Mouth ulcers

[Harrypalmer]

Due to chemo I am suffering from mouth ulcers along the whole of my bottom lip and on tongue therefore making eating,drinking and talking very painful. Have tried Bonjela for infants but it's just too sore, it's like pouring salt on an open wound. Any advice on what to use would be most welcome. Monsie x

[swampduck]

Hi Harry,

Sorry you are suffering at the moment, fingers crossed you find a 'soothing' treatment soon.

I'm not sure if you can use a product called Anbesol, but when I have had mouth ulcers or indeed my children, I/we have found it helps. Its is an antiseptic, anaesthetic liquid applied with a cotton bud (it will sting like hell, worse than Bonjela, then numb the area for a period of time) I am not sure where you live but if its UK its readily available for most chemists at a minimal cost. If you wish to try it.

Again, not sure if you can take this with any medication you are currently taking/on but would suggest you check with GP, or oncologist etc first to be sure.

Regards

Karen

[Hidden]

Hi Moni,

The mouth ulcers are quite common with chemo and I suffered badly from them. The nurse who was in charge of my chemo gave me a mouthwash from the hospital which helped quite a bit, it didn't stop them completely. I am unsure what it was called, I think ginseng was in it and I am not sure if it is prescription only. Check with your nurse and if they have no knowledge then please get back to me and I will check it out with my own hospital.

Stick with it and hopefully things will improve.

All the best

Rabbie

[gerim]

Hi Moni,

Sorry you have the mouth ulcers. Do you know the best treatment for mouth ulcers is a heaped spoon of salt dissolved in hot water (hot enough for you to be able to gargle with, but certainly not boiling). My mother always told me to do this - I have the ulcers quite regularly and find that gargling 3 times a day soon heals them. Give it a try, you cant come to any harm with doing this.

Good luck'

Cheers Geri

[scootermod51]

Hi Harry sorry to hear your suffering in this way, as you have found out no doubt it can effect everyone in different ways, some are more severe than others. I am mid treatment currently and had terrible lips in the first cycle and really red and sore hands and feet in the second and third. However I cured the blistered and sore lips having tried about four different products including bongela, with a product called Blistex lip repair. You can get it in the supermarket as well as chemists. In contains some type of menthol product but works a treat. Told my oncologist about it he saw the results and now is recommending it to others!! Give it a try it took couple of days to improve but put loads on when you sleep. Good luck.

Thom

[Harrypalmer in reply to scootermod51]

Hi Thom, sorry to hear that you are also suffering from those pesky little mouth ulcers, they may be small but they hurt like hell. I'm using a straw for drinking liquids and eating soft non spicy foods but what's really bugging me is that it's sore when I talk and I just love to talk although I think my partner is enjoying the peace!!!

Why do you think your hands and feet were red and sore, is it possible that your skin was dehydrated and maybe needed moisturising.

Good luck with the rest of your treatment and keep in touch to let us know how you're getting on. Take care. Moni x

[wendym0302]

My friend used manuka honey as a natural remedy and seemed to do the trick she used this while on chemo for breast cancer.x

[Harrypalmer in reply to wendym0302]

Hi Wendy, funnily enough I nearly bought some today. Stupid question ........ But how did your friend take it did she just take a spoonful or add to a drink or food. The reason I didn't buy a jar is because I remember reading that cancer feeds on sugar but I suppose it's natural. It's probably me being paranoid. Moni x

[Harrypalmer]

Hi guys, Thank you all for your advice and suggestions. Some I have tried but just too painful. Warm water and salt or baking powder are good old fashioned remedies. Spoke to my LSN today and she suggested Difflam mouth wash which I have tried today, stings a little but bearable. Pharmacist also suggested Iglu which is kinder than Bonjela, I also asked if she knew of a mouth wash containing ginseng but she wasn't aware. Because the ulcers are on the inside of my bottom lip I'm not sure about using Blistex only because lady in chemist advised again. To think women pay a fortune for a trout pout and I get one for nothing!!!

Moni x

[wendym0302]

Hi Harry she just coated the affected area straight from the jar spoke to her tonight n she swears by it x. Let me know how u gt on n if u buy some if it worked hope you gt some relief nothing worse thn a sore mouth when ur appetite prob isn't great anyway .xx

[gerim]

Hi again guys,

Manuka honey is wonderful - make sure it is the real thing. I live in NZ, so if you want to order it from here I will find out who you can contact.

In the meantime, do try the salt water gargle Moni, it is an old fashioned remedy, but it is tried and true.

Cheers Geri

[scootermod51]

Hi Harry thank for the words of encouragement, my feet and hands are sore due to the type of chemo I am on but its manageable. On the Blistex front sorry but I should have been more specific. Don't use the ordinary cold sore tube product this is no good and stings, the lip repair is a balm, comes in a small blue pot, trust me try it cleared mine up in two days, and you don't have to worry about the honey and sugar. As part of my treatment I have changed my whole diet, and trust me it is helping stave my tumor and helping the treatment be more effective. No carbs so I have dropped bread, pasta, rice and potatoes. No processed foods ever!! No squashes or coke or sugary drinks. its worth trying trust me I am feeling great and I am in the middle of my third cycle!!

[Harrypalmer in reply to scootermod51]

I shall look for the blue pot tomorrow. I actually bought some very expensive Manuka honey today and was told to take two spoonfuls a day for my well being (ha ha, bit late for that) plus to dab on ulcers , I'm also gargling with warm salt water. If that lot doesn't clear the pesky ulcers up then I give up!

Interesting about your diet, how does dropping the carbs benefit, I always thought that everything in moderation is okay. Are you on veggies and protein only?

Moni x

[jerrold300]

Usually mouth ulcers on chemo are due to lack of B12 vitamin (cobalamin) and, to a lesser measure, folates.

My suggestion, to be discussed with your doctor first, is to

create a reserve of cobalamin in the body by injecting 5000 IU of vitamin B12 + weekly 1000 UI and a daily intake of folic acid (1 tablet 400 mcg)

In 10 years of experience I have seen ulcers ( very painful canker) disappear within 48 - 72 h in 93% of patients, who return to eat everything without difficulty.

Greetings

Claudio

[Harrypalmer in reply to jerrold300]

Thanks for the info Claudio. I had a B12 injection prior to my chemo and take frolic acid daily. At my next appointment I shall ask about taking a daily B12 vitamin as a top-up. Moni x

[Harrypalmer in reply to Harrypalmer]

As you have probably guessed that should read folic acid and not frolic. Although I think it sounds better.

[jerrold300]

Pay attention: not daily. The correct therapy is 2000 mcg injection weekly, after a first 5000 mcg initial injection for more serious mouth ulcers.

[jerrold300]

I forgot to say that the therapy should be adapted accordingly to patients weight. The indications above cited are for weight around 130 lbs. For heavier patients the dose should be increased in proportion

[scootermod51]

Hi Harry despite the cost I would dump the honey its like spoon feeding your condition with what it wants, glucose! I don't know if you had or have heard of PET scan I had one during my diagnosis. You get injected pre scan with a radio active liquid that contains glucose. They use glucose because cancer cells feed off and use more glucose that normal cells. The scan then picks this up. All the carbs I described like bread etc. are turned into glucose first by your body. When you change to a protein dominate diet, your normal cells can switch to adapt through a process called Ketosis, your liver converts fats (from protein) into energy. The great trick is cancer cells can't!! The more you starve them of fuel, glucose, the more effective your treatment can become, it works together. Have a research on line for the trials they are conducting on this process, it was originally developed to help people with epilepsy. If you cant find it mail me your email address and I will send it to you. Good luck with the lip repair.

Thom