Hi all, I just discovered this board and-wow-I wish I'd found it 8 years ago when my mom was first diagnosed! My family always felt we were the only people out there dealing with oral cancer...so not true!

My question is this - due to surgery/radiation, my mom has very little saliva, a problem I'm sure is shared by many OC patients. Eating, talking and swallowing are always more difficult when there is less humidity (i.e. winter in the midwest, where she lives). I've just recently moved to Colorado where the air is *really* *really* dry almost all the time. My mom loves Colorado and would dearly like to come visit me while she is on a break from chemo (cancer reoccured a few years back). But she's worried about the climate. Anyone have experiences living/visit dry climates with a dry mouth problem? Did you notice it much? Tips for dealing with it? She drinks a lot of water and chews a lot of biotene gum, which works reasonably well where she is. Any other ideas?

Thanks so much!

I am in Kansas City. All I did is carry my water bottle all the time and use humilifier in my bed room during winter. Winter is always tough for me.

Light10,

Welcome to OCF -- I'm glad you found us, even though it's a bit later than you might have wanted.

With our climate here in the northeast, I find I have to keep a humidifier going constantly from late November through early April to keep the air in the house at a moderately tolerable level. Has your mother tried any prescription medication (such as Salagen or Evoxac) to boost her saliva? Some people find one or the other of those to be helpful -- I've been on Salagen steadily for about 16 years. I also use Biotene mouthwash and oral spray.

My salivary function has improved quite a bit in the years since the end of radiation. I hope your mother can get some of hers back as well.

Cathy

Light10,

I live in Fort Collins, Colorado, and fight the dry air all the time. The humidifier makes a huge difference. We install them on our furnaces here. It isn't uncommon to have single digit humidity here in the winter, but your inside climate can be easily humidified. The moisture even helps your wood furniture and floors. We also run a portable humidifier in the bedroom at night.

If she comes to visit you be aware of the sun. We are about a mile high here. The higher altitude gets you lots closer to sunburn, with less atmosphere to protect you. She gets enough radiation in treatment - don't let the sun contribute to it. Sun hats and sun screen are required!! Be strong. Tom

Hi.
We're also in Colorado. My husband is 3 years out from treatment. He relies on Oral Balance mouth moisturizing gel, sugarless gum, and his constant water bottle.

Anita

Thanks everyone - that was really helpful. Especially from the Coloradans...nice to know people make do with dry mouth in this area. I'm bet we can get my little apartment humidified in no time with a cool-air humidifier.

And good advice on the sun protection - it's something my family has always taken seriously (my grandfather and stepgrandfather both died of melanomma), and my mom has taken quite militantly post-radiation . I imagine you've seen the UV-protecting clothing, hats, etc.? If not, and you're interested, I can pass on a catalog link.

Thanks again everybody!

What type of lack of humidity am I to expect in Boulder and the Rockies in July? We are scheduled to go out to a wedding and lack of humidty could be an extreme problem for me. I thought the high mountian air would be cool and moist. Tell me what to expect.

Thanks,
Eileen

Hi Eileen, I just saw your message

I live in Boulder and, as you probably gathered, my mother had OC and now dry mouth but I do not - so no first hand accounts from me.

It is typically very dry in Boulder. The summers are usually quite warm (80s-90s) during the day, although it gets rapidly cooler as you climb into the mountains. I'd guess the humidity hovers around 20% or less, and the mountains are no wetter (possibly even drier). It's how we get the dry powdery snow skiiers ador. To see current relative humidity and compare to your area, try the NOAA site: www.noaa.gov , one of the few weather sites I've found that lists relative humidity.

Sorry not the bring better news, but that's probably what to expect. We've joked about getting my mom a bubble hat like astronauts have so she can breathe humidified air while in Colorado... On the other hand, Boulder and the mountains are beutiful, the sun is almost always shining (protect yourself!), the sky crystal clear (that lack of humidity...) and there are people with dry mouth issues - see posts above - who manage to live in this climate. I hope you can manage to come and enjoy what the area has to offer!