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ashelvo's avatar
ashelvo
Member
11 years ago

Chemo side effects

OMG I have the sorest throat with ulcers from my latest chemo treatment of Albraxane. Has anyone else experienced this? And if so some tips on how to treat it would be fantastic. Am currently gargling difflam, sucking on lozenges and taking panadol. Many thanks Anne

10 Replies

  • I was really strict about salt wash rinses twice a day - and that seemed to have helped me. Take care - Penny 

  • Hi Ashelvo

    I was lucky enough not to get many mouth ulcers but when I did  I found vegemite really helped. I ate lots of vegemite on toast or you could put it directly on the ulcers. i think it is the salt content that helped. if you do get oral thrush fresh pineapple is great and helped me. i tried the Nilstat and the prescribed lozenges but found the pineapple more effective.

    Chemo has given me a very husky voice which i find hard to project, no sore throat although I sound like I have. I had last chemo yesterday yippy!!!! so hoping to get my normal voice back sometime soon and so I can get back to singing in my choir again. :)

    Good luck with your treatment, there are better days ahead.

    Anna (username Kiki

  • Sorry should have worded that better gargled with bicarbonate soda and sucked on the frozen pineapple .
  • Hi Anne, I'm really sorry you are having problems with throat ulcers. I can imagine how painful that must make it for you to eat and drink. I didn't get ulcers, but my throat was sore and it was hard to swallow from the first chemo treatment. I was told to use bicarbonate and salt washes which I did to no avail. Then I was given Nilstat and I had a reaction to it. So I just kept on with the mouthwashes. After chemo and radiation, I still had a sore throat which my GP then treated with Fungilin lozenges as she said it was fungal. Still hard to swallow 6 months after treatment. At my dental apt yesterday the dentist surprised me saying I have tonsil stones. I'd never heard of them but Googling, I see they are caused by bacteria. This is long winded, but I just wanted to say that I think our throat problems need to be addressed right from the start and that mild mouth washes aren't always the solution. Ask your oncologist or GP for something stronger if the lozenges you are using are over the counter variety. Stay strong, you will get through this.
  • Hi Anne, I didn't get ulcers but did experience oral thrush after my second chemo dose.  It felt like I was trying to swallow over razor blades, it was so sore.  I had to use Nilstat in order to clear it up and would then be right until the next chemo when it would flare up again and I would be back on the Nilstat.  Eventually got to the point where I couldn't swallow anymore of that stuff so my Oncolgist had to get approval for Fungilin Lozenges and I sucked them for my remaining chemo doses.  Hope you feel better soon. Karen xx

  • Hi Anne, Sorry to hear you have ulcers. I was lucky and didn't get them. I did and still do, after two years, have a very dry mouth. Through chemo I rinsed my mouth out with Biotine mouth wash and chewed their chewies. Not sure if this would help. Paula xxx
  • Hi Ashelvo , I rinsed my mouth with Bicarbonate soda mixed with salt and water , it helped heaps , was told to do this by my pharmacist at the hospital , hope you are well x
  • Hi Ashelvo , I rinsed my mouth with Bicarbonate soda mixed with salt and water , it helped heaps , was told to do this by my pharmacist at the hospital , hope you are well x
  • Hi Ashelvo , I rinsed my mouth with Bicarbonate soda mixed with salt and water , it helped heaps , was told to do this by my pharmacist at the hospital , hope you are well x
  • Hi Liz Thanks so much for the advice. Will definitely check out the site. Hope you are doing well :-)