Dry Mouth from WBR ?

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aabinion
aabinion Member Posts: 16
edited June 2014 in Palliative Therapy/Hospice Care

My aunt also has breast cancer. She is metastatic with mets to Brain and Liver. She just completed pallative WBR. Her mouth is very dry and sometimes she can hardly even get her mouth open to talk and food tastes awful to her. Is this problem permanent or is it temporary? I was also wondering if anybody had any suggestions for how to help her with this. Thanks in advance for your help.  

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  • dreamwriter
    dreamwriter Member Posts: 3,255
    edited June 2009

    Dry mouth and taste changes are actually two subjects.

    Dry mouth.... yes it suddenly becomes a dessert.... best to carry water and swish it about.  Also vaseline to keep the lips moisturized.

    The taste changes are a little harder to get rid of.  Here are some hints.  They sound funky but they do work.  First of all, a lemon/lime drink or even water with a wedge will help.  Use plastic utensils.(better restaurants will scurry to give to you when asked).  This takes away the metal.  I have a fine set of  plastic utensils.

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  • aabinion
    aabinion Member Posts: 16
    edited June 2009

    Thank you.

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  • apple
    apple Member Posts: 7,799
    edited June 2009

    biotin has a saliva replacement gel.. and mouthwash and toothpaste.  i eat lots and lots of fruit and keep water at my bedside.  you have constantly moisturize your mouth.. Also be aware of tooth decay.. I brush with baking soda often. - it get's them really clean and kind of helps salivate.

    they have little popsicle tooth and mouth washers on a stick made of little sponges for patients that can't get up to brush.  they're actually good. 

    my mouth is horridly dry.. i sip water, put aquaphor as well as vaseline on the corners and lips.. both seem better than chapstick.

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  • thisgirl80
    thisgirl80 Member Posts: 28
    edited July 2009

    My mother also has liver mets.  She has been having an aweful time with dry mouth.  Her hospice nurse brought out some glycerin swabs.  They seem to really help.

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  • ilovemysweetmomma
    ilovemysweetmomma Member Posts: 117
    edited August 2009

    I'm not sure about this..but I think if you try giving her a hard candy or something to suck on..I think it stimulates saliva production..again, not sure if I'm right about that.  Worth a shot.  Hope this is helpful. 

    Megan

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