Mouth Sores from chemo: When do they go away?

Mouth sores were horrible and Miracle Mouthwash plus salt/soda rinses only helped a little. My doc lowered my dosage 20% (Eribulin chemo) and that has seemed to do it. He also prescribed Acyclovir 400 mg pills, an anti-viral, but I haven’t needed them yet. You can also try a children’s toothpaste with no mint- Tom’s makes it.

I need help with sores around my nose and mouth. They are painful and I have not found anything to help them heal. They appear after my NET monthly shot. I will be grateful for all suggestions. Bette

I meant anti-vaxxers.

I had heard that also. I am not an expert by any means, but I did dismiss that idea because it seemed like a real stretch to me by anti-vaccers.

My Radiology Oncologist recommended a powder that is converted to liquid called Healios. It helped tremendously with my sore throat. I had quite a few sores down my throat as well. I got it from Amazon. Grape flavored is not bad.

Do you know if there is any evidence of links between catching COVID or getting vaccinated for COVID and then being diagnosed for HPV related Head and Neck Cancer. It seems that many people talk about the HPV related cancer becoming non dormant after some experience with COVID. Is it possible for another virus to activate a dormant one in the body?

I had 30 radiation treatments from my nose to my collarbone. I started getting sores in my mouth after treatment #5. I hated the way magic mouth wash felt (but still used it). I lived on liquid lidocaine and q-tips. I would cry every time I tried to eat/swallow (everything was pureed). I would put the lidocaine on the q-tip and swab my tongue (that was covered in sores) then take a swallow and repeat each time.

My memory is not super clear on how long it took for the sores to go away, but I am pretty sure they started healing as soon as the radiation stopped. I believe in a couple weeks they were gone.

I hope I can encourage you by saying that YOU CAN DO THIS. YOU CAN and you must. Dig deep, lean on support. You will get to the other side and that is another journey. I will attach a couple pictures of me from along the way. I had my 1 year last radiation treatment in February 2023.

I use mouthwash when they first start. The Dr gave me a prescription for Triamcinolone tooth paste (not tooth brushing toothpaste). It is very good for sticking to your mouth. I put it on the sores at night and they are gone the next day. I’m lost without it.

I have just gone through this very uncomfortable and difficult mouth problems. After several weeks of sores and severe soar throat, in which I couldn’t eat and lost 12 lbs. After going from one doctor to the next I finally the right doctor - a dermatologist who specializes physical reactions to chemo in and around mouth. After 7 days of her treatment plan, all sores are gone and I started eating again. If I can help on any way let me know.

Good morning!
ALL of the chemo side affects are our bodies' natural ways of trying to kick out whatever is going on that is not normal. Feeding us "poison" (chemo/radiation) on top of that just sends the body into a whole different level of chaos.
Some things that have truly helped me lower and/or avoid these radical side effects are:
*Stay on a plant-based diet as much as possible. Juicing/detoxing, no processed foods, no gluten, no dairy, and especially very limited on the sugar and salt (these are breeding grounds for active cancer cells).
*drink as much water (not coffee, not soda, not energy drinks) or natural tea as you can throughout the day.
*Include Electrolytes into your water or tea (not gatorade- there are natural electrolytes that are available online).
*Give your body ways to move! Stretch/yoga, walking, or simple exercises in bed/on couch.

The more you treat your body with care as you're ultimately feeding it poison to save it (catch 22), the better your numbers will be with each infusion and the healing process can occur.

*Also, get the following done if you're female going through any Breast and/or Ovarian/Uterine cancer:
-CA 125 test (blood test that measures active cancer cells), Hormone Panels (especially going through menopause), Vitamin and Mineral deficiency test (to help you know more in depth of how out of balance your body is), and a Food Intolerance test (women- your bodies will change drastically and its good to see if you all of a sudden become intolerant to some foods you've never had an issue with before).

*Last, find ways to relax.... impossible, I know. Gardening, Meditation, Journal Writing, Walking, Massages, Sound Therapy, Hot Tub, SEX! Whatever helps your body remain in a calm state, will allow it to re-center and figure out what to do next.

Honestly, NOW is the time to reboot our lives- it's crazy, I know! But it is SO INCREDIBLY essential for longevity and constant healing during the chemo/treatment process.
Sorry for the vomit mouth- prayers for all of you warriors! You've got this!