I've been on Lupron+Abi since August 2022. I've had moderate dry mouth and throat, and it helps to drink hot nothing-added tea all day. My MO did not have any really new-to-me ideas. eg drink water (in case tea makes it worse), suck on lemon drops, ... My primary concern is dental health as I am on Prolia too.
How about the APc community here?
Don't suck on lemon drops unless they are sugar free! If you have dry mouth, that makes you more susceptible to cavities. Suggestions would be to brush your teeth after anything you eat, even snacks. Don't need toothpaste. Saliva helps wash away food debris and buffers the acid that plaque bacteria make from the sugar in foods. Limit the amounts of carbs, esp sugars and simple carbs. Avoid soda, sticky dry fruits, etc. Sip lots of water, esp. with meals, to help with swallowing. I guess tea is OK. Use floss or picks before bed (before brushing) to get what the toothbrush can't get. There are prescription strength toothpastes with more fluoride - shouldn't need a prescription; they are behind the counter. Ask for Prevident or generic.
Do you take other meds. I don't think dry mouth is a side effect of abi or Lupron, but if you take other meds that can cause dry mouth, these might add to it.
What we "think" (for many a synonym for "feel") is no match for good old Google
My wife has dry mouth from her meds, she use a mouthwash for dry mouth that seems to work
I didn't realize abi had dry mouth as a side effect. Either way, the other things I wrote are valid. There are products from Biotene designed for dry mouth - toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. ACT also make dry mouth mouthwash. There are others; they can help but none are great. There is no good substitute for adequate saliva. As a retired dentist, I saw the effects of dry mouth on people's teeth.
If you read the Google results to my search you'd have seen that abi, lupron and prednisone all can have dry mouth effects. I wonder if the effects of each can stackup? Or if dry mouth is a SE of having undetectable testosterone? Thanks for the dental angles -- its been in the back of my mind for some time, especially apres starting on Prolia.
While you are reading this, have you had your bone density checked? Too many doctors treating PCa patients on ADT seem to miss this critical issue. ADT grossly accelerates BMD loss, and my MO (and other sources) say I don't stand a chance of overcoming it via exercise, diet and supplements alone.
I can tell you that the effect of meds that can cause dry mouth are often synergistic. Someone on 1 antidepressant usually is fine, add a 2nd & often has dry mouth. Add a 3rd and can be a big problem.
I had a DEXA scan soon after diagnosis & was osteopenic. I get Xgeva shots every 3 mo. Take calcium & vit D, also Vit K2. The incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw from Prolia is rather low; Xgeva is higher. The healthier your teeth & gums are; the less manipulation (ie, filling cavities, need for crown, etc), the better.
I suggest you add creatine, collagen peptide powder, magnesium. Creatine works with exercise to build muscle, collagen peptides help with BMD (as does creatine at about 8 mg/day level), magnesium is said to help with BMD. Glad to hear that you got a timely DEX. Why was Xgeva chosen vs Prolia?
What type of tea?
some teas are very astringent and can make dry mouth even worse. i have several teas and forget which are drying but if my mouth is dry and i drink a drying tea. i switch to one of m y other teas. I just ordered a few new teas and might have something to recommend in a few days once they arrive. a little lemon and or honey can also help but avoid much honey because of the sugar.
sucking on sugar regularly is not good for a variety of reasons. lemon drops definitely cured my dry mouth but are bad on a long term basis. i would think that sugarless glycerin would be better but glycerin is just an alcohol sugar so ???
plain water does not do much good alone so i make carbonated spring water and add a very small amount of juice. I still probably overdo it but a dry mouth is not fun.
In my case I think the dry mouth is a side effect of chemo and possibly is caused by an infection that the chemo makes more likely. If it is fungal, a mouth swish antibiotic (i had one prescribed) can help. Gargling with salt or baking soda (spit it out, do not swallow) is also a way to reduce minor infections without the use of antibiotics but salt is also drying so be sure to follow it with a plain water rinse.
i have tried it yet but maybe apple cider vinegar would help, it has antiseptic properties.
You could try these melts that you stick to your cheek while you sleep.
There is also a prescription toothpaste that helps with dry mouth, Prevident.
Xylimelts on Amazon. They work & they're good for your teeth.
I agree with rsgdmd re: cough drops or candies--definitely sugar-free. Biotene may also help. Prevident is prescription only in the U.S.
If none of those work, there is a class of medications called sialogogues (such as pilocarpine) which can increase the flow of saliva, but be sure to clear it with your oncologist first.
Steve Bornfeld, DDS (retired)
Suck on ice cold clean non-borrowed round non-colored frozen ice cubes all day..........but watch out for "brain freeze".......Mine is still frozen.....
j-o-h-n <===<<< Senior management is about to spike my spikes....
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Friday 04/07/2023 3:36 PM DST
I have noticed dry mouth and throat since adding Abiraterone. I make sure I drink lots of water, always water next to the bed and drink throughout the night too.
FWIW Xylimelts worked good for my wife and I last night.
I keep a stedy supply of Halls Mentholyptus Honey Lemon Sugar Free drops - they taste good and seem to keep the saliva flowing. Amazon has the large pack (180 drops) for around $10 - great deal. They're individually wrapped - I keep a supply in all of my jacket pockets!
Just received a message from a forum I subscribe to--the Bulletin Board of Oral Pathology. There was a discussion of dry mouth, and two of the oral medicine experts recommended "SaliPen", which is now apparently available without a prescription. May be worth a try:
Im Lupron/Abi/Prednisone, and have the exact opposite!! More saliva.
I am not on Prolia, though.
Chemo or abi in covid times?
Stempede with Ogrovyx + Abi.
Stopping Abi?
First blood tests since starting Abi.
ADT and antidepressants
