A Week In Review...A Very Long Week - Updated

Each week seems to offer new surprises for me.  I had just gotten my bowels in check when Sunday I came down with a sore throat.  I thought maybe it was my allergies causing fluid to run down the back of my throat making it sore.  I took Clariton for a couple of days which didn’t seem to have any affect so I called Teton Oncology on Tuesday and talked to an RN.  She said I could add Sudafed or Benadryl and to gargle with Biotene mouthwash.  I could take Musinex if I’m still phlegm.  I could use a saline spray and to use a humidifier.

I tried the Benadryl Tuesday night but my mouth was super dry.  The next day I took two before Lori and I went to the temple for a session.  My mouth was so dry there was no moisture in it at all.  I had forgotten to bring anything to suck on to help keep my mouth moist, so I could hardly concentrate during the entire session. 

I called the After Hours number that night and talked to Jed.  He gave me about the same advice that the RN the day before had given me.  He also called in a prescription for a concoction called Magic Mouthwash (equal parts Benadryl, Miralax, and Lidocane) in case the sores on my tongue and cheek get worse or multiply.  It numbs your mouth so you can eat without pain, or feeling, or taste.

By that evening my mouth was so dry and my throat was so dry and sticky I was almost in tears.  I hadn’t slept since Sunday night and I knew this was going to be another sleepless night.  I prayed that I would be able to know what to do to help me know what to do to find some relief from the pain.  I knelt there thinking of what meds I was taking and what they were doing and what Chemo side effects I was having.  Allergy meds reducing mucous flow, Chemo had caused me to have a super dry throat…maybe I was double whammying my mucous membranes!  No wonder my mouth and throat were do dry.  I didn’t take any “drying” meds that night and have gotten a little of my saliva back.  Who would have ever been thought spit would be so amazing.  

Friday I called Rexburg Teton Oncology to ask if there was anything else I could do.  The nurse Lindsay had me look in my mouth for white spots, but I didn’t see any of those, in case it was Thrush.  (I looked at pictures of what Thrush would look like on the internet later, and I definitely didn’t see anything that looked like that.)  She suggested the Biotene Mouthwash and to call her to let he know how it worked.  Since I hadn’t bought or tried it I ran in town and bought some and it works for about ½ hour to moisten my mouth but doesn’t help my throat at all.

Beader's Paradise Hoard

Bright spot in the day!  Lori and I went to Beader’s Paradise and I found some amazing shiny objects.  Like I need more beads, but they had brought up a bunch of "new" things from the basement.

After getting home I came down with a MIGRAINE!  What next?  Maybe I shouldn’t ask.  I took my miracle migraine medicine, Imitrex, but it took several hours to really kick in instead of the usual hour.  A pretty good cough developed during the night so I got up and took some Mucinex to break up the phlegm.  It seemed to really help.

Saturday I still had the cough.  Lori and I went to yard sales and I bought a bunch of big earrings and hats. The ball cap I wore protected my face but not the back of my neck.  Ouch!  Something I don’t normally have to worry about.  I took some cough suppressant for that irritating persistent cough that is keeping my throat sore and some Musinex.  I could not get to sleep because of my throat despite the fact that I was sucking on lozenges, hard candy, and sipping water. 

My throat and mouth were so dry I couldn’t produce any saliva so got up and looked up information on the connection between Chemo and dry throats and what I can do.  literally all night.  By the way, Silk Vanilla Almond Milk is very soothing and coated my throat quite nicely while I was sipping it.  Apparently, it’s normal for your mouth and/or throat to become dry 7 – 10 days after Chemo.  There’s not much anyone can do about it other than have you gargle with Biotene, the water/salt/baking soda (I shall heretofor refer to it as W/S/B/S) solution, take Tylenol, look for the white sores indicating Thrush, and watch for a fever over 100.5F.

Since I was awake I decided to try the Magic Mouthwash.  It made my mouth entirely numb and even though it numbed my throat it made it feel even drier.  Since my mouth isn’t really bothering me, just my super dry sore throat, it was TERRIBLE!  I couldn’t feel any moisture on it at all.  Luckily, its effects only last about 20 minutes. 

I had a bit of a meltdown thinking that if all of this was happening with just the first treatment, how was I going to make it through five more plus radiation?  I’m supposed to be in the week I’m supposed to feel normal before my next Chemo but my throat is anything but and I can’t get any sleep.  

Through the night I was gargling with Biotene, which only works for about 5 min. now, and the W/S/BS solution.  It occurred to me that the W/S/BS seemed to moisturize my mouth pretty well.  I don’t like leaving the lozenges in my mouth all night since I would like to have teeth when this whole thing is over, but was willing to do it for some relief.  I decided to try taking a very small sip (< 1 tsp) of the W/S/BS and letting it stand in my cheek, swish it over to my throat as needed, return it to my cheek, and replenish the solution as needed.  I laid back down at 6am and tried it and actually got some sleep!  For some reason holding the moisture in my cheek kept my mouth moist and swishing to my throat acted as saliva.  It wasn’t perfect but it’s the best thing I’ve found so far.  If I swallowed a little, oh well, I could sleep and it wasn’t going to rot my teeth. 

Pillowcase with hair from a couple of hours of sleep.

My hair has still been staying in pretty well and while I was doing research I was thinking, “If my hair doesn’t fall out I will be so mad that I shaved it” but then I “woke up” after a couple of hours to a pillowcase of hair.  I guess that point was mute. 

I don’t think I have taken as many different types of drugs in my entire life and I have taken just this month.  I’m hoping this round of Chemo will help me know what to expect and how to prevent issues for the next rounds.  I have luckily not had major mouth sores, just a couple, and my gums are feeling pretty good now.  I haven’t been nearly as tired this week and I haven’t been nauseated at all.  Food still tastes off but not as much as initially.  Next time I need to make sure my mouth is really cold before, during, and after they push the red stuff to hopefully reduce any mouth problems.

Update made on Monday morning:  Went to Urgent Care last night after calling After Hours (Jed).  I know now what it isn’t, which is oddly comforting.  It’s not Strep or Thrush.  They did a CBC and it showed my white blood cell count is up (14.2) which is a good thing for me since I’m going in to my next Chemo on Thursday.  

I woke up (I actually slept a few hours last night) with my throat feeling less “sticky” and my mouth drier.  I okay with that trade off.  I called Teton Oncology Monday morning to find out if the numbers are in range for me.  They said they are good and when she found out that I hadn’t had the ice during the “A” drug she said that totally explained my mouth and throat.  They would make sure I have ice on Thursday and that whoever didn’t give me the ice would be made aware.