Can somebody please help me recall the name of the Medicine for saliva production?
My FIL has started having problems with eating dry food about 4 months post IMRT. If possible please provide generic name or link.
Thanks:-)
My husband used Evocax. I think it helped some, but what helped the most was time. I think it took a good year before he was happy w/ his saliva...and, it continued to improve even after the year mark.
Believe me if there was a product out there that really increased saliva production post Tx we would all be using it.
I used Salagen for a couple of years. Downside is perspiring for several minutes about 30 minutes after you take it. It does work.
Take care,
Eileen
The evocax didn't cause any excess perspiration for Dan. It's really hard to tell how effective it was because his mouth was so damaged when he was taking it. I think it helped, but he had to take it 4 times a day around the clock.
Hi margaret I believe you meant to spell evoxac, I am just correcting in case anyone is browsing the topic.
I believe you are right...it's been a while. Thanks for the correction. :-)
SALAGEN � or the generic pilocarpine is probably what you are looking for
Evoxac is fairly new, according to my r.t. doc, and she wants me to keep her aprised of how it's working. It seems to help but not to the degree where I can eat normally yet. Just enough to have a little moisture in my mouth.
I have been using Evoxac for 3 months now and I can tell a difference. It is helping with the dry mouth and I can now sleep all night with out waking to needa drink. I would recomend it to anyone to try. BB
Is it on the market yet Talbill? I would sure get some. I get dry that the Saraha seems like a lake. LOL
Jim,
It's a prescription. Our family doc gave Dan a bunch of samples and wrote the prescription. I do think it made him much more comfortable at night. He stopped taking it after about 3 or 4 months post treatment as his saliva started to get better.
Margaret it is strange because my FIL didn't get dry mouth until a few months after treatment....
Dan took a few steps forward and one back through many months of his recovery.
Does your FIL run a humidifier near his bed when he sleeps?
Perhaps he should give the medication a try.
I have a large humidifier by my bedroom door. It helps some, but my mouth is dry anyway. It relieves the dryness in my nose tho,. Thanks Margaret, I will contact my DR today and see about getting a script.
I strongly doubt that they have humidifiers in India, and if they do, are incredibly expensive. I wanted to get an air purifier during papa's imrt and they don't have those either. We would have to ship one and get a converter for that, and explain how to maintain it and clean it to my in laws who have never heard of such a thing. Not really feasible in other words.
A humidifier runs about $30-$35, is very light weight plastic and should ship easily. It will need a converter and plenty of clean water. It's not difficult to use or maintain. You fill it with clean water and turn it on. Have him set it along side his bed. Depending on size, it will run about 8 hours before it runs out of water, then turn it off. I cleaned mine with ammonia and white vinegar about once a month. The one problem he might have is getting filters. You would probably have to send them to him.
Take care,
Eileen
I would bet a vaporizer would help him a lot and they are pretty cheap.
We are working on it; if it really does seem like a good idea to you all, it is worth the hassle. We most likely would send our own humidifier to India and have them use a converter. Papa has enough of a routine as it is trying to take care of himself so I think we would prefer a humidifier over a vaporizer.
I can't say enough good things about the humidifier. It made a huge difference for my husband...especially at night. I had a hard time finding one in summer until I went to Walgreen's. They had humidifiers near the cold and flu medications.
My husband kept his going for a year until his saliva was good enough to allow him to get a full night's sleep on his own.
We have a SOLD right here margaret:-) I am getting papa a humidifier LOL
WHOO HOO! Your FIL will love it! :-)
You are one great daughter-in-law!
How's the humidity in India where he lives? I thought India had high relative humidity? My point is we don't need humidifiers here in Central or South Fl.
OMG David, as much as you love the humidity...I figured you would have one running even when our Florida atmosphere is at 100% humidity?? Go figure.
We got 2 inches of rain yesterday..whoo hoo!
Deb
LOL
Hey, if it wasn't for my dear sweet can't say enough about her darling wife, I would never turn the A/C on. My body is just comfortable in hot and humid conditions. It's those brutal sub 60 temps that are so cruel to me. Throw me on a tropical island and let me live like Crusoe would be my dream especially with some BBB's.
We got about an inch here in Gulfport. Man I hope it's the early start to a great rainy season.
David the humidity in India depends on the part of India; there is desert, jungle, and mountains with snow, depending on where you are. Where my FIL lives, it's often over 100 in the summer and in the winder it's down to the 40 and 50s: he is near new deli. As for humidity it depends on the weather: if it gets hot enough the humidity skedaddles but it is generally south india that is more humid anyways. I'd equate the humidity in his location to someplace like texas.
Margaret, I just wanted to thank you for your enthusiasm. It really got me going today:-D It's unusual on this forum.
anyways....
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For sure and so would I but was just thinking that anything is better than nothing. I have always had a humidifer .Always had a dehumidifier too.
Martin had a nebulizer which he used 4/5 times a day and it helped a lot. it helped relieve the dryness in his mouth and nose at least for a little while. Unfortunately it was only on loan from the hospital and they wanted it back.
I must say I used it too, and as i have mild asthma it felt like heaven!
Are the humidfiers for the room or is it for individual use like for the nebulizer?
Cecilia, humidifiers are meant to do a room. They do a good job of adding humidity. You do have to follow cleaning instructions so you don't start growing mold etc. My parents have one for my mother who has dry mouth. She seems helped by it.
Thanks, that's a great. I'll suggest to Martin we should buy one.
Just buy some swimming pool algaecide by the gallon to treat the humidifier, it's much cheaper than the bottle for humiddifiers and is the same thing only you get a lot more in the gallons for same money I bought a gllon before winter started this year and I still have some in it.
Thats a great idea Jim. I'll remember that. Thanks
Chlorine is toxic so be careful of the bleach. Thetr is no odor in the algecide if used in the amount recommended. Just one gallon treats 50,000 gallons of water. Takes just a very small amount for a humdifier.
You are very welcome sweetpea SIR
Just about any of these chemicals can be toxic if used in the wrong proportions. We use bleach diluted to drops to a gallon of water (depending upon the strength of the beach) as a very effective and cheap sanitizer in the restaurant.
David,
Have you heard of electrolized water? It's pretty amazing, what it can do: I just figured you'd be interested if you haven't, I apologize for it being off topic:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_17014.cfm
Marma,
Not to go off topic but yes we have and the Fl Dept of Health is not sold on it yet so it's not approved to be used by restaurants and as you have read it's quite expensive to start up with; it requires constant testing and quickly becomes ineffective. None of those traits are suitable in a restaurant environment. Heck I'm lucky if I can get my employees to push the right button to dispense a pre measured portion of dishwashing detergent without blowing the kitchen up.
I was wondering, if any one of you have heard about "GC DRY MOUTH GEL" It is a relatively new product from GC America. It is comparable to MI paste, only it helps with dry mouth & MI paste does not. So it offers the same benefits in caries prevention by remineralization of teeth and also helps with dry mouth.
Only way to get this is from your dentist & not many dental offices have it, but ask your dentists about it. I have heard good feedback from patients who use it. As compared to other products,it tastes better and it is alcohol and sugar free.
Sara,
What are you a State Chapter Coordinator for?
Thank you so much for pointing that David. I forgot to put the name of state. So much for getting accustomed to the shortcuts that everything seems understood. But I am fixing it right now.
After reading some of your other posts I kind of came to that conclusion but since you only had 6 posts I couldn't be sure. You sound like you may have a medical background?
Unfortunately I don't get to spend much time in the forums, But if I ever found I can share some information on some topic which can help anyone, I will make time. You guessed it right David, I do have some medical/dental background, and have special interest in establishing the overall health module in dental offices.
Well we welcome you to our family and help away.