What are the mouth sores that people experience?

[Wilful1]

Over the weekend I began to have some sores in my mouth.  Other people have talked about this as a sx effect, but what exactly is it?
Thanks,
Wilful

[Kristina538]

Hey there....  Being a newbie also, in some ways I can't comment.  However, at the end of week 1 I know my WBC dropped quickly (came back up again week 2), and my nurse told me to take care to get 'on top of' any small infections, especially around the mouth.

Since then I have been either rinsing with mild saline morning and night and, at night, especially rinsing with a non-alcoholic mouthwash (the nurse recommended one with alcohol but it seemed too harsh).  My mouth was very sensitive between week 1 and 2 - perhaps it is while the bloods counts are being a little chaotic.

I also found my lips drying out, and I would up my water intake, add some gator aid and use an anti-bacterial lip balm.

I think out mouths harbour a lot of bacteria and when our WBC's  lower, it just takes a little longer to heal and probably allows any tiny infections to flourish, so that the earlier we can get on top of them the better.   My GP advised me that, with infectons, antibiotics etc will arrest an infection, but will take longer while our WBC are lower.

I hope more experienced 'others' on the site can put in their input as I'm just relaying what I've been informed.   Go well Wilful - glad you're managing okay :-)  

[hippygem]

Sounds like they are the small ulcerated sores that we get, I finished tx in 2004 and I still have those sores more often than not.  Using mouth wash and brushing teeth regularly will help.

The dry lips are also still present for me, try some vaseline or soothing balm on them.

[dorsey15]

Oh Yes !  the dreaded THRUSH!  the mouth sores on the tongue, the top of the inside of your mouth all the way back to the tonsils...severity differs...Usually will appear when your WBC drops...Another name for it is "candida"  you can google Thrush or candida...babies get it ....
There are a lot of mouth washes out there ,,and I'm sure a lot of people will post them here for you... I have had "thrush" on and off and mostly on since the beginning of treatment..so my doc prescribed me a lozanger presciption med called "Mycelex" it seems to help..My thrush is definately associated with my low WBC and I am on Neupogen shots once a wk... I hate thrush!  I hate thrush!  did I saw I hate thrush !  hee hee...
Good Luck.. Dorsey

[redrodeo]

Yes I had it and strangley enough I found that Carafate Susp worked well. Missy told me about it and it worked. It is a prescription item. But very cheap. Just ask the doc for
Carafate susp Take one mouthful swish and swallow. And do that a few days. Mine went away in a few days.
      Chris

[nygirl7]

Dr. J told me those horrible dreadful miserable ulcers were from the interferon. he also said some people have gotten them so incredibly bad that he's had to remove them from treatment!   I tried EVERY cure known to man and never got rid of them in all 72 weeks - two especially drove me almost insane. I ate a lot of ice cream that was all that helped.

I washed with peroxide salt and water, I tried the yeast infection mouth yuck stuff, I tried mixing the benedryl and heart burn medicine, magic mouthwash everything I could find in the dental aisle in the store but nothing managed them.

I'd try it all knowing how damn painful they are again. If it doesnt' work though.......just try to keep your mouth as moist as possible. It seems like that is backwards advice but the dry mouth is the perfect place for the germs to grow and unfortunately you know how dehydrated heppers get on treatment.

The good news is that by week 73 1/2 they were going away big time and by 74 syanora. :)

(Well that'd be 49 1/2 and 50 for regular treatment of course I think!)

[merryBe]

my dentist gave me several samples of OASIS...a few drops at bedtime in the mouth stopped all dry mouth and healed the sores.