripe was I had Throat cancer, and the Phlem thing going on, I didn't quite realize what they said when they keep saying the weeks of treatment would get worst. I remember the room always cold, having to removing my shirt, and then being strapped. The times I got the phlem problem, and started to choke, or had a big wade build up, they would have to stop the session and let me up, but the group I had where aware of this and said it wasn't uncommon. During the end of my 7 weeks, my neck was cooked, red, open sores, they gave me a new drug on the market for my sores in my mouth and on my tongue, with out insurance, it cost over $500.00, and comes in a cardboard suitcase, the 2 vials are mixed, swished and spit out, but what a great prouduct, and the sores healed quickly, CAPHOSOL, was the name, it is new and was great!!! ask for it. my neck is finally healed and looks great, feels like babys skin, the taste buds are coming back, I struggle in the night and morning with my sore throat still, thats what the pains meds are for, I take them, to get me threw the day, I am happy I gained 10-lbs, 170, from 160. i ate my first piece of chicken and fish this week. Everyone will go threw cancer different, I remember freezing and then having heat waves as you do, I always seem cold still. I still await the return of my voice..it seems to get a little stronger, but dies out after the day progresses, take care, it does get better, I hope we never have to return to this disease again, Once was enough for me..Good Luck. Dennis
    God Bless,
    Debbie
  • JimMac
    JimMac Member Posts: 1
    edited January 2017 #9
    Nidociv said:

    Thursh
    Well I finished my treatments in Nov 08 but have had lots of mouth and throat problems since but never thrush till now.. I just started eating by mouth again this past December so last Friday when my throat, mouth and tongue became really sore and the white patches all over my tongue and mouth, I really began to worry. By Monday it was really bad and wasn't able to hardly eat or drink anything so I got into the doctors Monday evening. And yep it was thrush. I was just surprised it has been so long from treatment ending to get it. So my Doc prescribed me with a liquid called NYSTATIN.. I take 10 ml 3 times a day which you put in your mouth and swish around for awhile then swallow it and wow does it work. By today most of it is gone and I'm eating and drinking some again. Have to take this for 10 days. So thats my experience with another side effect. Take Care all

    Randy

    Thrush again

    I finish my last radiation treament in April 2011. I have had many bouts with Thrush. I had it came again, very bad. My ENT Doctor put me on two treatments of  Fluconazole. At first, I felt much better after the first dose. Then it came back. The second round, two extra days were added. Nothing. I came home from my ENT appointment today, feeling pretty down. My doctor told me since radiation killed my saliva glands, Thrust would be a part of my life as long as I live.  As you can guess, I am pretty depressed.

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    edited January 2017 #10
    JimMac said:

    Thrush again

    I finish my last radiation treament in April 2011. I have had many bouts with Thrush. I had it came again, very bad. My ENT Doctor put me on two treatments of  Fluconazole. At first, I felt much better after the first dose. Then it came back. The second round, two extra days were added. Nothing. I came home from my ENT appointment today, feeling pretty down. My doctor told me since radiation killed my saliva glands, Thrust would be a part of my life as long as I live.  As you can guess, I am pretty depressed.

    Jim....

    The ENT handed out a bleak prognosis on your thrush because Fluconazole didn't work like it should.  For myself, I got tired of having to see the Dr. everytime thrush made a visit so I tried a little experiment with probiotics.  I went to the health food store and bought Primadopholis Bifidus (it's in the refrigerated area)...it comes in capsules.  I'd open two capsules and pour them on my tongue....add enough water to  my mouth to swish and hold for 5 minutes....then swallow it. I did this a couple times a day...morning and night.  In 4 days, the trush was gone.  I have used this method now for 3 years when I get a moderate case of thrush.  Also, when you first feel the tingles of it starting, chew an acidopholis tablet...add water enough to be able to hold this in your mouth. 

    Basically this is simply fighting thrush on it's own level.  Good bugs vs. bad bugs....since thrush is just an overgrowth of bad bugs....you are simply adding good bugs to the mix.  Plus....it's harmless....there is nothing in probiotics that can hurt you.

    p

  • Dawnra
    Dawnra Member Posts: 4
    edited January 2017 #11
    Thrush

    I had 32 treatments for squamish cell cancer. My treatments ended Aug 31 2016. I never had much problem with my mouth. Mostly my throat. In about November i was eating more solid foods and got my voice back. Three weeks ago i started with terrible throat pain and loss of voice again! Im so upset because i was doing so well. Anyway the docs say the cancer is not back but my vocal cords are swollen again and he thinks i have thrush. When i swallow the pain radiates from my throat around my bottom gum and up ear canal. Its terrible.  Ive lost 40 pounds because it just hurts to eat. Has this happened to anyone?  To me the pain feels like an aching muscle pain. I am on antibiotic for the thrush. I have none in my mouth.

  • Duggie88
    Duggie88 Member Posts: 760 Member
    edited January 2017 #12
    Gravey

    I had thrush all through radiation and it decided to return again a year after but not as bad as the first time.I was on oxycodone during radiation  but I wasn't going back on pain meds a year later but went back on the thrush meds and it wasn't so bad . My first bout was one of the worst they seen so they were constantly taking pictures so maybe my thrush became a star in some medical journals.

    Hoping it gets better soon

          Jeff

  • slk2015
    slk2015 Member Posts: 54
    #13
    JimMac said:

    Thrush again

    I finish my last radiation treament in April 2011. I have had many bouts with Thrush. I had it came again, very bad. My ENT Doctor put me on two treatments of  Fluconazole. At first, I felt much better after the first dose. Then it came back. The second round, two extra days were added. Nothing. I came home from my ENT appointment today, feeling pretty down. My doctor told me since radiation killed my saliva glands, Thrust would be a part of my life as long as I live.  As you can guess, I am pretty depressed.

    Thrush

    As phrannie51 noted, probiotics can help.  I would dissolve an acidophilous tablet in my mouth whenever I had thrush.  Also, there's an ingredient in Act mouthwash that in some studies seemed to keep yeast in the mouth from attaching to the lining of the mouth and turning into thrush.  I used the children's flouride version.  I can't say for sure it helped, but I used it.  A medication called Nystatin that finally got rid of my thrush for a fairly long period.  It's a liquid that is swished in the mouth.  Doctors don't seem to prescribe it much any more.  (There was also something called Mycelex troches, I think.  It was a wafer you dissolved in your mouth.  Not sure if that's used any more.)  It will probably take a while for some of these things to work.  Nothings fast if diflucan doesn't work.

    I would note that several years back I had thrush.  I was on diflucan off and on for about three months.  Nothing helped.  I finally ended up going to a periodontist about a sore in my mouth that was there for 6 months.  Turns out I no longer had thrush, I had oral lichen planus.  There's no treatment for this unless it's really erosive.  While there was no cure, it did stop the doctor from giving me medication for thrush when I didn't have thrush.  My ENT did confirm the diagnosis.  You want to make sure it's all thrush and not something else.

    My mouth was naturally dry and I'm diabetic, so thrush came up frequently.  It's a matter of reading research and trying ideas and home remedies.  It might take a while, and several ideas that don't pan out, but don't give up.  

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