| | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 48 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | OP  Contributing Member (25+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 48 | dose anyone use a humidifier at night to help moisten their nose and mouth for sleeping and if so how does it work for you. whith the colder weather coming and the dry air i'm having trouble with my nose drying out and not being able to breath. if i breath through my mouth it just dries it out even more. I can't sleep now as is. I can only get about 5-6 hrs of sleep a nite. should I be on sleep meds? pat
Last edited by patrick2128; 09-18-2011 11:32 AM.
dx mucoideperdermoid stage 1 .9cm tumor removed from
lower left tongue 5-3-11 rad 5-31-11 till 8-10-11 three weeks off in june 9 days in hospital healing mouth from radiation burns. 33 days of radiation.wife is caregiver
peg tube july 7-11 age 59 male.
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2011 Posts: 945 | The humidifier worked well for my husband last winter. I just got it out again (thanks for reminding me) as the weather is getting cooler and the furnace is on. Ours is a Honeywell Invisible Mist Humidifier. You might also try the various Biotene products. Good luck!
CG to husband - SCC Tonsil T1N2M0 HPV+ Never Smoker
First symptoms 7/2010, DX 12/2010
TX 40 IRMT (1.8 gy) + 10 Cetuximab
PET Scans 6/2011 + 3/2012 clear, 5 year physical exam clear; chest CT's clear of cancer. On thyroid pills. Life is good.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,671 | Patrick - My son used a humidifier plus a plant mister (spray bottle for plants with a finer spray than regular spray bottles) which he would spray his mouth with and allowed him to not wake up fully and get back to sleep. For a while he also slept in a recliner.
Anne-Marie
CG to son, Paul (age 33, non-smoker) SCC Stage 2, Surgery 9/21/06, 1/6 tongue Rt.side removed, +48 lymph nodes neck. IMRTx28 completed 12/19/06. CT scan 7/8/10 Cancer-free! ("spot" on lung from scar tissue related to Pneumonia.)
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | "OCF Canuck" Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Dec 2010 Posts: 5,264 Likes: 5 | Me too - I used a humidifier ! It helped . Try it see if it works for you. Sleep meds are up to you. It depends on what is keeping you up. Is it pain? Discomfort? Dry mouth? Sleep meds may help but are you feeling over tired? Sometimes if you sleep a lot during the day you're just not tired. If you figure out why you can't sleep then maybe you can fiure out a solution without using sleep meds. Take care!
Cheryl : Irritation - 2004 BX: 6/2008 : Inflam. BX: 12/10, DX: 12/10 : SCC - LS tongue well dif. T2N1M0. 2/11 hemigloss + recon. : PND - 40 nodes - 39 clear. 3/11 - 5/11 IMRT 33 + cis x2, PEG 3/28/11 - 5/19/11 3 head, 2 chest scans - clear(fingers crossed) HPV-, No smoke, drink, or drugs, Vegan
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 19 Member | | Member
Joined: Sep 2011 Posts: 19 | That sounds like a really good idea and will suggest that to my husband, he also uses a humidifier.
CG to husband Rob - Stage IVA Squamous cancer of the left tonsil - T2Na- 8 weeks radiation, 3 weeks Chemo. Smoker, drinker, HPV & Epstein Barre
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | I have used a humidifier in cold months as well as the dehumidifier in hot ones. I just put 4 new filters in the hunidifier for when the furnaces starts running. This is a necessity as far as I am concerned and sure makes breathing much easuer. In stead of buying the humidifier treatment, buy Pool Algacide buy the gallon and save a few bucks. Just don't overadd it. It's actually Chlorine.
Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
| | | | | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 622 Likes: 1 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: May 2007 Posts: 622 Likes: 1 | Hi Patrick
I found that a humidifier was absolutely essential and still use one to this day. I started with the Cool Mist units, graduated to the warm mist ones (worked MUCH better) and finally had one installed in my central AC/Heating system. No need for it during the summer but it gets really dry in the winter when it is not operating. The other benefits, no more static electricity and shocking myself every-time I walk across the carpet, and I can keep the thermostat set at a cooler temperature and still be very comfortable.
Kevin
18 YEAR SURVIVOR
SCC Tongue (T3N0M0) diag 06/2006.
No evidence of disease 2010
Another PET 12-2014 pre-HBO, still N.E.D.
�Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. It matters that you don't just give up.�
Stephen Hawking | | |
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