Mouth Sores from chemo: When do they go away?

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?

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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.

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Hi @blulady, you’re wondering if it’s possible for another virus to activate a dormant one in the body. Yes, that can happen.

Because of the compromised state of long haulers' bodies, previously dormant viruses can potentially reactivate and become chronic infections, such as Epstein Bar Virus. It can actually occur with any illness which weakens the immune system. Similar to patients who are on immunosuppressants. We run the risk of dormant viruses such as EBV, CMV, etc., re-emerging when our immune system isn’t powerful enough to stop it from resurfacing.
The frequency might be elevated now because of the global prevalence of Covid.

Here are a few articles which may help to explain how this happens. https://www.verywellhealth.com/long-covid-latent-viral-reactivations-5205269

Whether or not this contributed to your husband’s cancer, that’s one of those unfortunate mysteries we deal with when we’re diagnosed with the disease. Having gone through a cancer odyssey myself, I can understand the need to find out ‘how and why’. It’s as though we need answers for what went wrong so we can place a blame or take the blame for bad lifestyle, work related illness, etc. As one of my oncologists said when I was wondering how I ended up with AML, he succinctly put it in these terms “Sometimes S*** Happens”. He wasn’t being snarky! Simply put, I would drive myself crazy trying to pinpoint a cause when there was no way to do that in my case. So after a while, it’s just time let the past go and look positively toward a healthy future.

I know you and your husband have been going through the wringer on this journey…it’s hard on both of you. How is your husband doing now? Is he making a good recovery?

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Thank you so much for the articles. We found them very informative. But the best advice and guidance was that Stuff happens!!!!!
My husband is about 9 weeks out from treatment. He is doing well. Eating bigger portions and more varieties of food. Gained 5lbs! Both of us are a little nervous about the upcoming scan in 4 weeks but staying positive. He previously had a throat scope that physically showed that the tumors were gone. Now for the cellular results.
Take good care and again thank you for your help and support.

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Having cancer really tests the muster of a person, doesn’t it?
Your husband has gone through so much already but here he is, 9 weeks post treatment! It’s really positive to see that his scope showed no visible evidence of cancer, his appetite is picking up and he’s gaining weight! Those are huge milestones in the baby steps of recovery.
But I know full well the anxiety that loves to work its way into our heads when waiting scan results. We have a couple of conversations in the forum for Scanxiety. They may not be relevant to your husband’s cancer but it shows you’re not alone in the stress of waiting for good news. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/waiting-for-scan-results-is-this-part-of-scanxiety/

There’s no reason for you and your husband to feel anything but positive right now! ☺️ Though it’s really normal after something so traumatic like this to have some roller coaster emotions. It takes time to process and to feel a level of comfort that ‘this is over’ now. It happens gradually as life returns to a new, predictable rhythm and eventually the trauma fades into the background.

I wish your husband only good news on his upcoming tests in a month. Is this a PET scan?

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Hi, @sammy15 Mouth sores are a real problem, aren’t they. I got them when i first started high dose prednisone. The doctors i had worked with told me to use a salt and soda rinse. I used a 1/4 tsp each of salt and baking soda in warm water and rinsed my mouth several times a day. And I avoided store-bought mouth wash and citrus. The sores cleared up pretty fast. I hope you have good luck, too!

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