I am 19 weeks post treatment and have been taking Pilocarpine. My Doctor told me that it would take one month before I'd feel results and he was right. After a month I now am producing saliva. Not constantly but for a significant time after taking a pill.

Interestingly, neither my Radiation Doc nor my Chemo Doc prescribed it. The ENT Doc that I saw for follow up did.

I certainly recommend the Pilocarpine, I tried four different Acupuncture protocols without success and having a totally dry mouth has been very depressing. The saliva produced is not enough to assist in eating solid foods but does provide a level of comfort.

Thanks. I never used Pilocarpine, but glad it helped you with dry mouth,

Pilocarpine is also known as saligen.

Doesn't it make you sweat like crazy? (I have not tried it)

Why wouldn't this be prescribed to all head/neck cancer patients?
I haven't heard anything about it.

I tried it and didnt like it. Being female and trying this medication in the summer didnt work out so great for me. As we all know.... girls DONT sweat (or any other stinky bodily function). The medication made me sweat like a pig even when I was just sitting there in an air conditioned room. I quit taking it shortly after trying it due to the sweating side effect.

Mike, just like everything not all doctors will have the foresight to prescribe this or many other helpful medications/medical equipment. Thats another reason why this forum is so helpful.

Pilocarpine, Saligen, only helps if there is some saliva production left in the salivary gland to help stimulate more production. In some cases, radiation wipes them out completely, so these meds do not work on them.

Lefty: Yes, pilocarpine does help some patients. I'm glad it worked where the acupuncture did not. It's been so long, I've forgotten to post about using it. Heck I even forgot how many times a day I took it and that it helped. (reason for editing this post). guess chemobrain is more of an issue than I realized.
In this thread Pilocarpine - 2008 , there is an interesting post that leaving your flouride trays in at night will also increase saliva.
Of course now that I can't swallow at all, I have more than enough saliva - but having extensive surgery and then extra radiation to destroy your constrictor muscles is never going to be a popular remedy for dry mouth.
Charm

Thanks, all. No, It doesn't make me sweat but temps have been below freezing for three weeks.

Re: Chemobrain. At first I thought it seemed to be a temporary effect. Now that I've read that it is destruction of nerve tissue, a kin to neuropathy, I realize how greatly I have been affected by it.

Another thing that the Docs don't tell you before one undergoes treatment.

I noticed this post on Pilocarpine. I have been on it for 6 years. at first the dosage was 7mg x 3 day right before meals, and I would break out in sweats, my hair would get soaked. I asked my ENT if a different dose was available and he put me on 5mg 4 times a day. really cut back on the sweats and left a dose to take right before bed.