#48318 06-11-2007 01:40 AM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 22 Member | OP Member Joined: May 2007 Posts: 22 | I have about two dozen small white "blisters" on the inside of my lips and parts of my tongue that are very painful. Also, the insides of my lips are red and swollen, while my gums are normal. Anybody know what to do to get rid of these? And is there anything I take to kill the pain?
I finished my first week of treatment last Friday and began to get symptoms of thrush that night: tongue totally white and lips stinging. Took 150 mg Fluconazone tablet and tongue was better the next morning but I went to see my local doctor who confirmed the thrush and gave me Nystatin. Took both for the last two days and now tongue is clear but I have these small "blisters" that are quite painful.
What have people done about these?
Thanks, David
Age 60, SCC Right Tongue Base DX - CT scan 4/9/2007 Tongue biopsy 4/19; Neck diss 5/8 T1N2bM0G3 IMRT x48 [2/day] to start 6/7 w/ 5-FU, hydroxyurea & Erbitux
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#48319 06-11-2007 03:41 AM | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 168 Gold Member (100+ posts) | Gold Member (100+ posts) Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 168 | I didn't get noticeable blisters but had thrush most of the time after about the 4th week. My docs pit me on dyflucan either oral or pill just according to how my throat felt. Dyflucan and fluconazol are the same. Good luck
Lee, age 33, stage 4a, T2N2bM0, Tumor left tonsil (removed), 2 left side nodes removed (poorly differientiatied)total of 3 nodes involved. Treatment IMRT x33/ 2x Cysplatin completed. Good Health and Good Help to you. Lee
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#48320 06-11-2007 04:23 AM | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 137 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: May 2006 Posts: 137 | The blisters may be mucositis, but the end of the first week of rad might be too early for that. Did your doc say the 'blisters' were from the thrush? I used lidocaine, liquid vicodin and the duragesic patch to get through the worst of the mouth sores. Fortunately, they're short lived.
dx 2/13/06. modified radical neck dissection 3/9/06 multiple biopsies of upper airway and direct laryngoscopy. 1 of 47 lymph nodes positive for metastatic undifferentiated carcinoma (lymphoepithelioma). Unknown primary. Finished radiation 5/24/06.
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#48321 06-11-2007 04:24 AM | Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 176 Senior Member (100+ posts) | Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Feb 2007 Posts: 176 | David,
Are you using dental trays? I found that wraping gauze over my teeth and gums would help. I was told that the sores are from the scattering of the radiation bouncing off your teeth and fillings. The wraping will absorb the scattering. Good luck.
Rob J.
6-05, Left Tonsil-T1N2bM0 stageIVA, chemo(Cisplatin), radiation(6660cGy), neck disection, no PEG. HPV negative. (Doc suspects posit) 3-9-09 last of 30 HBO treatments.
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#48322 06-11-2007 08:04 AM | 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 David.
Sounds like the mucositis I had. The RO put me on something they called "magic swizzle" which had a numbing effect to it. They also upped my pain meds to help me get through it.
After it was over, the doctor told me that I had the worse case of mucositis he had ever seen.
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 | | |
#48323 06-11-2007 08:36 AM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 22 Member | OP Member Joined: May 2007 Posts: 22 | Thanks for all the good advice.
I am using dental shields, but I will try the gauze too -- can't hurt to have both.
My doc just emailed me back that the "blisters" may be a response to the 5-FU chemo I'm also on.
He wants me to continue the diflucan for a total of 14 days for the thrush, but he's lowering the dosage from 150/mg to 100/mg per day. And he's adding a prescription for the "Magic Mouthwash" rinse. And he also said that a lip balm with aloe vera would help ease the pain of the blisters.
Reading on the OCF dental pages made me think this was mucositis...but I don't know if there's anything more I can do beyond the diflucan, the Magic Mouthwash, and the lip balm...and pain meds.
Right now I'm feeling very discouraged that this has hit me so early in my treament. I've read about others who've suffered from this but it seemed that it azrrived in the 3rd or 4th week. It's very upsetting....
Age 60, SCC Right Tongue Base DX - CT scan 4/9/2007 Tongue biopsy 4/19; Neck diss 5/8 T1N2bM0G3 IMRT x48 [2/day] to start 6/7 w/ 5-FU, hydroxyurea & Erbitux
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#48324 06-11-2007 01:00 PM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 61 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | Supporting Member (50+ posts) Joined: May 2007 Posts: 61 | Hi David-
I also had those blisters and just upped the pain meds. I also took Diflucan for thrush & just had to wait it out. I feel for you tho cuz I remember those blister. You will get thru it. Just ask for pain meds.....
SCC-tongueT3N0M0- IMRT 35times-1/07-3/07; along with one cycle of Cisplat & one cycle of Carboplat; weekly erbitux.finished all tx.3/07-supposedly gone. Recurrence 6/07. Age 31-non-smoker/social drinker. Devastated it's back.
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#48325 06-15-2007 11:10 AM | Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 27 Contributing Member (25+ posts) | Contributing Member (25+ posts) Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 27 | Hi David
My mouth sores began after the 1st week of radiation. I also had a case of thrush which diflucan cleard up pretty nicely. I wish I had a good fix for the mouth sores but I don't. Mine just get progressivly worse. The inside of my lips and under my tongue are the bad spots. They aren't particularly painful. I do use a lot of magic mouthwash. I have 6 more radiation treatments left. I'll just tough it out.
I hope things go well for you.
marilyn
dx: Stage 3 T2N2aM0 Left tonsil, base of tongue, 1 left node. HPV positive. tx: Tonsilectomy (left) then Cisplatin x2, Erbitux x7, IMRT x35 Phase 3 clinical trial. Completed 6/28/07
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#48326 06-15-2007 12:51 PM | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,676 | David, ask your Doc if he will allow you to try Lidocaine 2% viscous mouth rince and Rincinol P.R.N. to see if either will help [in conjunction with the other stuff you are using]. These did give John relief from some of the same things you are dealing with. Amy in the Ozarks
CGtoJohn:SCC Flr of Mouth.Dx 3\05. Surg.4\05.T3NOMO.IMRTx30. Recur Dx 1\06.Surg 2\06. Chemo: 4 Cycles of Carbo\Taxol:on Erbitux for 7 mo. Lost our battle 2-23-07- But not the will to fight this disease
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#48327 06-16-2007 04:11 AM | Joined: May 2007 Posts: 24 Member | Member Joined: May 2007 Posts: 24 | Hi
I used gelclair for the mucous and sores it worked really good for the sores I am still getting the mucous. Ask your oncologist about it.
good luck
SCC T3N1 right side tongue DX7/24/06 44 yrs old Tx 42 IMRT started 9/01/06 Cysplatin & 5fu 2x treatment ended 10/31/06. Partial neck discection 3/07 on right side. Had tracheostomy 4/08. Had total Laryngectomy 6/09
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