I was diagnosed with thrush a couple of days ago and am being treated but I woke up today with a knot/lump in my right jaw along the jaw line. Could this possibly be related to thrush? Thanks, Angel

fungus can cause lumps at times but I would have this checked to be sure what it is. could be a node is swollen from the thrush? i have a small knot like lump on both sides of my lower jaw. i do not worry about them because they are the same on both sides and the surgeon told me he worries when things are "not the same" on both sides ... so i am not sure what they are, maybe just part of my jaw i didn't notice before, but they don't seem to worry anyone, so not letting them worry me. if yours is only on one side though, i would not fear it but i would have it checked to double check what is up but may very well be related to the thrush.


glad you got the thrush diagnosed and treated. i had it and it went undetected for forever and got so bad, down into esophogus that i could barely swallow. once they treated the fungus it was like a miracle cure. antibiotics are notorious for causing yeast to grow as is acid reflux.

best wishes my dear and lemme know what doc says\

Rita, Tank you for your reply. My RO looked at it and he said it could be from the radiation but it was probably caused by trush. I was given 2 meds and the one I swish and swallow, Nystatin, made me have nausea so my chemo Dr. said to just take the other one and discontinue the nystatin. Well I did and it started to come back again so now I am using both even though it makes me sick. That stuff is hard to get rid of. I don't know if it has anything to do with the taste in my mouth but what I do taste is just taste like salt. And even jello doesn't taste anymore. Just a faint taste and the salty taste. Thanks again, Angel

ask doctor for the tabs you chew/dissolve in mouth 4 x's a day
clotrimazole )troche( - it is very good - very effective and very gentle to use. you just let them dissolve in the mouth ... i saw a real change in 3 days using it. use as prescribed religiously and swish the dissolved solution around in your mouth a lot so it covers the entire muccosal lining of the mouth to be most effective.

yes it will change taste and yes VERY hard to get rid of and easy to have it come back so watch for it. also, gets down into gutt so good to take probiotics if you have had a run in with oral thrush/yeast.

yeast can cause masses, so i would agree with doc the lumps are probably just what he says they are and i would not be concerned other than wanting to treat the yeast as you do not want that spreading throughout your system... this would not be good.


PS: (olive leaf extract and oil of oregano are both natural remedies for yeast)

Best wishes my dear and glad you are gettign to the bottom of it and that it is not something alarming

Hi I concur with natural remedies but for me oil of oregano is amazing if you can get it past your nose...the taste is really funky too...It helps your over all immune system fighting off colds and flue too...

From what I have learned since being diagnosed...most of these doctors are pretty good and know their stuff...
Take care of yourself..day by day

Dianne

Diflucan is the gold standard for thrush. It works the fastest and doesn't gag you like Nystatin. I was taking 4 100mg tablets a day for months.

About 6 months ago I developed thruch out of the clear blue sky (after no thrush problems for several years) and they gave me the troches - they worked fine - just took longer.

I took 10 days of the Fluconazole and used the nystatin (had to stop and then restart the nystatin) but I don't think I am fully recovered from the thrush. I keep a close eye on my gum area surrounding my teeth and I can see the tiny white color when it is on my tissues (use a mirror that enlarges). I have an appt with ENT tomorrow for a recheck so I will mention the diflucan and the troches. I have it under cntrol I am sure but I know it is not healed completely. Lord I hope I don't have this stuff for a long time.

Thank you all for the info. I like oregano but I couldn't taste it anyway. lol Angel

Gary, I looked up the diflucan and that is the fluconazole that I took. But it did not work for me by itself. I took 100 mg tablets for 10 days and like I said before when I stopped the nystatin it started to come back badly and so I had to use both and I'n not sure if it still not completely cleared up. But I will find out tomorrow. If I may ask, what was the reasoning behind taking diflucan for months? Was it to keep it from coming back or is it possible to keep thrush for extended periods of time? Thanks, Angel

i had undiagnosed thrush for so long it made me not be able to swallow. it invaded the esophogus as well as the mouth ... it can grab hold and not want to let go. best to treat it aggresively and as long as it takes to know it is completely gone and if you take antibiotics - take another round of anti fungal cuz it will be back. taking probiotics can help keep it under control.

Rita, Thanks for the info. I am not familiar with probiotics so I will look that up. I don't think the thrush is completely cleared up because I am so sick at my stomach and I have had trouble with even swallowing an aspirin. It got stuck in my throat twise and wouldn't go down and of all things it was the coated aspirin so it wouldn't melt easily. Thank you, Angel

Angel, I can so relate to what you describe and that sounds exactly like what I experienced with thrush.

I would highly suggest getting diflucan from doc, if you can tolerate it, I would use the troches I mentioned if you have trouble with the Diflucan.

I would then ALSO use Oil Of Oregano tablets. They are tiny tiny and gel tabs so easy to swallow and they are a natural product that kills fungus so definitely start taking this daily and don't stop. You cannot taste it and it has no side effects.

And lastly I would start on probiotics to get your system harmonized, which should lessen the recurrence of thrush overall, plus it is just good for you otherwise too ... they say it all starts in the gutt... so probiotics help to get you off to a good start and balance everything.

And just a word to the wise of what I have found .. if you have that sticking in the throat / esophogus sensation try eating without a drink and when you go to take a pill make sure you have not drank anything prior for at least a 1/2 hr to an hour. For some reason I have noticed that after I take a drink of something, even water, it makes it worse for what I try to swallow next, that is not fluid, so you may wish to try this to see if it is the same for you.

I hope you get it cured soon hon - I know how frustrating it is and hey, I remember it getting me so scared at one point when it got bad, I showed up unnanounced and crying at my doctors office begging them to help me because I could not swallow anything ... don't wait till it gets to that point - act when it first starts.

They say thrush is common in cancer patients and I know it is also a common occurence when you take any type of antibiotics. Even with my healthy family members, I make them do a 2 week session of oil of oregano if they have taken any meds for anything (even a cold), just to ensure their system stays okay. You can get internal yeast and not even notice it, so I am not taking chances with that nasty stuff. Mine went undiagnosed the first time for 1 1/2 years when I kept explaining to doc what was happening, they did not clue in - until I went in not able to swallow at all. I have been on steroids for years and had been given antibiotics a few times during that timeframe, so you would think they would have clued in, but because I did not have white patches in my mouth, they didn't have a clue...

Ok I am rambling so I will hush LOL ... but this one hits a nerve with me because I have been thru so much with it. I wish you the best and a fast recovery from it. You have been thru enough and don't need this to deal with too.

So where do I buy this oil of oregano?

Take care,
Eileen

Eileen, any vitamin store like vitamin world will have it and also any health food store that carries vitamins and supplements will have it. It is not expensive at all - if I remember right it was under $10 for the bottle (I buy all of my supplements at once, so what costs what I am not sure, but I know it isn't much). the ones I get are little gelcaps a little bigger than a pea... not big at all and no taste or smell to them and no aftertaste or heartburn taste with them. Best wishes to you.

just another mention on this Oil or Oregano is avaiable in the tablet/gelcap form i mentioned and also in a liquid form that you stick under your tongue ... i suggest the tablet kind because the liquid smells awful and i cannot imagine putting it under my tongue everyday ... so if you can swallow a small pea sized tablet, that is covered in gel - do the tabs not the liquid. (unless you are into things that taste bad ... if you are then have a ball LOL)

Rita, Thanks for all the info. I tried no drinking anything and taking a pill and it stuck to the roof of my mouth. lol When you use the oil of oregano how many of the tiny pills do you take daily? I really feel for you or anyone who has to deal with thrush.

I went to see my ENT today and I told him I didn't think I was over the thrush as I am so sick at my stomach like I was when I first got it and overnight I see tiny white stuff getting on my gums around my teeth and he said I was completely well from thrush. Maybe I brushed to well before I went to see him. I bet I wasn't in his office 45 seconds and then out.

When you talk about probiotics, is that something one of your Dr.'s sugguested? Are there different kinds of probiotics and how would I know if I was buying the right thing? Thanks, Angel

ROFL on the pill story .,. SORRY I actually think I have had that happen too come to think of it lol ... maybe a tiny sip of water after not drinking for a 1/2 hr would be better - then take the pill quickly after that little sip to moisten the mouth...

yep on the ENT - don't believe him. you KNOW when you have thrush, once a name has been given to what you experience with it. all of the docs i saw for that year and a half missed it. you do not even have to have white patches, or spots at all to have thrush... doctors are so ... so ... textbook lol

oil of oregano one or two a day is all you need usually. if you think you have thrush or yeast of any kind then i would do 2-3 a day for a few weeks and then do 1-2 a day for maintenance. i do 1 a day now and have not been having recurrence. if it feels like it is coming back, i up it until it has been 2 weeks it feels like it is gone ...

yes, actually it was a nurse who first suggested the probiotics. there are many different kinds but the one i use is available online at bioinnovations (dot) net but I chose that only because they are known for only the best. they are a bit spendy, so i watch for their 2 for one specials etc when i can but nothing saying you have to use theirs, that is just the one i have chosen. a cheap alternative to probiotics is eating the organic live culture yogurt available nowadays... course this does not have all of the cultures in it that a pill form can provide but it is a good cheaper alternative if you so choose.
you just want to get those good cultures in your gutt to balance out what is happening in there. the oil of oregano should get rid of the bad and the yogurt then would bring on some good bacteria....

a ps on this too - having good bacteria in your gutt is also very important in maintaining your immune system ...

Rita, Thank you for that info. I think I understand how it works so much better now, and that does make a lot of sense. My stomach feels like it is in a nervous trimble all the time and it is like I am having a panic attack in my stomach. It would be great to soothe my stomach with something. Today I have woke up with a stopped up nose and I am worried to death about how I will handle radiation. It is so hard for me as it is and I definately don't need to get sick as my immune system is kaput due to the radiation and chemo. Today will be my 20th rad treatment and Thursday will be my 5th chemo so I am more than half way there.

I thank you all so much for the support you have provided me as I am traveling down this road of uncertainty. I don't think I could have made it this far without the support I have received from the wonderful people on this web-site. Again thank you, Angel

angels,
If you have been diagnosed with thrush the lump could be a result of your immune system doing its job to combat the infection. Under your jaw runs a chain of submandibular lymphnodes that respond to inflammation and infection. A swollen lymphnode painful or not is a common result of the bodies reaction to oral thrush.
Gary stated it clearly, diflucan is the drug of choice with or without the subsequent administration of oral nystatin. If the lump goes away when the thrush is gone then it was just a normal process. If not ask your doc to evaluate the lump.
Try not to assume the worst, there are many non life threatening things that could cause this situation.
All the best,
Mike

Dr. Mike, You are exactly on it. When the thrush cleared up the knot went away. Thanks you so much. Angel

I get those coated aspirins stuck in my throat as well as other meds most of the time. I found that if you get as much liquid into your mouth as possible, then put the pill in , tilt your head backward, then swallow, it makes a big difference. I brush my entire mouth 2 times a day to keep the thrush at a minimum. I use biotene toothpaste and biotene mouthwash. I still have magic mouthwash to swish then swallow too.

Jim, Nice to hear from you. I brush 3 to 4 times a day, use the baking soda and salt to rinse with and use mouth wash and today realized I am getting thrush again! I had a little of the Nystatin swish and swallow so I have started on that as the Dr.'s office are closed. Dang, if it's not one thing it's another. I may have to start using the oil of oregano to keep this at bay.

My ENT told me he took out all the tissue he could when he removed the tonsil back in June so I don't know what's keeping my pills from going down. I asked him about it and he said to just crush my meds (ones that can be crushed). I only have 2 more weeks of treatment to go. Yea Angel

I feel for you angel. WE are all tough people and will win this battle. I am about to start Valvoline 10W40. I bet that will smooth out in the throat. At least much easier going to the basement floor for whatever is making the journey.

Gee Whiz Jim,
Who would have thought that you would go for alternative medicine! Where have you found the best price - Pep Boys or Walmart? Is it cheaper by the case?

tell you what Jim I wish you could see my reaction to your post just shaking my head in disbelief lmao!!!!!

The cheapest Ihave found is an oil change facility about a quarter mile from here. LOL Of course you have to strain the dirt out. I'm glad I gave you a smile. Gave me one reading the replies you 2 posted.

I had forgotten how to laugh. Good ones ya'll. Angel

I believe it's safer to swallow with head level or tilted forward because tilting back tends to disrupt the epiglottis' seal over the trachea, potentially allowing aspiration of liquids and/or solids (which leads to pneumonia). Forward tilt aids the epiglottis in making a good seal of the windpipe!

http://psychology.wikia.com/wiki/Swallowing

If you look at the following animation, you can see that by tilting head back, the larynx flap, just below the epiglottis, may protrude and guide the first part of the food into the trachea....

http://hopkins-gi.org/multimedia/database/intro_250_Swallow.swf

What I do is sip some water, place or fling the pill(s) to the back, sip some more water, tilt head slightly back to let water flow there, then go level and swallow several times. If I can sense a pill still there, I sip more water and swallow some more.

I HAVE to tuck my chin down to swallow, or it WILL go into my trachea/lungs. I'm two years out and have had my throat dilated three times, but this is still an issue with me. Even with my chin tucked, I still have droplets of liquid trickling into my trachea and foods still get stuck there often. It also happens if I get distracted and look to the left or right, even with my chin tucked.

I also have to cut pills up very small and take them with applesauce or ice cream. I know the dryness is part of the problem, but water is to thin to help me.

Lani

Lani, have you tried a pill crusher? You can mix the pills with water or whatever and drink them.

However, one shouldn't do that with time-release meds because of overdose potential up front and no meds later.

http://www.ocelco.com/products/aids...ent_c385/?src=yahoo&ag=pill+crushers

I'm sorry Pete I didn't realize you were serious till later in your post I pictured Jim doing this with oil cans... sorry but I just had to laugh....