Getting Some Sleep with Dry Mouth

Marty36
Marty36 Member Posts: 84
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
I'm at my wits end (and completely exhausted) from dry mouth. I've changed medication--to Evoxac, which I really like--and have tried xylimelts. I have a cold-misting humidifier by my bed. But I still wake up every 1.5 hours with a parched mouth and soon my tongue starts to hurt. Ambien usually helps me fall asleep, but doesn't help me stay asleep. Any suggestions out there?

Comments

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #2
    Biotene
    Marty,

    I have found that using the Biotene Mouthwash or the Biotene Mouth Spray just before going to bed helps me sleep longer then the 1 1/2 hours that I was getting with just sipping water prior to sleep.

    Of course the daily routine of sipping water all day tends to make me wake up due to the nature calls I have to make. The Biotene for me makes the waking up less frequent recently.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #3
    Three Hours...
    LOL, after three years, I'm up to a good three hours before waking usually.

    I think this is something most of us are going through to some extent. Although I don't wake as much with a jerky tongue as I used to, but still pretty dry. Having a small bottle of water close to the bed is the norm... But with drinking water, usually means a head call, then of course the two chocolate labs, think they need to pee. So that entails a 10 minute venture outside (unless a cat grabs their attention).

    Hondo is a big advocate of Stoppers4, I think you have to order it online. Biotene has never been anything but a quick fix when I was really dry initially.

    I'm sure you questions will generate many comments, but not really sure you'll find a long term solution.

    Best,
    John
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #4
    Skiffin16 said:

    Three Hours...
    LOL, after three years, I'm up to a good three hours before waking usually.

    I think this is something most of us are going through to some extent. Although I don't wake as much with a jerky tongue as I used to, but still pretty dry. Having a small bottle of water close to the bed is the norm... But with drinking water, usually means a head call, then of course the two chocolate labs, think they need to pee. So that entails a 10 minute venture outside (unless a cat grabs their attention).

    Hondo is a big advocate of Stoppers4, I think you have to order it online. Biotene has never been anything but a quick fix when I was really dry initially.

    I'm sure you questions will generate many comments, but not really sure you'll find a long term solution.

    Best,
    John

    I received my Stoppers 4 today....
    unwrapped it, and sat it on the night stand....I'll tell you tomorrow how it works :)

    p
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #5
    Nope, still not sleeping through the night here...
    Ditto what everyone else here said. I use the Biotene rinse most often, sometimes the gel, sometimes the spray. Glass of water right next to the bed. I use a straw, which means I don't have to lift my head so far off the pillow. Get the occasional straw poke in the eye, so it's a bit of a trade off. Others here have mentioned that they try to hold the water in their mouths for a bit. Also a trade off, as they invariably doze off, and wake right back up with a wet nightshirt. It's taken me two years to get here, but most nights I am able to get through an entire cycle of REM sleep before waking up with jerky tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, and my eyelids welded to my dry eyeballs. Did I mention I also keep eye drops on the night stand? I always was a light sleeper.

    Deb
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #6
    phrannie51 said:

    I received my Stoppers 4 today....
    unwrapped it, and sat it on the night stand....I'll tell you tomorrow how it works :)

    p

    Woke up at the 2 1/2 hour mark and blasted my mouth
    with Stoppers 4, slept till 6:00 with no wake up till the alarm went off. Stoppers worked pretty good for me.

    p
  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #7
    D Lewis said:

    Nope, still not sleeping through the night here...
    Ditto what everyone else here said. I use the Biotene rinse most often, sometimes the gel, sometimes the spray. Glass of water right next to the bed. I use a straw, which means I don't have to lift my head so far off the pillow. Get the occasional straw poke in the eye, so it's a bit of a trade off. Others here have mentioned that they try to hold the water in their mouths for a bit. Also a trade off, as they invariably doze off, and wake right back up with a wet nightshirt. It's taken me two years to get here, but most nights I am able to get through an entire cycle of REM sleep before waking up with jerky tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, and my eyelids welded to my dry eyeballs. Did I mention I also keep eye drops on the night stand? I always was a light sleeper.

    Deb

    same here
    I have a glass of water and Stoppers 4 spray next to me..When I wake up , i drink and spray and go back to sleep.....I just hope my tongue is not stuck to the roof of my mouth!!!!
    Kind of in the cards to just wake and spray until someone finds the holy grail.

    All the best
    Steve

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