Oral Cancer treated with Surgery and Radiation

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mporce01
mporce01 Member Posts: 3
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Good morning, 

I was recently diagnosed with early stage oral cancer.  After 2 glossectomies and the removal of my lymph nodes I am now going through radiation.  Fortunately the nodes were clean and from what they tell me the radiation is a lower dose and only 30 sessions.  I am currently through 9 of the 30 and am starting to feel the sores and pain in my mouth.  I worked with my dentists and am using flouride trays at night, brushing my teeth with soft brush after every meal, flossing morning and night, and using products like Biotene and drinking a ton of water.  Further my rad/onc gave me a script for this gel called gelclair and i use that 3 times per day.  

Still having pain though and seems to be getting worse.  Before i get into pain meds and Magic wash are there any suggestions of homeopathic remedies or over the counter remedies that have worked?  Trying so very hard not to get a feeding tube!! 

 

Thank you in advance!

Mike

Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
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    welcome

    Hi Mike,

    Welcome to the H&N world of treatment and its side effects, sorry that you are here.

    My radiation oncologist told me ÿour mouth is ablaze” after looking at it, but I needed no pain meds EXCEPT my beloved magic mouth wash.  the greatest savior of my treatment regimen.   Where you fear to go, I went and was extremely satisfied.  Magic mouth wash is not for everyone and the strengths are different where ever you get it filled (compounding pharmacy).  I went through 6 bottles and for me, it is the top 3 things I used to get through.  After all, getting through is the goal, PEG or no PEG, Pain meds or no pain meds, the easiest, most comfortable route to the finish.

    You should treat all your side effects like your teeth and do all you can.  This is a short time and seems long, but goes by fast.  Embrace that which works, listen to all the information and suggestions and select wisely.

    Matt

  • mporce01
    mporce01 Member Posts: 3
    #3
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    CivilMatt said:

    welcome

    Hi Mike,

    Welcome to the H&N world of treatment and its side effects, sorry that you are here.

    My radiation oncologist told me ÿour mouth is ablaze” after looking at it, but I needed no pain meds EXCEPT my beloved magic mouth wash.  the greatest savior of my treatment regimen.   Where you fear to go, I went and was extremely satisfied.  Magic mouth wash is not for everyone and the strengths are different where ever you get it filled (compounding pharmacy).  I went through 6 bottles and for me, it is the top 3 things I used to get through.  After all, getting through is the goal, PEG or no PEG, Pain meds or no pain meds, the easiest, most comfortable route to the finish.

    You should treat all your side effects like your teeth and do all you can.  This is a short time and seems long, but goes by fast.  Embrace that which works, listen to all the information and suggestions and select wisely.

    Matt

    Matt thanks for the

    Matt thanks for the encouragement and advice.  Do you recall at what point in your treatment did you start using the magic mouthwash?

  • swopoe
    swopoe Member Posts: 492
    #4
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    You sound a lot like my

    You sound a lot like my husband as he went through tongue cancer. He did everything you are doing. He also used magic mouthwash. Don't hesitate to start using it if you think it will help. No point in waiting. He also used something called neutra-sal. The rad onc gave it to him. It came in little packets to mix with water. That really helped too. Best of luck. As Matt said, the time will pass, and soon you will be on the other side. :)

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,030 Member
    #5
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    Baking Soda and Salt Solution

    Mike,

    I am similar to you, Base of Tongue cancer, surgery followed by 30 Radiation treatments. I was told by the Nurses to use 1 Teaspoon of Salt along with 1 Teaspoon of Baking Soda in 1 Quart of Room temperature water to rinse and gargle with.They told me to use it 3 times a day, but I tend to over do things. So I used it as often as I felt any discomfort in my mouth and throat. They never mentioned "Magic Mouthwash" to me, so I was unaware of it.

    As time went on, the Solution was losing it's semi-numbing effect, so I increased the amount of both to 1 Tablespoon of each in the Quart of water. In the later weeks of Radiation, I was using the solution as often as 20-30 minutes to semi-numb my mouth and throat. I would rinse, gargle, and spit most of it out and at times I would swallow a tiny bit to hit my throat further down. My Radiation Oncologist was surprised on how the solution was actually helping with the sores.

    I did start to use the pain medicine he gave me to ease the discomfort, but a couple of weeks later I was weaning myself off of them. If you haven't done so yet, take a look at the "Super Thread" at the top of the page and read thru some of the helpful tips that have been posted by others that have traveled this road.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • OKCnative
    OKCnative Member Posts: 326 Member
    #6
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    47yr old male, good physical

    47yr old male, good physical shape, SCC Stage 3, base of tongue, HPV+. 35 Radiations, 3 mega doses of chemo and no feeding tube.

    For me, I used the soda/salt hot water gargling solution several times a day. I also used disposable oral swabs several times a day (dipped in medical mouthwash). The only medication I was prescribed was Hydrocodone (this really helped to keep my coughing fits under control). I was prescribed Magic Mouthwash but only used it twice. It really did me no good because my pain was at the base of my tongue and the MM couldn't reach that far down my throat. In addition I brushed my teeth with an electronic brush a few times a day. I also used a WaterPik. Lastly, I also gargled with a CVS mouthwash that has peroxide in it. With this treatment I never experienced vomiting, almost no mouth sores, very little pain, and did not loose my taste or saliva. My worst symptom was mucus. I am now 3 weeks out of treatment.

  • Bsroesel
    Bsroesel Member Posts: 1
    #7
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     I know what you are going

     I know what you are going thru. Ended up with a peg tube after week 3. Wasn't all that bad just uncomfortable. Try sucking on sugar free lemon candies. They did and still do help me 4 years out. Avoid sugars. Also hot tea helped with the pain. 

  • deborah1805
    deborah1805 Member Posts: 2
    #8
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    manuka honey

    hi, sorry to hear about the pain, my husband 2006 similar situation, whilst he was on radiation treatment a trial came out for using manuka honey a teaspoon morning and night hold in mouth for as long as you can then swallow. I am not sure if it was this that helped him or other drugs, but he stopped getting dry mouth and infact it went the other way to excess saliva, I wish you well.

  • johnsonbl
    johnsonbl Member Posts: 266 Member
    #9
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    mporce01 said:

    Matt thanks for the

    Matt thanks for the encouragement and advice.  Do you recall at what point in your treatment did you start using the magic mouthwash?

    salt/baking soda

    I concur with the other person who posted the salt/baking soda rinse.  I started this on day one and continued this a few weeks post treatment.  Multiple times/day...I also had the reduced radiation dose.  I never did use the magic mouthwash...it was too weird.  I was on gabapentin from the get go as well which is a nerve blocker type of drug.  Between that, the salt/soda rinse and drinking tons of water I didn't have too much trouble until just after my treatments stopped.  I started getting little blisters that hurt like hell.  I could reach in and pop them with a finger or my tongue and they would instantly feel better...like burning your mouth on pizza and getting a blister shortly after.

    Good luck.

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