| | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 153 "OCF Canuck, across the pond" Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP  "OCF Canuck, across the pond" Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 153 | Hello everybody,
Not long after my radiation/chemo, which ended almost nine months ago (I've not had any surgery in my mouth) I developed what is aptly described as "black furry tongue". I just saw my oncologist and he said this is a fungal infection caused by lack of saliva and particularly an enzyme in the saliva. He proposed a possible remedy.
He said you can use fresh pineapple or very sour apples as well, but he suggested making pineapple juice ice cubes and once a day placing one on the tongue and let it melt. He said this may be pretty challenging, due to the cold and acid. He said that if you do this every day for 4 to 6 weeks you should see a resolution. Also brushing gently with a soft tooth brush regularly, sweeping forward, should help keep the problem at bay.
I will try to report back if I manage this. Anybody ever heard of such a thing? Tried it?
Oh, he also put the scope down my nose and examined me and gave me the "still all clear", which is fantastic. I'll be due for my next CT-scan in late April, at my one-year mark.
Now if I can just find work here in London things will start to really come together.
Cheers,
-Seth
47 yr old male non-smoker, social drinker, fit. Jan'10, Stg3 rt tonsil+rt neck SCC, HPV+, rad+chmo Vancouver Cda. 2yr clear Apr'12 London UK. Apr'13 mets recur to lymph btw left lung & aorta, 3x Cisplatin+5FUchemo+20 rad, was all clear but 6-mo PET-CT shows mets to pleura around left lung, participating in St 1 trial of GDC-0980. GDC lost effect and ended July'14, bad atrial fibrillation requiring hospitalisation, start more standard chemo 10 Sep 2014.
Sadly has passed away, notified Jan 2015.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 507 | I think they called it "hairy tongue".
Like "Thrush" it can be due to antibotics, reduced saliva, yeast infection....
It is benign, but as best I recall, when I had it the "Thrush" med (Nystatin)took care of it.
Don
TXN2bM0 Stage IVa SCC-Occult Primary
FNA 6/6/08-SCC in node<2cm
PET/CT 6/19/08-SCC in 2nd node<1cm
HiRes CT 6/21/08
Exploratory,Tonsillectomy(benign),Right SND 6/23/08
PEG 7/3/08-11/6/08
35 TomoTherapy 7/16/08-9/04/08 No Chemo
Clear PET/CT 11/15/08, 5/15/09, 5/28/10, 7/8/11
| | | | | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | I did and still do brush my tongue and it helps keep it clean.
Take care,
Eileen
----------------------
Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
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