Hi Ladies - all advice greatly appreciated. Day 12 following first chemo.In the last few days mouth ulcers are appearing with a vengeance - can i ask?
i was given corsodyl at chemo not difflam, any views? worth changing or not?
should i be using mouthwash throughout, as a preventative or just for the symptoms when they come?
Can the mouthwash be used alongside the nystan i was prescribed for thrush ( mouth not sore anymore with thrush symptoms )
Any other fab suggestions to get rid of the things, how can something so tiny be so painful!
Really appreciate if you can help
Lynn
Hello Lynn so sorry you are suffering.
My Onc suggested using a salt water mouth wash. 1 teaspoon of salt to one pint of boiled, cooled water. I used this at the first sign of a sore mouth and it really did the trick. Not sure if you’ve already got mouth ulcers though.
Sheila x
Hi Lynn, sorry to here your suffering from a sore mouth I was also told about the gargling with salty water. If you put half a teaspoonful of salt in a glass of warm water it shouldnt hurt your mouth too much, sloosh it round and then spit out. Do this about three times a day. Hope things get better.
Anne x
When Janet had this trouble with Taxotere, she found that paracetamol syrup given by the hospital was really helpful. I think it also contains a local anaesthetic, which gives immediate relief from the pain. It doesn’t get rid of the ulcers, but it does relieve a lot of the symptoms Perhaps you could ask you Oncologist or Breast Care Nurse about it.
She was given Difflam, and found that quite effective, but I don’t know whether it is better or worse that the one you have.
I have been using Oraldene every morning my onc gave me a prescription for this, it´s the alcohol free one, and I found as soon as the sores start this works immediately…
Good luck…
Love Teresa xxx
Hi I saw a post about Manuka honey. I’ve been eating a teaspoon everyday. Supposed to be really good for your immune system and good for mouth ulcers. Think it’s worth getting the high rated one. I’ve got 20+ which I got off the internet, it’s expensive but I figure if it helps it’s worth it.
Kells
x
oh, no. so sorry you are suffering so much with your mouth! I did when i was on FEC too.
What seemed to help me was - corsodyl mouth wash, difflam, oralbase, fluconizole tablets (thrush). I found that if i took all of them, right through the cycle- not just when needed, it did help a bit. Can you have a word with your chemo nurse? thats who advised me to take them all the time.
Also, have you tried pineapple? Was told about it at the Chemo clinic. Free pineapple juice, into ice cube trays, and suck when needed. Also use pineapple juice like a mouth wash,
hope you feel easier soon,
eva
Corosdyl and oraldene are antibacterial mouthwashes and will help to prevent any ulcers getting infected which makes them more painful. Difflam is an antiinflammatory mouthwas which will help to reduce the swelling etc and both can be used together, although at different times to avoid countering their effectiveness. Has your oncologist prescribed Gelclair for you? It comes in sachets and you dilute it with luke warm water and rinse round your mouth and it coats the sore mucosa and cools it down. It doesnt contain any antibacterial agents so doesnt sting. We prescribe it to patients who have mucositis due to chemo and it seems to help. It isnt is the BMF yet so if they need to prescribe it they just need to write Gelclair x21 sachets. The pharmacist may need to order it in. Google it and see what you think - our patients like it.
Hi Lynn
Sorry to hear you are in discomfort, I personally used difflam twice a day throughout my chemo and didn’t get any ulcers, hope this helps
Ann x
Hi
Like Eva I found the best thing for my mouth was pineapple. I got fresh pineapple, cut it into chunks then froze it and sucked it when mouth sore. I have also read recommendations of using pineapple juice as mouthwash.
Hope it’s better soon.
Anne x
Hi Lynn,
I had 10 mouth ulcers with my first chemo…I did get on top of the situation by the second one… Salt water rinse 3-5 times a day…Difflam taken just before you’re about to eat…I was on mashed potato and smoothies…corosdly if you want but diluted 50/50…I just stuck to salt water as it was gentler on the mouth and tasted better… always take nystatin from about 3rd day after chemo… another one is to take your own ice cubes in a tub when you go for chemo and you can suck them when you are getting chemo, stops mouth ulcers developing…I only ever had ulcers that first time but I think sticking to my little regime helped keep them away…I was only on Nystatin and salt water from about 3rd chemo onwards…
Fiona xx
I found that difflam and Gelclair really helped my mouth. I have a tendency to get ulcers anyway but while I was on chemo they were 10x worse.
Nicky x
Hi, I had a really sore mouth with ulcers after my 1st FEC, I bought various thing from the chemist, but then my Onc gave me Difflam to rinse with twice a day and Fluconazole tablets to take. These have helped, although the Difflam feels like its burning my mouth at times. I also bought a soft toothbrush as my electric one was so painful to use, and some childrens fruity toothpaste as my usual minty one again feels like its burning the hell out of my mouth.
I agree with other about the pineapple, but like mine in ice lolly form, so I can just suck on it.
I havent tried this but a lady I met at chemo, said she liked to drink really cold milk as it was nice and soothing.
Jane x
Hi,
I too have had mouth ulcers, have had 3 x FEC and get them on day 11 after each cycle, in fact my 3rd treatment they postoned for a week cos of the ulcers, I was really fed up but gave me a vested interest in trying to get rid of them! They also reduced my 3rd dose of fec by 20% because of them.
Here are my tips, I tried gelclair and also corlan pellets both recommended by the chemo team but neither did anything for me. I use difflam every day, just swig it from the bottle, find that really helps especially when eating difficult. I have also used frador past few days-its a red stuff you paint on with a cotton bud, excruciating painful but does help to heal them-get from chemist. I also use a soft toothbrush and got a toothpaste called squiggle from a website recommended on this forum and that really helps, think it has less additives, may be able to get something similar from holland and barrat
Also suck ice lollies regularly.
Good luck with them!
love Janey x