Mouth and tongue sore

[ElayneZ]

This week I will have chemo #12 of weekly taxol - out of 18. Have had a sore in my mouth this weekend and what looks like scratches on my tongue. Feels like scratches in back of tongue too. Lozenges ease it. No temp! Gargling with baking soda and warm water. Used anbesol ointment couple times. Would love to know if over the counter mouth wash or perhaps what helped any of you with this. Dr said she’d give me couple Perscriptions to take for duration of chemo - but there’s so many pills and all have side effects. Anything natural? Numbing rinse sounds like it would help. Thank you!!

[Alifit]

Hi!

Difflam does numbing, although I find it makes me feel like I’ve got lumps in my mouth! I found a Lidocaine gel from Boots for mouth ulcers which works very locally just to get you through a meal.

I had Carbo/caelyx number three last week - sore mouth usually starts around day 12.

We do seem to spend a lot of time finding remedies for the side effects of the drugs we take for the side effects of the drugs that should be making us better don’t we?! 😄

Hope you get some relief - ask your team to help.

Good luck, Ali x

[ElayneZ in reply to Alifit]

Thank you Ali! And yes we sure do spend time finding remedies for various side effects for the various drugs. 😳

[Maus123]

Hi Elayne. Love your avatar by the way.

Hm I don't have that much experience with mouth ulcers except for some soreness all around, hyper sensitivity on my tongue and a very small sore or two in my cheek during chemo. Overall not too bad. Treated (prevented where possible) them with Glandomed mouthwash and OraLife gel but can't say whether those are available in the UK, nor whether they'd actually be effective for you.

Hope those sores are not keeping you from eating and that they will recede soon. All the best. Maus

[ElayneZ in reply to Maus123]

Thank you Maus! I’m in California. I’m heading to pharmacy in the morning. Mostly it’s a very sore white tongue - feels/looks scratched. Back of throat has felt scratched and sore for few days. Chemo nurse mentioned couple Perscriptions- I’m really hoping to find something helpful without side effects. Thanks for your reply. Blessings!

[Alifit in reply to ElayneZ]

Get the pharmacist to look at your tongue - if it’s white it may be thrush. The mouthwash I mentioned may not be called Difflam where you are - it’s main ingredient is Benzydamine.

Ali x

[ElayneZ in reply to Alifit]

Thank you Ali!! Blessings!

[Carpag]

Hello perhaps you could try using toothpaste that doesn't contain SLS .The one I use also contains some Teatree. You could also try gargling with a soluble aspirin that really helps any soreness. There is also a mouth was called Raspberry Mucilage you can only get it on prescription though. Hope this will help

[Eriksendi]

I used corsodyl mouthwash throughout my chemo and managed to stay ulcer free. I did get thrush in my mouth though and had to have liquid nyastan on prescription not sure if it was connected. I was also advised to get a very soft toothbrush and change it regularly.

[ElayneZ in reply to Eriksendi]

Thank you. Nyastan was one prescription chemo nurse mentioned. She felt the scratched white looking tongue was likely thrush. Thanks for your response. Blessings!

[Neona]

I was prescribed Difflam by the chemo unit and it worked well. Also use Sensodyne toothpaste.

[ElayneZ in reply to Neona]

Thank you! Heard here in the states difflam is available otc. I’ve heard it worked well from others I’m hoping to find it when I go to the pharmacy today.

[JayGeeCee]

Hi Elayne l livein France and was prescribed bicarbonate solution to use from the word go as a preventative. It has been very successful- now I’m on Avastin so don’t need it all the time, but if I have a sore throat or tingling on my tongue I use it still.

Hope you get sorted soon

Joy 👅

[ElayneZ in reply to JayGeeCee]

Thank you Joy. Good to read bicarbonate solution has worked for you! Blessings!

[TarbonNZ]

Hi. From NZ, so not sure if you have something similar, but I had multiple mouth/tongue ulcers recently, and the thing that worked for me in the end was a natural Alpine Manuka mouth wash. I had tried everything and could hardly manage to eat it was so painful.

[Pili111]

Hi my dr prescribed me the miracle mouthwash. Here in the USA

[Hidden]

I think Difflam Mouth wash was very effective for me or the basic lukewarm salt and water. You can get a paste if you get large ulcers. If does help a lot.

[ElayneZ in reply to Hidden]

None of our local pharmacies will mix ingredients for the Magic Mouthwash. So Dr called them in individually so I will pick them up and mix myself.