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Habibi

(3,600 posts)
Wed Jun 12, 2024, 08:38 PM Jun 2024

Chewing/sucking ice for prevention of mouth sores during infusion:

Hey, fellow journeyers! I've been treated for ovarian cancer for going on 7 years now. My latest treatment is Doxil, which once created really miserable mouth sores, to the extent that I was unable to eat/brush my teeth, and talk without pain.

My oncology folks prescribed a dexamethasone mouth rinse, which helped some, but the pain was still awful. I consulted Dr. Google and found a suggestion on the Mayo Clinic site that chewing/sucking ice cubes may help.

Reader, this changed my life. Once I started chewing ice during my infusions, the mouth sores stopped. I still get one or two between infusions, but they are mild and only last a day or two.

An infusion nurse explained to me that, keeping a cold mouth prevents the chemo drug from affecting it.

I don't quite understand why my onc practice doesn't recommend this, but I've become an evangelist for it. Please give it a try if you suffer from this miserable side effect. You are all in my heart.


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Chewing/sucking ice for prevention of mouth sores during infusion: (Original Post) Habibi Jun 2024 OP
my wife is using biotene products and onethatcares Jun 2024 #1
There is something about freezing that helps Sparkly Jul 2024 #2

onethatcares

(16,563 posts)
1. my wife is using biotene products and
Mon Jun 17, 2024, 09:12 AM
Jun 2024

mugard mouth rinse. The biotene is available otc, the mugard from her oncologist. It's not a miracle cure and takes some time to relieve the sores but along with the ice chips might work really well.

good luck and please keep us posted.

Sparkly

(24,339 posts)
2. There is something about freezing that helps
Thu Jul 25, 2024, 10:43 PM
Jul 2024

Cold caps for hair loss (I couldn't afford them), mitts for hands and feet to limit neuropathy...

Believe it!! My feet felt freezing during chemo, and it was awkward to switch out gel-packs for feet and hands myself, so I let my feet go a few times. And now I have neuropathy.

Use the ice!!

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