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rickmcmahan

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Joined
Jul 14, 2006
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Reason
PALS
Country
US
State
ms
City
batesville
Hello,

I have been suffeing with this dry mouth for a few months, but it is getting worse now. Can you imagine putting you finger on the roof of your mouth and it feeling like a dry sheet of sand paper? Also my tongue feels like a block of very course sand stone. Even some my gums are as dry as can be on the upper inside of my mouth. No, I am not on any medication except Lexapro 10 mg / day. Even that muscle flap that hangs down in the back of my mouth is bone dry on the front side! Every day I wind up peeling off a small portion of either dead skin or dried out crud that tends to start curling up. Not sure which it is. I cannot swallow anything any more and I know that is a big cause. My tongue is dead, useless. I cannot spray water or other stuff in my mouth cause I will wind up trying to cough it out of my lungs. Due to my jaw/lip muscle weakness I wind up breathing through my mouth a lot of the time. Now I am not crazy on this experiment, but I have wound up taping my lips together at night with masking tape to keep my mouth closed to make me breathe through my nose. It has not solved the problem, but has helped a little. Any suggestions out there that you can share with me? HELP!

I also have been fighting the phlegm (crud) which collects in my throat. I use a suction machine for some of it, but I wind up dragging it out of my throat with my finger. That aint fun! Any suggestions on fighting the crud?

Thanks for your help. Hope you have a great day.

Rick
 
Hi Rick. Sorry you're having a bad time. Rather than the tape have you thought of using a chin strap that they use for a Bipap or CPAP to hold people's mouths closed. Soft elastic and much less sticking to face.
Not sure about the phlegm. I'm not too troubled with that yet.
AL.
 
Al,

I was not aware of there being a chin strap. Now I do have a confession on this subject. I have used a long velcro strap around my head and chin, but it was not to comfortable. Can I get the chin strap where I got my bipap machine? That sounds like another option I have. I use that blue painters type of masking tape. It is not bad at all.Thanks for your information.

Rick
 
Rick. The Bipap place should have the chin strap. A lot of people using the nose pillows use them. If your wife or anyone sews there are lots of soft stretchy elastics and you could get some with a small piece of velcro sewn just at the end. If worse comes to worse I'll get my wife to make you one. She sews for lots of people and could probably whip one up. Let me know if you can't find one. AL.
 
Just thought of something else. My buddy has had throat cancer (another firefighter) and has no saliva glands so uses this tube of stuff he calls saliva. It is about the consistency of KY jelly but he says it tastes better. If you'd like I can call and ask what it is he uses. He got it from the dentist.
AL.
 
Al,

If you would, get the name of that product for me . Thanks again. Rick
 
Hi Rick. Called my buddy and he's either sleeping which is doubtful or out so left a message for him to call me tomorrow. I'll get back to you.
AL.
 
Hi Rick. I don't know enough about this issue to offer advice but I have a question. Does your mouth stay dry even after you get the recommended amounts of fluid through your feeding tube? Cindy
 
Hi Rick. The saliva stuff is called Oral Balance by Bistene. I'm not sure if it is readily available down there but the larger drug stores carry it up here. Hope you can get it.
AL.
 
CindyM,

Yep it sure does stay dry even though I pour in my tube 64 oz of water plus the 5 cans of ensure every day. I have a correction to make on my first post. I am on a medication for excessive saliva flow. I just got back from my doctor who told me to cut the pills in half to reduce my dosage and see if that helps. I will start that tomorrow. I sure hope it helps. It is just so weird to reach in to your mouth and 70% of what you can touch is bone dry!
 
Thanks Al. I will try to see if I can get the oral balance . Rick
 
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