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#54147 12-16-2003 12:23 PM
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Hi Ladies and Gents

Have a question, how do you all handle that "nighttime dry mouth" syndrome. Like when you wake up and your tongue is stuck to the roof of your mouth. Been going through a dry spell/low humidity spell, and having that problem lately. During the day of course, drinking plenty of water, etc, but at night, 'nother story.

Guess the obvious answer is "drink water when you wake up with dry mouth" but wondering if there was some other secret I didn't know about.

Hope all are doing well.
Bob


SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.
#54148 12-16-2003 03:41 PM
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Bob,
I never drink water by the bed in the middle of the night. I find that I wake up approximately once needing to urinate, and , with the very dry mouth. I rinse out my mouth in the sink with water and thin put a little bit of Biotene Oral Balance on my tongue. The stuff does not work as well as claimed by Biotene, but it does help. I think that a drink of water just does not last.

I hope that this helps. Take care.

Danny G.


Stage IV Base of Tongue SCC
Diagnosed July 1, 2002, chemo and radiation treatments completed beginning of Sept/02.
#54149 12-16-2003 07:58 PM
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Hi Bob,

I had a recent problem for several nights in the last month with the same problem. I concluded that my mouth was sometimes open enough for mouth breathing to dry things completely out (not at all fun) and frankly water is not wet enough when that happens!

I considered a small piece of paper tape to keep my mouth closed then decided that might be dangerous.

The problem seems better now that I changed from two pillows back to just one. Perhaps the angle of neck tilt is worth a try.


Mark, 21 Year survivor, SCC right tonsil, 3 nodes positive, one with extra-capsular spread. I never asked what stage (would have scared me anyway) Right side tonsillectomy, radical neck dissection right side, maximum radiation to both sides, no chemo, no PEG, age 40 when diagnosed.
#54150 12-16-2003 08:37 PM
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Haven't done it yet, but am considering purchase of a kind of chin sling designed originally to discourage snoring, but it looks like it might keep my mouth comfortably closed. I, too, tend to mouth breath and even though during the day I am fortunate to feel completely normal saliva wise, I can easily awake with a terribly dry mouth at night. This thing is called Sleep Angel if anyone wants to look it up. Just a thought.

#54151 12-17-2003 12:41 AM
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Hi Bob,
like Joanna, my salivation is almost normal during the day, so I am probably breathing through my mouth at night.

One thing I have noticed that can make a difference is the salt content in the foods I eat. It seems a lot worse if I eat pizza for instance. Water doesn't seem to have any lasting relief and the humidifier helps a little (I think).

Mark may have a good idea to try about varying your pillows.


Gary Allsebrook
***********************************
Dx 11/22/02, SCC, 6 x 3 cm Polypoid tumor, rt tonsil, Stage III/IVA, T3N0M0 G1/2
Tx 1/28/03 - 3/19/03, Cisplatin ct x2, IMRT, bilateral, with boost, x35(69.96Gy)
________________________________________________________
"You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4:14 NIV)
#54152 12-17-2003 02:57 AM
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Thanks all. Normally the problem here is too much humidity, so buildings, HVAC and such are engineered to try and remove as much humidity as possible. This year has been kind of rare I think in that we've had Mohave Dessert (where I hail from originally) kind of dryness.

Will have to try and adjust my sleeping position to help keep the yap shut during sleep maybe, keep the bottled water handy, and just deal with it.

Bob


SCC Tongue, stage IV diagnosed Sept, 2002, 1st radical neck dissection left side in Sept, followed by RAD/Chemo. Discovered spread to right side nodes March 2003, second radical neck dissection April, followed by more RAD/Chemo.
#54153 12-17-2003 03:11 AM
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Bob,

I too get by with a trusty humidifier...and manage pretty well. I sleep on two pillows to keep the sinus open and not clogged up so that I don't breath through my mouth.


What really burns my mouth is walking fast in the winter (like through an airport ina hurry), boy does that hurt.

Take crae,
Dinah
Take care,
Dinah

#54154 12-20-2003 01:54 PM
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Hi Bob,

Like Dinah a humidifier works fine for me too. I wondering though if that will work in the type of building you described? What kind of climate controls do they use to keep the humidity out normally? I guess if a smaller humidifeir doesn't work you can always get a bigger, and faster, and one with mroe memory, and more ports, and a bigger hard dri..... wiat, um a bigger humidifier wink

On a serious note again, I someitme resort to breathe right strips when I find myself breathing through my mouth alot at night. That might help a bit too.

Peace,

Fr. Mike


Fr. Mike
SCC on the base of tongue, right side. T2 N1 M0. July 25, 2003 partial (40%) glossectomy, forearm flap reconstruction, right side neck disection.

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