any new treatments for dry mouth

staceya said:

Dear UMV,
Are you taking
Dear UMV,
Are you taking Amifostine? (Below info from wiki, which you probably know, but just in case you didn't...Check in with your doctor. I cannot confirm, but believe it has really helped with protection of saliva, I seem to have about 80-90% of pre radiation saliva.
Stacey

a cytoprotective adjuvant used in cancer chemotherapy involving DNA-binding chemotherapeutic agents. Also commonly known as WR-1065 in its active form. It is marketed by MedImmune under the trade name Ethyol.

Amifostine is used therapeutically to reduce the incidence of neutropenia-related fever and infection induced by DNA-binding chemotherapeutic agents including alkylating agents (e.g. cyclophosphamide) and platinum-containing agents (e.g. cisplatin). It is also used to decrease the cumulative nephrotoxicity associated with platinum-containing agents. Amifostine is also indicated to reduce the incidence of xerostomia in patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer.

Acupuncture article
Interesting article, I've been very curious about acupuncture...this may help me to give it a go.

Best to all,
Chuck.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090420151232.htm

timreichhart said:

When did you started to get dry mouth
I am just wondering when did you start getting dry mouth? Because I am about 2 months done with all cancer treatments and now I am starting to get dry mouth. Radiation doctor told me while I was getting radiation treatments he was going to try to protect my saliva glands but I think he lied to me about that. Is there anything I can lower complete dry mouth? because I am drinking alots of water and taking 5mg of salagen x 3 times a day.

Another
Timreichhart
Just another unknown for both the doctors and you. Small reminder that the day your treatments stopped was not the day the radiation stopped working. they say it takes approx. 6-8 weeks after last treatment stop hurting the good and bad things.

I know for me I go thru times durning the year that weeks go by and I am very dry and then go weeks where I do really well. After 14 plus years there does not appear to me anything that effects it to going dry. At least nothing I can control. I do know one time a year and I call it harvest time that I always find a good amount of time to fight the dryness.

Salagen did not work for me, i tried it several time without help. It does not work for everyone. One success i found after many years of searching and trying is called Stoppers4. This is the only place i have found to get it since they stopped having it on the shelf at Walgreens a years ago. http://www.jocottbrands.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=85&c

I and many others use it when needed. Espy. at bed time. There is no limit on how often you can use. Be aware the first couple times may not be friendly but it does become friendly quickly.

Bioteen makes one that is on the counter at Walgreens but does not compare at all to Stopper4

Good luck
John