Hey guys,

Anything new or different for dry mouth?Rod is doing alot better except for this. Doesn't sleep more than 1 hour at a times some nights. He has tried biotene gum, mouthwash and gel.Salagen tablets didn't help either.Eating can be difficult by he is getting by with alot of water and/or gravy with most food. He is tired alot but probably due to not sleeping.Any suggestions? Thanks all & GOd bless!


Hey Vicki girl..how are you???

Hi Maur, Have read you posting about the problem with dry mouth and eating.
Look at the Topic "Today only" I have suggested some things I manage to eat which are quite nice and go down easy

Paul

Hello Maur, I know it isn't much help But Rod will probably find that this dry mouth thing is just a stage and will soon pass. I cAN't thin k of anything else to suggest. Is the bedroom, and the other rooms,moist enough I wonder? Central heating is a killer for sensitive throats and I have dishes of water everywhere which the flaming dog thinks are for her and laps up!
I bought a humidifier from BandQ but it was too fiddly and a bit dangerous with hot steam for when the little ones are round so they took it back.
Regards to you both Ishbel

Thanks guys for the suggestions. The doctor said Rod's salivary glands were fried from radiaton and he will have dry mouth for the rest of his life. I have heard of other people who have gotten the same news and some saliva did come back. I will pray for that.It seems too like Paul he is very tired still. His treatment ended in July and he still struggles to work all day.He says he wonders if he will ever feel like himself again...maybe not. Ishbel, thanks for the humidifier idea, he will go out tonight and get one.Hopefully he will be able to get some sleep. You people are all so strong and amazing...God bless!Thanks again.

Well we won't dribble in old age, that's for sure! I have progressed from going around with a bottle of water and sipping every few minutes, to chewing gum, hurt like hell to start with, wrigleys is the only make I can take as the mint is a killer, cannot talk without the gum as mouth becomes bone dry.As my back molars were removed had a plate made things seemed to get better as I was like a horse with a bit playing with the plate good exercise for the tongue, not been able to bear the plate for a week, now I know why they are called gum shredders.Sleep is a problem as I way several times and drink over a litre of water per night, plus trotting to the loo, feel shattered every morning, my op's were 10 months ago, and things are a tiny bit better. Have managed to sip a bitter shandy, with some pain. I will be thinking of you and hoping things improve.

garance,

Thanks for the reply. I spoke with Rod yesterday, he is doing better with eating. He says he thinks his throat is healed from radiation because he can eat almost anything now.Certain things burnt alot before. The dry mouth is the biggest complaint and like you said...not sleeping. He gets up very early for work and that doesn't help.He has tried sugar free candy which he says just sticks! Oh well it could be alot worse, right? He will see his ENT today, for his first check up since the pet scan.This is the doctor who origanlly found his tumor.Rod has not seen him since his diagnosis in April.His oncologist has him going one month to the ENT one month to him so they don't miss anything.He is nervous but I guess that is to be expected.Will keep you posted...thanks for the reply!God bless!

Has he got the special toothpaste, mouth wash and Gel ? thhis does help a great deal. I dunk my breakfast in tea as cannot swallow in the morning, also neck tends to be swollen in the morning do to total neck resection and lymp glands removed. stews are easier to get down, I cannot take anything too strong, can't really taste anything; Keep us posted how he is doing.

garance,

Yes, thanks...he does have the mouthwash, gel and gum.No luck. He had a good visit with the doc yesterday though.The doctor said when he first saw Rod the lymph nodes in his neck looked like brass knuckles. But now they are soft and the tissue in his throat looks pink and healthy.The doc said he looks great and that he is progressing very very well. The doctor was very pleased. I owe it to prayer.I think God was with him. The doc also said Rod does have some saliva but since he got radiation on both sides of the neck, there isn't much. But who knows, maybe that will increase. We will try to stay positive.Thanks for your reply. Will continue to pray for you and all on this board!God bless.

I had awful problems with Dry Mouth since completing treatment for base of tongue cancer in July 2010. Constant drinking, gels, sprays and synthetic saliva’ 24/7/ became unbearable. I found in the US a Colonel Richard Niemtzow who discovered, developed and still practices his Dry Mouth treatment in Maryland.USA. He also created battlefield acupuncture and is the world renowned authority on these treatments.

I exhausted places in the UK to be treated with his protocol. so visited him July 9th, 2011 and within the first of only two sessions was able to produce saliva again. No more gels, sprays and synthetic saliva since this date and unbroken sleep since.

I was profoundly affected at the results of the treatment so started in the UK The Dry Mouth Foundation. www.drymouthfoundation.org. but you could visit the colonel via his website www.n5ev.com

Let me know how you get on.

Terry Gannon.
Dry Mouth Foundation.