Lip and mouth sores

Mouth Sores
Hi Michelle,

Have you tried the baking soda/salt gargle? I had some relatively minor problems with mouth sores during treatment. From day one, I used the baking soda/salt rinse, also L-Glutamine as a swish and swallow. I believe these helped to minimize the mouth sores for me. For the few persistent mouth sores I did have, my dentist gave me a dental paste called Solcoseryl, which helped greatly relieve the pain from the sores. The pain relief was practically instantaneous. Hope this helps your Dad. Cheers.

Jimbo

I don't know about the
I don't know about the products you are talking about but I do know about mouth sores. I do not receive chemo but am going through radiation for the second time. If Aquaphor is not giving relief make sure that your dad does not have thrush. Last year I had it 3 times during treatment, this year when I left the hospital after surgery I was having a sore on tongue, was told canker sore--2 days later, thrush, I tend to get it easily I am also diabetic. Does it look like cottage cheese is in the mouth? There is medicine for it. Also many have luck with the l-glutamine, check the superthread. When the mucus is bad I cannot lay flat to sleep (gag). Many pillows or I sleep on the recliner (my friend!). I also needed to have oral lidocaine, couldn't ever swallow it but I rubbed it on my lips and tongue to be able to eat. I have a mouthpiece on my mask, I need to rub lidocaine on lips and techs make sure that they put water on the mouthpiece so I can get lips over it. Good luck, talk to doctors and nurses--no need to be in pain, they have things for that.

Michelle, my husband had
Michelle, my husband had cankor sores on lips and tongue. Doctor prescribed a liquid called acyclovir to take 3 times per day for a week in three days they were almost completely gone and have not come back. Never heard of using the patch behind the ear for anything other than motion sickness.

Hope this helps and hope your dad finds relief soon.

Debbie

jim and i said:

Michelle, my husband had
Michelle, my husband had cankor sores on lips and tongue. Doctor prescribed a liquid called acyclovir to take 3 times per day for a week in three days they were almost completely gone and have not come back. Never heard of using the patch behind the ear for anything other than motion sickness.

Hope this helps and hope your dad finds relief soon.

Debbie

MICHELLE
I too had sores in my mouth. It's bad for most of us....I too had the thick saliva and it made me throw up. I got a suction machine prescribed and it worked wonders in controlling the thick saliva. I strongly recommend it.
I agree with Jim and Debbie that the liquid that you swish and spit does help somewhat, but time will really heal the sores the best...
wishing you well,
Steve

5fu
The 5fu has really wreaked havoc on lip and mouth sores. We kind of rotate around but can't seem to find THE one that works best. Guess it's an an individual experiment.

Magic mouthwash: seems like a lot of folks like it here. Taken about 25 minutes before trying to eat seems to be the plan.
Baking soda/ water rinse : several times a day seems popular with others.
MD Anderson suggests Ulcer Ease which is non-prescription.
We also were told to put vitamin e oil on directly.
Also had a prescription for carafate which is for mouth sores.
He also takes valtrex which is for cold sores. It is a prescription.


They keep having to give my husband breaks from the 5fu because his sores get so bad he can't eat . They are also reducing the dosage.

michdjp said:

Lip and mouth sores
Thanks to everyone for your information. I will give them a try. Glad to hear it's all "normal" side effects (nothing seems normal!)
Today we got the first CBC back after 5fu and thankfully it was ok and can continue Chemo. We go back on the 26. We are debating whether to do the pick line or admit to the hospital. Anyone have any pros or cons to either? Dad is not looking forward to another stay in the hospital OR another procedure (that being the pick line) he just had the feeding tube last week.

Again. Many thanks to all
Michelle

Port
My husband dreaded another "procedure" but the port has been fantastic! No more IVs for treatment and no more sticks for blood draws. So worth it rather than all that bruising from needle sticks.

michdjp said:

Lip and mouth sores
Thanks to everyone for your information. I will give them a try. Glad to hear it's all "normal" side effects (nothing seems normal!)
Today we got the first CBC back after 5fu and thankfully it was ok and can continue Chemo. We go back on the 26. We are debating whether to do the pick line or admit to the hospital. Anyone have any pros or cons to either? Dad is not looking forward to another stay in the hospital OR another procedure (that being the pick line) he just had the feeding tube last week.

Again. Many thanks to all
Michelle

Pick line ...
Michelle,

I too was nervous about a pick line but was introduced to someone at my clinic that just so happened to have one. They convinced me to give it a whirl. It was a totally easy procedure that took all of 15-30 mins. They didn't put me under which I think they have to do for a port. The maintenance on the pick line was super easy. Just flushing it on the weekend. And of course it alleviates getting poked multiple times a day.

I know this is a difficult time for both of you. God bless you and your Dad.

Gib

hope for the best said:

Hello Robin,

Thanks for your post! My Dad has had the mouth sores for 1 week now and it's painful and he has had very little improvement from using magic wash and lidocaine. 5FU treatment is on hold for the time being until the sores are gone.

Do you feel that only time can heal these sores? I can't seem to find any meds that would help with these sores.

Thanks!!
May

Caphosol
Hi May,

I used Caphosol, as well as the salt water/baking soda solution. I atteneded a support group meeting and one of the participants highly recommended the caphosol. I asked my rad oncologist about it and he wrote a script for me. It's not cheap however , my insurance paid all but $50, but for me it was well worth it as I didn't have any mouth sores.

Linda

Ed_PortOrange said:

Clotrimazole-Betamethasone Creme 15GM
Michelle,

I also had cracked lips and especially the corners of my mouth. This stuff worked wonders for the outside stuff. It was perscribed by my cancer dentist at U of Florida, Shands.

Hope this helps.

Ed

should be good for about anything....
betamethasone is a very potent steroid, and clotrimazole is a good antifungal. Wish I had some right now. Thrush is about eating my mouth up. Got great chelitis as well, cracks and bleeds when I try to open my mouth very far. Mouth isn't responding to nystatin, so presumably gor a resistant yeast. Moving on to bigger medicine today. My wife enjoys how quiet I've become:)

osmotar said:

Caphosol
Hi May,

I used Caphosol, as well as the salt water/baking soda solution. I atteneded a support group meeting and one of the participants highly recommended the caphosol. I asked my rad oncologist about it and he wrote a script for me. It's not cheap however , my insurance paid all but $50, but for me it was well worth it as I didn't have any mouth sores.

Linda

Hi Linda,
Thanks so much for
Hi Linda,

Thanks so much for recommending Caphosol. Did you get this med to treat sores or dry mouth? My dad has developed really bad sores and I'm looking for something to help heal vs. prevention.

Thanks!!