Any insight?

hwt
hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

When my dry mouth is bad, it's bad. No amount of water can help. Xylimelts and Stoppers 4 not too much help but my swish and swallow does give relief. Eating also provides relief. I'm fortunate that it isn't a constant thing but it is annoying when it does happen. I have been trying to determine what, if anything, triggers it. I've found that drinking coffee is one trigger for me. Curious if anyone else has identified certain things that set dry mouth in motion. I could start a food and drink diary to track it, however, asking the forum is just so much easier!  

Comments

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #2
    Constant dry mouth

    hwt,

    Unfortunately, I have constant dry mouth, so I know what you speak of. I do a combination of things daily, basically whatever works at the moment, I go with. You mention that coffee seems to trigger your dry mouth. Coffee is a diuretic basically, causing us to urinate often which in turn dries us out more. But with that said, I lean towards sipping coffee with creamer, no sugar during the day as it gives me a slight coating of moisture as I do things around the house.

    I also use the Biotene Dry Mouth Spray mixed in during the day as well. So, if I plan on doing anything of length, I have to set up a station with a water bottle, mouth spray and a coffee. I have tried the Gatorade and it seems to dry my mouth out more then help so I limit that to days I might break into a sweat. It is a visious cycle I know, but we adapt and overcome.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • Joanielo
    Joanielo Member Posts: 55
    #3
    Nerves

    I have not noticed that any food or drinks trigger my dry mouth. I have noticed that if I get nervous or stressed out my dryness increases.  I just try to have a bottle of water with me at all times.  Luckily, it seems to be acceptable to take a bottle of water just about anywhere, including meetings at work.  I am 11 months out from treatments so it seems a little better than at first but still an issue.  Progress is slow. 

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #4
    dry

    My mouth is like the desert when I first wake up.  Once I brush, rinse and start a little coffee.....it gets better.  Not drinking enough water will dry me up, so will eating something that has even a tiny bit of spice.  Hurts AND dries me up.  Drinking anything other than coffee or water will dry my mouth up.  I tried a sip of soft drink and it was AWFUL.  Sweets still taste nasty and too much sweetness will dry me up.  Ice cream sandwiches are about my only treat.  I've also started having allergic reactions to peanuts and it swells me up AND dries me out.  Strange stuff, huh?  

  • longtermsurvivor
    longtermsurvivor Member Posts: 1,842 Member
    #5
    by far the number one thing for me is

    talking.  If I keep my mouth shut, I stay moist a whole lot longer.  If I mouth breathe, or talk, I am dry as a chip in no time at all.  My saliva varies a lot.  Some times I have a fair amount, other times not.  No rhyme or reason to production that I have been able to discern. Of course, saliva production drops off at night, that's just a fact, so no wonder nights can be the hardest.

     

    Pat

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #6
    longtermsurvivor said:

    by far the number one thing for me is

    talking.  If I keep my mouth shut, I stay moist a whole lot longer.  If I mouth breathe, or talk, I am dry as a chip in no time at all.  My saliva varies a lot.  Some times I have a fair amount, other times not.  No rhyme or reason to production that I have been able to discern. Of course, saliva production drops off at night, that's just a fact, so no wonder nights can be the hardest.

     

    Pat

    Thanks

    Appreciate the input. I can relate to everyone's post at one time or another. In the past, I used swish and swallow to help me eat but now , I've found it very helpful when my mouth is at it's driest.   Sorry you all are experiencing same. 

    Candi

  • peggylulu
    peggylulu Member Posts: 375
    #7
    Dry mouth

    Candi , I am glad you brought this subject up . It has been a year since my last Rad and I still don't much like the taste of anything except Dr. pepper floats and my mouth is dry off and on during the day . As LTS said it is worse if I talk very much and at night . I have only been able to sleep thru the night for the last month or so and I only found out by accident something that seems to help me . I have started to post about it several times , but was afraid everyone would think that I'm crazy or that my solution might be harmful in some way . I was having acid reflux one night at bedtime so I took a Tums . I slept all night without having to drink water ! I didn't think to much about it until it happened again !!! After about the third time I put two and two together and now I take a Tums every night just before bed time unless I forget ! If I forget I wake up with my throat so dry it hurts . 

  • corleone
    corleone Member Posts: 312 Member
    #8
    Things that make my mouth dry

    I am 14 months out of radiation. Speaking – the worst. Also physical effort, coffee, and to a little extent (green) tea. Otherwise, this fluctuates during the day, and is worse during night (although I can sleep through the night without having to rinse my mouth with water; unless I have to go due to a "full" bladder).

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #9
    peggylulu said:

    Dry mouth

    Candi , I am glad you brought this subject up . It has been a year since my last Rad and I still don't much like the taste of anything except Dr. pepper floats and my mouth is dry off and on during the day . As LTS said it is worse if I talk very much and at night . I have only been able to sleep thru the night for the last month or so and I only found out by accident something that seems to help me . I have started to post about it several times , but was afraid everyone would think that I'm crazy or that my solution might be harmful in some way . I was having acid reflux one night at bedtime so I took a Tums . I slept all night without having to drink water ! I didn't think to much about it until it happened again !!! After about the third time I put two and two together and now I take a Tums every night just before bed time unless I forget ! If I forget I wake up with my throat so dry it hurts . 

    Tums

    that is VERY interesting!!  Isn't it funny the things that we find work for us?  I'm so glad you figured out how to rest and not be so dry!!  

     

    I forgot to add that trying to have a phone conversation will TOTALLY dry me out!  I'm hard to understand over the phone so, I have to repeat myself and after a few minutes, the spit is gone! 

  • peggylulu
    peggylulu Member Posts: 375
    #10
    TracyLynn72 said:

    Tums

    that is VERY interesting!!  Isn't it funny the things that we find work for us?  I'm so glad you figured out how to rest and not be so dry!!  

     

    I forgot to add that trying to have a phone conversation will TOTALLY dry me out!  I'm hard to understand over the phone so, I have to repeat myself and after a few minutes, the spit is gone! 

    Tums

    Thank you Tracy . I am hoping some others with dry mouth will try this . It would be interesting to find out if it helps others . I too get dry talking on the phone . 

  • osmotar
    osmotar Member Posts: 1,006
    #11
    Triggers

    I love tea hot and iced but since treatment the caffeine in the tea dries my mouth. I also work out  3 days a week , and my mouth gets really dry which messes with my breathing ...I've found sugar free lemon drops help me the best.

     

    Linda

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #12
    Has anyone seen my water bottle?

    Candi,

    Dry mouth comes and goes, I have tried to figure it out, but there doesn’t appear to be a pattern other than mouth breathing.

    Without being too bold, I think it is getting better.  I have made short trips (really short) with no water bottle.  I do not move too far away from water bottle.

    I do use Xylimelts when I don’t want to pack my water bottle and I have good results from 2 – 4 hours.

    I haven’t stumbled on the “Peggy Tums” solution yet, but what the heck I will give it a try and get back to you.

    Matt

  • Mrs. Sarge
    Mrs. Sarge Member Posts: 206 Member
    #13

    help me tremendously.  My voice therapist checked the ingredients and okayed their use for dry mouth.  Some drops can dry you more, she said, but these cause you to create saliva (at least for me it does) so you might give them a try.  They're by Halls, and I get the sugar-free.

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #14
    Mrs. Sarge said:

    help me tremendously.  My voice therapist checked the ingredients and okayed their use for dry mouth.  Some drops can dry you more, she said, but these cause you to create saliva (at least for me it does) so you might give them a try.  They're by Halls, and I get the sugar-free.

    Wow

    What great responses....will certainly give these ideas all a try! Thanks so much

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