Hep C Thrush Treatment

Hep C Thrush Treatment for Dry Mouth and Sores is the Miracle Mouth Wash. Eating soft, bland foods helps, but if you have metallic taste, lemon water and popsicles may taste better.

Mouth sores make it hard to eat while on hep c treatment

Hepatitis C Treatment is an anti-viral treatment, but some of the side effects are a lot like chemotherapy. The powerful drugs target the Hep C Virus, but like chemotherapy, they also cause problems in other parts of your body. You know about the side effects of nausea, hair loss, fever, aches and pains. Another area that you may experience side effects is in your mouth.

I have covered teeth and gum problems, but the Thrush, dry mouth, and canker sores get a blog all of their own. You are probably wondering if I had every side effect. Yes I think I did. At the time I had to wonder why. But now that I have survived, I think that maybe it was so that I could pass on my handy dandy Hep C Tools to my Best Friends. Some of the symptoms you may experience are:

Mouth Sores and Thrush are pesky and can prevent you from eating well. Thrush is an overgrowth of yeast. In your mouth it can cause canker sores, cracks at the sides of your mouth and just open messes around your gums can hurt. They are like blisters and you can get more than one at a time. Your mouth and tongue may have a white coating. I would wake up in the morning with a thick white mouth. Nasty nasty mess. Mine mouth would throb and ache at times. It can also create a stinging sensation. I am so sorry if you have that problem. Remember, it is temporary. Talk to your doctor about Miracle Mouth Wash. It contains Benedryl, Maalox, and Nystatin.

What a miracle. This stuff helps! The pharmacist may mix it up for you, but they just gave me a script for Nystatin and I mixed my own. Follow their directions on mixing.

Nystatin Oral Suspension liquid from the pharmacy

Benedryl Children’s liquid

Maalox (not Kaopetate)

The Nystatin is an anti-biotic and will keep your mouth clear of bacteria. The Benedryl acts as like Lidocaine and numbs it up. It is also an antihistamine. The Maalox helps to keep it thick and coat your mouth.

Nystatin is what worked for me during treatment!

Recipe – I was instructed to mix equal parts of each ingredient. I reduced the Benedryl a tad bit with my doctor’s permission because with my liver, it makes me groggy. I mixed it in the large empty Ribavirin bottle. It lasted about 3 or 4 days. Yipper. Toward the 30 week mark, I used it several times daily. I let at least 4 hours pass between swishes.

How to use Miracle Mouth Wash – Shake before each use and use 2 Tablespoons. I just sipped  a mouthful out of my little container. Do not swallow! Swish it around for at least 2 minutes. Spit it out. It is advised to not drink or eat for at least 30 minutes.

You will not believe how good it feels. Cool and soothing. I ran out one time and did not refill. The sores came right back. I learned to keep it on hand and mixed up. It can create a little tingling when you first swish. What a miracle though. But wait there’s more.

A nasty metallic taste in your mouth could be from the Telaprevir, Ribavirin, Boceprevir, Victrelis or whatever you are taking for treatment. It is not uncommon. It makes even water taste weird. (Hint: Add lemon or ginger) I had it a lot during treatment. It disappears amazingly quick when you stop taking the drugs. Gone!

Dry mouth is another symptom that you may experience. I am not trying to scare you here. Remember, I had every side effect. For some of us, it kind of goes along with the medications. Drinking water can help, and believe me, I tried it. It is more than just dehydration or thirst. No amount of water helps when it gets that bad

Dry mouth can cause you to have a hoarse throat and your voice may even be affected. It is hard to talk, which I hate! Imagine that. Your mouth clacks and your tongue feels swollen. Did you read my blog on teeth and gums? Well, your saliva helps to protect your teeth. When you do not have enough, it can cause tooth decay. So brushing becomes even more important.

Help for dry mouth can come in the form of a mouthwash and toothpaste. It contains Xylitol and my doctor approved it. Any mouthwash that contains alcohol should be avoided with Hepatitis C anyway and now is the time to start using it. There are several on the market now. There are also some brands that target dry mouth! I found some Biotene on sale and stocked up. They have mints and sprays also. I noticed some relief, but to be honest – I still had a certain amount of dry mouth. It is one of those side effects that are a reminder that there are wonderful drugs in your body that are helping you to get rid of the Hepatitis C Virus.

Eating soft foods that have moisture can help. Pudding, shakes, ice cream, and popsicles are good. I even ate some baby food at times. Peach Cobbler and Hawaiian delight were easy to grab and sodium free!  Avoid spicy dishes and salt, which can cause discomfort and increase dryness. This is my own take on it, but drinking water or other beverages at room temperature seem to help. You can experiment and see what works for you. Some of you may try lemon drops for relief of dry mouth, but it can make sores more tender and promote tooth decay. Another Catch 22.

This one is hard to read, I’ll bet. When you are going into treatment, it just sucks knowing all the side effects you will have to deal with. I hope this little blog gives you some mental relief about how you can get relief with Hep C Thrush Treatment for Dry Mouth and Sores. As soon as you take that last dose, your mouth starts to clear up! All gone! xo Karen:)

 pics via drchen.com, wisegeek.com, drugs.com