1st cycle of chemo completed...but, the side effects.

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So I had my pump off at the start of this week and generally felt quite terrible, like having the flu I would say.  Day one of chemo (Cisplatin & F5U) and I started with a sore throat and over the week my oral problems have worsened.  My tongue and the inside of my cheeks are swollen with sores/ulcers, my gums are super sensitive and as a result of the damage the excessive saliva is infuriating.  It's painful to talk and difficult to understand me as I am not moving my lips/tongue because of the pain and discomfort.

I am using corsodyl several times a day and brushing regularly also.  I am going to ring my chemo unit but I don't know if they can prescribe anything to reduce the inflammation and pain.  Any suggestions on what else I can do at home please?  Thank you.

  • I'm sure your team will come up with something,I had mouth ulcers from RT and Difflam mouthwash helped a bit. In the meantime try swishing your mouth out with soluble aspirin and spitting it out? Maybe sucking on ice chips?

    Dani 

    Base of tongue cancer. T2N0M0 6 weeks Radiotherapy finished January 2019

    Macmillan Support Line -  0808 808 00 00 7 days a week between 8am-8pm

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  • Hi there,  I didnt have a pump but had 6 weeks of radiotherapy and 2 cisplatin sessions.  My mouth was exactly as you describe. Got to the point where i couldn't bare ro brush teeth as so sore.Has your nurses not prescribed medication to help with the pain and mouth sores? They should do, please tell them tomorrow, im sure they will sort you out.How long are you into your treatment?.I was given difflam spray and a difflam mouth wash and a bottle of gel x which I applied to the ulcers.  Also dissolvable aspirin  to use as a mouth wash only . Dissolvable paracetamol,  cocodamol and eventually oramorph. The nurses were fantastic and always said I shouldn't have to suffer the pain when they can prescribe relief.They just sent the prescription up to the pharmacy and i picked them up after treatment . Try not to use anything which has alcohol based as it will make your mouth sore. I was given tellodant tablets, which you dissolve and swill your mouth with from the hospital dentist and the specialist toothpaste. Make sure you get medication for constipation as the painkillers will cause it and its so uncomfortable if you are constipated. I also made a salt and water solution to rinse my mouth also.  Some people say sucking icecubes helped, not something I tried personally.  Hope you get sorted . If your hospital dont help ,which im sure they will, contact your gp.

    Tracy xxx

  • Also check you dont have oral thrush. I did at one point ,it makes your mouth very sore, I was prescribed drops from the hospital.You will also qualify  for free  prescriptions for 5 years, once applied for keep all recipts while its being processed you have to ask for a special ones from the pharmacist and you can claim any monies paid out while waiting for the exemption certificate.  I imagine though the hospital prescriptions are part of treatment X