Oral thrush

It might be thrush. Three weeks or so aren’t you? It might be a little early for thrush. If your swab us positive make sure you get two weeks of Fluconazole 

Rinsing your mouth with bicarbonate is helpful and live yoghurt is supposed to as well. 
Are you using Caphosol and Gelclair? 
Thinking about it the RT made my mouth go deathly white. Thrush is more of a coating 

hi Dani

I haven’t been given either of those things.  I know caphasol is a mouthwash.  I did ask for it but they said no.  Is it good?   If you think it’s worth it then I will ask again.  I am rinsing with salt water.  Does bicarbonate act in a different way?    Yes, I thought early for thrush as I have very good mouth hygiene.  I agree about yoghurt.  I love sheep’s yoghurt but can’t even use that now as mouth just too burny for anything except weetabix and jelly snd even that’s getting tricky 

regards

lizzie

Hi.  I got. Given medication for it (forgotten name will find out).  Mouth inflamed.  Start week 6 of 7, now on feeding tube since last week and pain and most of mouth under control.  All liquid medicines fed through the tube.

Hi Lizzie. I had my first bout of thrush 3 weeks into treatment, so it is possible. If confirmed, it’s nothing to do with how good your oral hygiene is, just a common and very sore occurence with radiotherapy. The stingy/burning mouth sounds familiar, but as Dani says it is often white flecks not a totally white mouth. If you see white flecks it’s almost certaInly thrush - get on to your team straight away. I would pester your team contact tomorrow anyway for the swab result - perhaps not first thing, but by the afternoon if you've heard nothing.

If thrush not confirmed, do show them your mouth again as soon as possible - they should be able to say what it might be if not thrush, and Dani’s advice on mouthwashes and products is spot on. I was given Caphosol but apparently there is no evidence to support it’s beneficial effect for head &neck cancer radio…

Good luck with the next weeks of treatment. Keep asking questions on here and of your team. There can be a lot to deal with, but you will get through it all.

Hilary

hi Hellibore

1. def flecks.  All over tongue and gums. We are phoning the out of hours advice line now.  Just waiting for reply.  I have some ointment that was given to me at the start (not used yet) so hopefully that might help if they say I can use it.  

Has anyone any views about using chlorhexidine mouthwash (corsodyl) am not using at the moment.  Thankyou 
lizzie

Yes I used it last thing every night. It stung like hell for 30 seconds but it kept my mouth clean and I didn’t get any oral infection during treatment. 

Flecks and very sore does sound like thrush. Would be great if out of hours can get you some fluconazole asap. Don’t let them palm you off with Nystatin. Just doesn’t cut the mustard with radio-induced thrush. believe me - I had bout after bout during and after treatment. Always sorted with fluconazole…..

Hilary

Hi Hilary.  They think it is thrush snd I have got Nystatin.  Oh god.  I will ask about other one when I go in tomorrow.  What is the difference please?  Lizzie

Hi Dani.  Yes, I was using it every night for that reason but then I wondered if it was that making my mouth so sore.  My CNS said that it might be, but I know it’s so good for infections isn’t it.   Does it help thrush I wonder, it says so on the label.  Sorry to ask so many questions.  Thankyou in advance. Lizzie