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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:30:39
Or so the doctor said.
I mentioned the fever. I mentioned the smell of chlorine. He said those were signs of a sinus infection, but I don't have a sinus infection.
I mentioned the bitter salty pasty stuff oozing from the left side of my mouth. He didn't seem to think it was anything important.
He mentioned that my salivary glands were slightly inflamed, and gave me a mixture that he admitted was basically a placebo, but said that sometimes something in it helped. But pretty much it just got better on its own. I'm skeptical that this is an issue, because he pointed them out on both sides of my mouth, and only the left side of my mouth is a problem. :(
So apparently I've been utterly miserable for four weeks for absolutely no reason at all. I'm having trouble swallowing for no reason at all. I have a slight and intermittant fever for no reason at all. I've got that pasty stuff and my skin is blistering and popping for no particular reason.
The only upside is that I've felt queasy for four weeks, and I'm shedding weight well. Another few months of being this perfectly healthy, and I'll be at my target weight.
I'll also be unemployed, because I am having trouble working when I feel so bad.
I came home and cried.
Posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:45:13
In reply to Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:30:39
I guess the worst part is that I did know my mouth was better today than it was since it flared up on Monday. But my husband swore he wouldn't let me cancel the appointment. And now I feel stupid. Again. I'm never going to a doctor again. :(
Posted by ClearSkies on November 9, 2006, at 13:48:12
In reply to Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:30:39
>
> So apparently I've been utterly miserable for four weeks for absolutely no reason at all. I'm having trouble swallowing for no reason at all. I have a slight and intermittant fever for no reason at all. I've got that pasty stuff and my skin is blistering and popping for no particular reason.
>It just occurred to me that your dentist is more likely to know what is going on with your mouth.
If you still have the blistering and pasty stuff, I'd go see him about it.
(((Dinah)))
ClearSkies
Posted by NikkiT2 on November 9, 2006, at 14:25:33
In reply to Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:30:39
Dinah.. hun..
is there any way at all you can take a little break from work? Your symptoms almost match some I suffered some years back, and the blistering was all over my body, in my hair.. I kept running fevers at odd times, that would die down as suddenly as they arrived.. i had nausea that stopped me eating (I lost about 28lb in 2 months)
Then, one day I handed my notice in at work.. within a week the symptoms had dissapeared..
the stress, i guess, of knowing I was doing really badly at work and that fear of what would happen had caused my body to go into some strange state of shock.. and like you, I had so much other stuff going on.. oh, and it was a few months after my dad had died too..
I don't know how to solve it for you.. and I remember the horribleness of the doctors just saying nothing was wrong..
But.. if there is *any* way you could take a work break for a little while.. to save you from a permanent work break.. please.. think about it..
with alot of care and understanding,
Nikki xx
Posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 19:09:13
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » Dinah, posted by NikkiT2 on November 9, 2006, at 14:25:33
That's very interesting to hear, Nikki. It's true that it first cropped up at a very stressful time. And at just the time I'd made some meds changes too.
I'm hoping the stress will back off for a month or so to give me a chance to recover. It's not usually as nonstop as it was this year, but we fell behind and never really caught up.
I tried to give away a large portion of my work, but as I told my husband, it seemed like I stood there with my outstretched arms offering the pile of work, and no one to take it as my arms grew tireder and tireder until I finally said I'd just keep it myself.
Posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 19:13:11
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » Dinah, posted by ClearSkies on November 9, 2006, at 13:48:12
If I can ever get over some old issues about factitius lesions, I might call the dentist. :(
I had a good cry and a good sleep and am feeling somewhat better. It's true the blisters have subsided again, and if they don't recur this time, the rest of it could be bearable. And the weight loss will be a good thing.
I wish I had had the presence of mind to grab that doctor and french kiss him. ;)
Posted by ClearSkies on November 9, 2006, at 20:03:49
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » ClearSkies, posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 19:13:11
> I wish I had had the presence of mind to grab that doctor and french kiss him. ;)LOL for real, Dinah!! I love it!
Posted by Jost on November 10, 2006, at 8:10:32
In reply to Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:30:39
Hi, Dinah.
I hope that you do realize that this is something.
Use the anesthetic-- it helps a lot.
Also it helps most of you put it right on the places that hurt, because although the pain feels general, it's referred pain from the irritated places. That's one reason I like orajel-- you can put it directly on the areas, intensively, with a cotton swab. Use a mirror to see if you can pinpoint all the spots.
It might have been set off by the meds you're using. You said you had med changes. Mine was initiated by a medication, which I stopped. In many cases, these things are caused by medications. So you might look into that-- and see if you can shift to other medications, at least as a temporary test.
But mine also did linger on-- for quite a while. It did get better and has recently gotten much better. But I'm outside the bellshaped curve on its lasting.
I can tell you what helped me (because I do think a chronic sinus infection was involved for me, in its lasting).
1. I also had inflamed salivary glands (or my Pdoc--it was a pmed--hypothesized the medication must be producing a breakdown product that was inflaming them)
2. I found that sudafed or claritin (I can't use sudafed with maois, but they or other regular decongestants are stronger than claritin, it seems) helps
3. I also found flonase or nasacort (which I used with the claritin) helped
4. using listerine helped-- although hurt, but I think it also helped some
5. recently sniffing some menthol and eucalyptus thing I bought at the drugstore has helped a lot-- I also tried vicks vapor rub, which isn't as strong-- but similar-- I'll get the name of the other thing
6. You do have something-- and ClearSkies is right, dentists are more familiar with this specific thing-- which is non-specific, but whatever-- but will mostly just give you the anesthetic.
Maybe it's getting better as I speak. I hope. :)?
Jost
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 10, 2006, at 11:04:56
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Jost on November 10, 2006, at 8:10:32
I agree with Nikki. Do not underestimate the power of the mind!
Seriously, I developed mysterious stomach pains when I was stressed, although at the time, I thought they weren't pyschsomatic. I went to the docs, they didn't know what they were either.
I often manage to convince myself that I'm catching a cold, when in reality there's no such thing. I get all the symptoms, feeling achy, etc etc, but its all in my head. It feels totally real through.
Thats why I say don't underestimate the power of the mind - its incredible what it can have you believe.
Posted by Dinah on November 10, 2006, at 20:05:43
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » Jost, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 10, 2006, at 11:04:56
I never underestimate the power of the mind, or stress hormones, or whatever it may be. :(
Posted by Dinah on November 10, 2006, at 20:11:48
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Jost on November 10, 2006, at 8:10:32
I'm going to print this out and keep it near. A lot of good suggestions.
I think I'll try the sudafed. Based on the trouble I'm having swallowing, it wouldn't surprise me overmuch if there wasn't something going on in my sinuses.
The sores are nearly all gone right now, except one in an odd spot that even I can't possibly be rubbing. So the horrible burning is gone, at least for now.
Which just leaves the hairy coated mouth that's interfering with my sense of taste. I'm trying the Activia in hopes that it will correct whatever imbalance is there. (Boy, that stuff tastes like milk full of nice healthy bacteria.)
Posted by madeline on November 11, 2006, at 2:11:59
In reply to Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Dinah on November 9, 2006, at 13:30:39
Where are the blisters? Are they around your mouth, or on the inside?
Posted by Dinah on November 11, 2006, at 9:49:08
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » Dinah, posted by madeline on November 11, 2006, at 2:11:59
On the inside. Mainly on the roof, like the kind you get from eating pizza that's too hot.
Except that I haven't eaten anything hot.
I got another one last night, but this one's healing like a normal one would.
Which surely means something good.
(Now this will sound very odd, but I'm almost sure the pH balance of my mouth turns to base rather than acid right before this happens, because last night and before the last flareup, coke foamed in my mouth like a science experiment. But that's just plain weird, so maybe I'm crazy.)
Posted by madeline on November 11, 2006, at 15:29:52
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » madeline, posted by Dinah on November 11, 2006, at 9:49:08
any itching or burning?
Posted by Dinah on November 11, 2006, at 17:23:59
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » Dinah, posted by madeline on November 11, 2006, at 15:29:52
Definite burning, although that comes and goes, generally after the blisters.
I'm possibly starting to see a pattern with the food I eat.
If I can definitely pin it to that, I should be able to figure out what I can and can't eat until it's completely healed.
I think I'll try to start a diary to track it.
Posted by Jost on November 12, 2006, at 2:02:55
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Dinah on November 11, 2006, at 17:23:59
Have you noticed an periodicity in it-- ie its being worse at certain times of day? Mine is frequently worse at night-- not that noticing that helps me at all, except if I can think that it'll be better in the morning.
I do notice a relationship to sour or acidic foods-- pickles, lemonade, that sort of thing. Definitely worth avoiding them until it clears up.
Gum chewing, IMO, does not help. Even the gums that supposedly help with this sort of thing don't do much for me. Do you find that it helps you?
Hope it's better tomorrow.
Jost
Posted by Lindenblüte on November 12, 2006, at 12:39:05
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Jost on November 12, 2006, at 2:02:55
Hi Dinah,
my little bro gets ulcers in his mouth when he is stressed.You might try doing a diet where you eliminate certain food groups for a few days and do a daily journal to see how it's related to your symptoms.
Some suggestions for things to try eliminating first
1) acidic foods, especially citrus. Cola and soft drinks are super-acidic
2) refined sugars, especially high fructose corn syrup. yeasty beasties will definitely react if this is an issue.
3) milk products
4) wheat productsI have found that my gums are really sensitive to inflammatory hormones- I always get sore inflamed gums during pms. (also acne, and tummy issues... etc)
not surprisingly, stress creates inflammatory conditions, and so do diets rich in saturated fats and refined carbs. (and stress makes me more likely to binge on fatty sugary foods too- an evil positive feedback loop.) You may have something stress-related that is happening in your entire system, it's just that your mouth is the most sensitive part, so it's the first part to complain.
My dentist recommends a mix of half peroxide half water for rinsing when I notice gingivitis symptoms. I add a splash of mouthwash so that the taste is not so noxious. It really gets under the gum-line and fizzes away any sore spots.
I had an accident to my face where my lip was cut really badly a few years ago, and so I had to see a doc, a plastic surgeon, and my dentist. Doc recommended salt water gargle to help keep the tissue clean. plastic surgeon prescribed expensive antiseptic mouthwash. dentist said- use the mouthwash if you want, but it will turn your teeth dark if you use it all the time, and diluted peroxide is actually more effective.
Posted by Lindenblüte on November 12, 2006, at 12:40:59
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Lindenblüte on November 12, 2006, at 12:39:05
sorry- I forgot one thing
uncomfortable swallowing, like a feeling of having a lump in my throat, is one of the side-effects of cymbalta. I don't know whether this side-effect (dysphagia) is also possible for other psych-meds.
It's really unpleasant.
-Li
Posted by MidnightBlue on November 12, 2006, at 15:52:13
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth, posted by Lindenblüte on November 12, 2006, at 12:40:59
About uncomfortable swallowing. There are times I feel like it is hard to "start" a swallow. We are talking just saliva here not food. Like it is a real effort to get it going. I was wondering if Ambien, tramadol, valium, or benedryl could cause that. (no I don't take those all at once!)
I think the docs think I'm just afraid to take meds, but I'm not so sure about that. I can breath okay, just find a fullness? in neck/throat and hard to swallow....
MB
Posted by Dinah on November 13, 2006, at 8:34:31
In reply to Re: Nothing wrong with my mouth » Lindenblüte, posted by MidnightBlue on November 12, 2006, at 15:52:13
My son's school has had an outbreak of hoof and mouth, or foot and mouth I suppose. They said it doesn't always involve the rash, so I guess that's a possibility. Problem is that it's gone on too long (I think), and also that there's still nothing they can do about it other than to wait it out.
Either my fever's gone up from this or I've also caught the flu. My throat and ears hurt.
There seems to be a relationship to salt or spices. But mostly salt.
I chew the gum to keep my mouth clear of the icky stuff without rubbing my tongue along it. Bleck.
I was going to call my dentist, but the suspicion that I now have the flu as well is keeping me from doing it. I don't want to infect anyone.
I have no fortitude. :(
I hate being sick. I just want to go to bed. But of course I can't. So Motrin and work it is. (At home of course.)
This is the end of the thread.
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