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Sore throat and no voice ... any advice?

Veronica08 profile image
10 Replies

After each chemo I get blisters in my mouth and throat. Useally goes away within a week using swish and spit medicine and salt n baking soda gargle. . But 11 days later still no voice and blisters are still here. At a loss. I am fearful I'm not gonna get my voice back.

We'll it's

now Tuesday (day 12) and still no voice. This worries me so.

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Veronica08
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daf10 profile image
daf10

Yes, chemotherapy can affect the quality of a patient's voice. The most common reason this happens is because of weakness; if chemotherapy makes a patient weak in general, the voice may become quieter, deepen, or become "throatier." Some patients also develop problems speaking because of dry mouth, which can make the voice sound hoarse or whispery. Mouth sores can also make it harder to talk.

Mouth sores caused by chemotherapy treatment usually begins and go away within two or three weeks after stopping chemotherapy. The mouth sores usually reach their peak around the seventh day after chemotherapy treatment ends. If the discomfort is severe, your doctor may recommend other techniques for reducing your risk of mouth sores, such as:

Cold therapy (cryotherapy). If you're receiving fluorouracil, sometimes called 5-FU, or melphalan (Alkeran) as part of your chemotherapy treatment, it might help to swish ice chips or cold water around in your mouth for the first half-hour of your treatments. The cold limits the amount of the drug that reaches your mouth, reducing your risk of mouth sores.

Medication to repair mouth cells. Palifermin (Kepivance) stimulates the growth of cells on the surface of your mouth. If the cells of your mouth recover quickly, you're less likely to experience severe mouth sores.

Palifermin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in people with leukemia and lymphoma who receive bone marrow transplants.

Tell your doctor if you develop any sensitivity in your mouth or notice any sores forming. Your doctor may recommend treatments, such as:

Coating agents. These medications coat the entire lining of your mouth, forming a film to protect the sores and minimize the pain you might feel while eating or drinking.

Topical painkillers. These medications can be applied directly to your mouth sores. Your mouth may feel numb when using painkillers, so be careful when eating or brushing your teeth because you won't be able to feel if you're causing more injury to your mouth. the following information was found on the Mayo Clinic website

Best of luck

daf10 profile image
daf10 in reply to daf10

There is a cold cap peer here on the SHARE breast helpline who had one during treatment. She said that it was expensive and a real pain Giving the choice to do it again she said that she would. Ii could arrange for you to be in contact with her so you can hear what she has to say about having a cold cap Simply go to the SHARE website

Veronica08 profile image
Veronica08 in reply to daf10

Ty so much. very helpful. hopefully I'll get my voice back. got another chemo coming up next week. And as of now no voice so I'm so worried about how it's gonna affect it. I feel like I'm never gonna get to talk again. :(

Veronica08 profile image
Veronica08 in reply to daf10

Ty so much for all the helpful advice. got another chemo next week and still don't have a voice. worried about loosing my voice forever. :( Haven't been able to talk since Dec 1st. and mouth and throat are still full of blisters. :( guess it's come time to make flash cards for answers and questions. lol Ty again for all your help. <3

Veronica08 profile image
Veronica08 in reply to daf10

Ty so much

daf10 profile image
daf10 in reply to Veronica08

Any time

daf10 profile image
daf10

I wrote to my volunteers and one of them suggesting sucking on ginger candy You might want to try ginger tea or ginger crystals Ginger has a soothing medicinal quality which might be able to soothe those sore spots.

Veronica08 profile image
Veronica08 in reply to daf10

I have gin gins candy and honey suckered drinking licorice root tea with honey n lemon, plus doing the NYSTATAN swish n spit.

At a loss voice been gone since December 1st.

daf10 profile image
daf10

It sounds like you are doing everything possible to help alleviate your condition. From what others have told me the solution lies with home remedies. There is a web site breastcancer.org which has a message board There are many entries posted about mouth sores and loss of voice.

Veronica08 profile image
Veronica08 in reply to daf10

Ty so much

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