inflammation

[raro]

Hi there,
Since starting a new cancer regimen a month ago, my blood tests tell me that the tumors in my bones are being held at bay, which is great news. BUT the drug I'm taking (called Afinitor if anyone is interested) can cause lowered immune system. Well, since starting the drug, I've had THREE painful infections of my fingernails (I confess to biting my nails down to nothing, so I've very rarely had these infections in the past, maybe once a year) where the whole side of my finger along the nail swells up. Not to get too gross, but one way I've found to treat it is to sterilize a needle and just poke it into the area between the nail and my skin, and pus usually comes out. I then clean it as well as I can and put a bandaid on it just to keep it clean. Painful and yukky.
Well, now on top of the finger issues, I have inflamed GUMS. I've always had lousy teeth, but last week I went in for a deep cavity filling and temporary crown. Well, the tooth itself hurts, but the gums all around (including my gums on the BOTTOM, when the tooth is on the TOP!) are in serious pain. Aside from yet more pills, does anyone know a remedy to help until I can get back in to the dentist for a full root canal?! Of course, it gets worse on the weekends, sigh...
I have tried using alcohol-based mouthwash, thinking to disinfect it, but it was painful enough to bring tears to my eyes. I've tried that Chloraseptic or whatever it's called, spraying my mouth and hoping desperately that the sting will fade to numbness, which it does, but still stings WAY more than numbs, and only lasts 10 minutes or so.
I took a tylenol with codeine, which helped enormously, but only for 3-4 hours, and I dont' want to be up several times a night to take it, especially on an empty stomach. And this pain is despite the fact that I take oxycontin 3 times a day for my bone pain...I should be pretty much immune to pain with the stupid drugs I've had to take, but I really don't want to take more pills. I got desperate enough yesterday at work that I took a Percocet (which is really overdosing since it's the same stuff as what's in oxycontin) and ended up extremely dizzy and nauseated.
Long story short, anyone got a nice, comforting remedy for gum inflammation?!? Thanks!

 

[Emerald]

Not sure if it will help due to your complications but a plain warm water with salt rinse a couple times an hour should help. And something called Oxyrinse.( trying to check the name as I bought the rite aid version and can't remember it perfectly but the main ingredient is -Carbamide Peroxide). it is a concentrated oral peroxide that was recommended after my mouth surgery by the specialist. you put about 5 to 10 drops in your mouth with a bit of water and let it foam up and swoosh it around in there for as long as you can and spit and then rinse with the salt water to remove it all from your mouth.. do not swallow it as it causes almost immediate barfing.. very icky..
it really helped heal up my mouth.. I wonder why with you having lowered immunity the dentist even did a deep cleaning.. people mouths are pretty icky places..
If you ask at any good drug store the pharmacist should be able to find it on the shelf for you.
This is not the stuff for bleaching teeth tho.. just make that clear.
I hope you feel better soon..

OH if you can find an ointment with silver in it.. Hubby has lowered immune/healing and feet problems as a mild side effect of his diabetes and we bought a small tube of Curad's new Silver solution. I figured for a buck it would not hurt to try. It healed up the awful cracks that he had in his heels and around his toes that just didn't want to heal well.. Not sure where you are but I found it in Dollar Tree and our local big box stores. I tried it on a nasty cut I got from an old tin can that was in the soil of my garden.. Healed up quite quickly and no infection from that nasty rusty tin.. It might do well on your fingers.

 

[raro]

Thanks, I hadn't even thought of peroxide rinses, and although I've heard that silver can be a healing agent, I never thought of that, either. I will definitely look into that immediately! Thank you so much!

 

[Emerald]

I hope it helps.. it sucks to be sick. But the treatments for cancer are so much better now days then they used to be. My mother in law was just diagnosed(for the second time) with cancer and is going thru some of the same treatments so not feeling so well either. Just know that we are all here thinking about you and hoping you feel better soon!

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like you may have thrush, which is pretty common for people taking chemo treatments. Thrush is a fungal/yeast infection of the mouth and is very painful. Yeast is one of the first invaders that colonize when the immune system is depressed and not the good kind of yeast.

There is a mouth rinse/wash you can get from your doctor to help with this...I'm surprised your dentist did not suggest it. It is yellow and a little viscous, not pleasant tasting, but it really helps~called Nystatin. There is another called Magic Mouth Wash that is also an antifungal but it has lidocaine in it, to numb the pain.

If you don't want to go that route and would prefer something over the counter, check out this product...seems to have good reviews. The salt water rinses are good and even soothing if you want a more natural approach, but you will be susceptible to this type of yeast each time you have treatments, so you might want something a little stronger.

http://www.buzzillions.com/reviews/prevention-antibacterial-mouth-rinse-16oz-reviews

Candida, the yeast infection, could also be what is causing the inflammation to your nails. It might not be too far fetched to soak your nails in this solution also.

Another great antifungal is the herbal route of olive leaf extract. It can be bought in capsule form in any health food store and it really works, particularly if you also try to limit your sugar and starch intake.

When the body has a yeast infection, you will often crave sweets and starches...these feed the infection. Try to refrain from eating these things if you can.

 

[Emerald]

Raro! How you feeling? finding any relief? Thinking about ya and wondering..

 

[Mickey328]

Colloidal silver and echinacea will both help bolster your immune system. I'm in complete agreement with Emerald...warm salt water is excellent for a mouthwash...no pain but it really does help keep things clean and flushed out.

 

[raro]

Thanks for all the great ideas. Most of my mouth sores have gone, thanks to peroxide rinses mostly. Magic Mouthwas helps when things get really bad, but it doesn't last long and apparently, according to my dentist, I've gotten used to it so it's less effective. That's also why, she says, the novicane she uses on me wears off after 15 minutes.
The nail infections still continue, but I realize it's 90% because I have bitten my nails all my life. So now I'm stopping the habit cold-turkey, which has proven harder than I expected. I found myself biting my nails in my sleep! (Kind of hard to do since I use a CPAP machine, but somehow I managed). And the infections follow immediately. I have a large one on my thumb now. Peroxide works pretty well for that, too.

And Beekissed, I think you hit the nail on the head...I've been craving sweets like crazy. I had lost 25 pounds and now have gained 10 back. Gah. I hadn't even considered that a yeast infection might be causing it. I thought the Magic Mouthwash would help with the thrush-type taste on my tongue, but everything still tastes sour to me. I'll be seeing my doctor on Thursday so I'll ask about that.
In the meantime, I'm trying to eat healthy and bathe my fingers in antibiotic ointment and all that. Thanks for all your help and concern!

 

[Emerald]

Thank you for the update and glad that some of the mouth pain is subsiding..
I know where you are coming from on the nail chewing.. I used to do it constantly.. but after working in restaurants for many many years most people would have a fit if you chewed your nails and then touched their foods! so I slowly did break myself of that habit. I do still find myself, when stressed, chewing the skin around a couple fingers. but not the nails. I wish I could help ya with that but it is a mental "you must just stop" thing for me. none of the things that I used to put on my nails to make them "blecky" worked.
I also have been taking the big probiotics from the health food store in the attempt to fix my poor digestive system from all the antibiotics that I have been on this year for various things. helped with all the infections but wreaked havoc on my guts. I can't do the yogurt thing as I am super lactose intolerant.
(hubs says I could run a generator and light the town with the amount of gas eating a small ice cream gives me!!) sure I do eat a bit of yogurt cheese when I make my own and take the silly little pills when I remember but mainly no soft cheeses and milk and ice cream.
But I do lacto-ferment quite a bit of veggie and I find that helps quite a bit with my stomach problems. Just had fermented jalapenos/onion/garlic/bell pepper in my salsa and that is something to enjoy.
if you can try to find a good Asian Market and pick up some Miso(I prefer the white) and make some soup with it. very good for combating unbalances in your system. With Dashi and Kombu, That combo helped with the people who helped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the bomb.. They had less problems with radiation sickness than those who did not eat it. Not a magic bullet but a good combo. (could be the iodine in the seaweeds tho)
I do not believe in fermenting everything tho.. don't do the soaking grains or any of that hoohaw*. But the veggies and miso very good "probiotics" can add to your systems strengths.

*I know some follow that kind of diet and no PMS please.. I just don't believe in it. JMHO and YMMV.