Will i ever stop using Kleenex?

james chambliss
james chambliss Member Posts: 70
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Does the stuffy nose and having to blow it all the time go away. The having to use the spit cup did, but this seems never ending. I guess i am feeling a little frustrated with it today. I hope the other 3 rounds of chemo don't make it worse. I am feeling better now that i am 6 weeks done with the radiation, but this nose drainage is flipping annoying.

James

Comments

  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #2
    another question
    Do the mouth sores take a long time to go away? I have been using Nystatin, but it makes me gag. So it's hard to make myself keep using it. The sores are worse after i eat. Any thoughts?


    Thanks all,

    James
  • charles55
    charles55 Member Posts: 87
    #3
    james chambliss said:

    another question
    Do the mouth sores take a long time to go away? I have been using Nystatin, but it makes me gag. So it's hard to make myself keep using it. The sores are worse after i eat. Any thoughts?


    Thanks all,

    James

    mouth sores
    James, everyone has a different experience and mine was the sores didn't end until a few weeks after radiation ended. Remember, radiation works in a lag of about two weeks. After that, you can start getting ahead on the healing, but it will still take a short while more. You will have done a lot of cellular damage to even the healthy cells. But you will win.
  • rozaroo
    rozaroo Member Posts: 665
    #4
    charles55 said:

    mouth sores
    James, everyone has a different experience and mine was the sores didn't end until a few weeks after radiation ended. Remember, radiation works in a lag of about two weeks. After that, you can start getting ahead on the healing, but it will still take a short while more. You will have done a lot of cellular damage to even the healthy cells. But you will win.

    Tissue & mouth sores
    It seemed to have taken forever for my mouth sores to heal, there was one that was quite nasty & I made sure to rinse my mouth constantly with the salt, water & baking soda soloution. I am now six months post treatment & am happy to say they are finally all gone. As far as tissues I am done with that also. I was buying them by the case & never thought I could live without. I still rinse my mouth out constanty & even bought a tongue brush to keep it clean as I was plagued with thrush also. The white tongue drove me nut's. So all is good so far. Just the dry mouth but water fixes that!
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #5
    charles55 said:

    mouth sores
    James, everyone has a different experience and mine was the sores didn't end until a few weeks after radiation ended. Remember, radiation works in a lag of about two weeks. After that, you can start getting ahead on the healing, but it will still take a short while more. You will have done a lot of cellular damage to even the healthy cells. But you will win.

    Thanks
    Yea, i have been done with the Rad for about 6 weeks and the mucous problem is better. Thanks for letting me know about the mouth sores. Did you have to have Kleenex with you all the time or did that change pretty soon as well.

    Thanks,

    James
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #6
    james chambliss said:

    Thanks
    Yea, i have been done with the Rad for about 6 weeks and the mucous problem is better. Thanks for letting me know about the mouth sores. Did you have to have Kleenex with you all the time or did that change pretty soon as well.

    Thanks,

    James

    L Glutamine
    James, Get yourself a tub of L-Glutamine Powder. It will help heal your mouth and body. Mix in Water and swish and swallow. It works.

    You mucus etc will reduce. I used the Mucinex equivalent which breaks it down. It will pass, you just have to be patient.

    Scam
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #7
    Scambuster said:

    L Glutamine
    James, Get yourself a tub of L-Glutamine Powder. It will help heal your mouth and body. Mix in Water and swish and swallow. It works.

    You mucus etc will reduce. I used the Mucinex equivalent which breaks it down. It will pass, you just have to be patient.

    Scam

    Thaks
    Thanks Scam, i will look into L Glutamine Powder. Where is is located, what stores?
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    #8
    james chambliss said:

    Thaks
    Thanks Scam, i will look into L Glutamine Powder. Where is is located, what stores?

    about mucus
    ask your doctor for Salagen 5MG its post treat dry mouth but also works great for mucus.
  • Scambuster
    Scambuster Member Posts: 973
    #9
    james chambliss said:

    Thaks
    Thanks Scam, i will look into L Glutamine Powder. Where is is located, what stores?

    Good supplement / Vitamin outlets & Some Gyms
    also you can buy online. Get a decent sized tub say 500g (1lb) or bigger as you should take 2-3 teaspoons a day with water or juice.

    Scam
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #10
    Hi James

    Yes it does get better in time, ask you doc about using a nasal rinse this might help
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #11
    Paper Towels
    I use paper towels, as I find that it is alot easier that several pieces of Kleenex. I esp. do not like the spit cup and paper towel helps.

    Your nose creates mucus daily of approx. a quart. That mucus normally runs down the back of your throat and you do not realize it is happening. Durning and after radiation there is damage to the throat and that hangs up the mucus, which leads to blowing nose and spitting more.

    Try an over the counter salin nasal spray. Tip head back spray until you feel in throat and this will loosen the mucus to get it out.

    The feeling of blowing all the the time will go away slowly after treatment. But probably get worse as treatments continue.
  • james chambliss
    james chambliss Member Posts: 70
    #12
    fisrpotpe said:

    Paper Towels
    I use paper towels, as I find that it is alot easier that several pieces of Kleenex. I esp. do not like the spit cup and paper towel helps.

    Your nose creates mucus daily of approx. a quart. That mucus normally runs down the back of your throat and you do not realize it is happening. Durning and after radiation there is damage to the throat and that hangs up the mucus, which leads to blowing nose and spitting more.

    Try an over the counter salin nasal spray. Tip head back spray until you feel in throat and this will loosen the mucus to get it out.

    The feeling of blowing all the the time will go away slowly after treatment. But probably get worse as treatments continue.

    Appreciate
    I appreciate all the advice. It will come in handy. Thank you all.


    James

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