Dealing with Dry Mouth in Head and Neck Cancer Patients, Julie Jung Kang, MD, PhD | UCLAMDChat

UCLA radiation oncologist, Julie Jung Kang, MD, PhD, discusses how to improve dry mouth in head and neck cancer patients, including the role of saliva in swallowing, taste and hygiene.
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[@johnnyaferg]

Still a great video in 2017. Well done Dr Kang.

[@gerijudge9663]

Thank you very much for making this valuable video, it helps us a lot. Thanks again Dr. Kang

[@user-tj4bv8qh2q]

Thank you for creating this video and for leaving it on for years. I just saw this and it really encouraged me because I am depressed that this is happening to me. I am not a cancer patient and I do not know yet why I am getting this condition

[@nikhilagrawal1541]

Awesome Julie! This video is almost as good you

[@jyotharia9978]

Great help

[@robertmanning2110]

Thank you Julie... about to start treatment and your KZbin clip was a good introduction and very helpful. Thank you so much for your work in this space.

[@donnabarnes540]

How are you now ? Did it go well ? I finished my treatment in Oct .

[@robertmanning2110]

@@donnabarnes540 thanks for your message happy to chat and provide some support... I am now having 3 monthly checks. Now back at work full time and getting on with my new normal.

[@donnabarnes540]

@@robertmanning2110 Thank you , that’s kind . It’s fantastic how well you’ve done . I’m hearing good news all round . I’m doing really well too . Better than I expected. I feel I’ve breezed through the treatment although had the usual side effects ( still am ) but on the whole I’ve done well . I am a positive person though and tend to forget bad experiences anyway . I’m awaiting a scan to see if it’s worked . I’m sure it has 🥰

[@robertmanning2110]

@@donnabarnes540 Hey Donna how is the progress going? Now moved to 4 mthly checks. Hope all is well with you Cheers Robert

[@donnabarnes540]

@@robertmanning2110 Hi . My treatment was successful 😀 6 to 8 week checks . I’ve been back at work for 3.5 months ( it’s like I’ve never been away !) My eating is alot better . Meat , bread and all that stuff is still difficult to eat . Meat chopped tiny with loads of gravy/ sauce is ok . I’ve been back swimming for about 3 months . So on the whole really good . Having the grandkids loads again too . How are you ? 😊

[@alig.h7786]

informative video, thank you DR Julie

[@jenniferf.2727]

Outstanding video dr kang

[@BhumikaRathore-rf7km]

Please name some brands for prescribing biotin

[@Borden003]

The scar tissue from 7300 rads to the oral cavity is the main issue in my inability to swallow. The saliva was gone in the first week of hyperfraction radiation and never came back . That was 24 years ago and the swallowing has deteriorated so much that I am at the point of a feeding tube. Very disappointed and distressed but I have been through the gambit of head and neck, gastric, etc physicians. Bottom line from each, you are “screwed” I am 80 in very good physical health but out now is not very good

[@freebirdh7033]

Thank you very much for this video. I am still hoping that I will produce more saliva as the months go by, so thank you for the information and the tips. At my last review the consultant was honest and advised me that the normal saliva activity will never be resumed . Sadly that is depressing but I feel bad for even moaning about it, given the alternative! I will try some of the tips and I am gradually getting to grips with tougher foods, although it's definitely more mind over matter. Until the mouth gets sore and I have to give up.

[@richardharris3423]

Has your saliva and taste gotten better over the past 3 years?

[@ernestwilson5591]

@@richardharris3423 I was wanting to ask the same question, I am in my 8th. month now after radiation and have zero saliva, only eating soups, puddings, etc. Pretty miserable actually, especially after reading Free Birds comments that normal saliva will never be resumed. My radiation oncologist keeps telling me 6-8 months they will be healed and you will have your saliva back, it's close to 9 months now and no sign of it returning.

[@pk4459]

Has anyone tried Cevimeline? Thanks for any experiences and side effects.

[@ernestwilson5591]

A very good video and very informative. I had squamous cell carcinoma on the side of my neck, I had chemo plus 35 treatments of radiation, finished it 8 months ago. I have zero saliva only able to manage soup, puddings etc. I see a speech therapist once a week for mouth and tongue exercises and swallowing techniques. I am told it could take up to a year to have saliva again, not sure about that, can only hope. My taste is still not good, seems to be improving slightly as time goes. I see this video was made 8 years ago, maybe they have had some break throughs since then!

[@77142957]

Hello, I am 4 years out. Started getting my taste back at year 2. Still have issues swelling some foods like breads. Have to eat slow and when food gets cold it gets unappetizing so gaining weight is a struggle. Good luck.

[@allenchristopher7290]

No matter what. Dry mouth is part of the treatment. I myself hope it comes back. These doctors really dont know the problem of side effects. Unless they go threw it and then they will truly understand the problem of side effects of dry mouth and loss of taste. So much for shaping the beam of radiation to spare glands. Because this is hell to go through.

[@GenXguy69]

I finished radiation treatment on my neck in March. I'm experiencing very dry mouth and throat. Can't really eat a lot of foods, and the ones I can eat, is a challenge. Eating has become very non enjoyable unfortunately. I'm kinda depressed about it. I only hope my body gets through this and corrects itself. I am going to seek medical advice from Penn hospital in Philadelphia. They have experts on this. Fingers crossed they can do something.

[@richardharris3423]

@@GenXguy69 I'm sorry to hear about what your going through. How are you doing now? Has your taste improved from 5 months ago?

[@GenXguy69]

@@richardharris3423 Thanks, yeah I'm still experiencing dry mouth. I can taste everything just fine, except certain foods are kinda different. Coffee is kinda off a little. Sweet foods have become a little bitter. Forget breads and anything related to them. I can taste it, but very dry. Soft foods, of course, are easy. Anything with sauces or gravies are better. Milk products strangely have become a little bitter as well. Interesting enough, my Oncologist told me that the salivary glands weren't destroyed during treatment, just affected. It will take time for them to recharge. I hope she's right. It's definitely a life changer. Hope you're doing well.

[@ernestwilson5591]

@@GenXguy69 Going through the same thing here, finished radiation 8 months ago zero saliva, was Penn hospital helpful for you regarding your dry mouth? I was also recommended to try there.

[@bipinsurekha]

To day nov 15, 2020, the video has no sound . Please upload with sound if it is available.

[@ernestwilson5591]

It has sound, check your speaker input.

[@malikkarimi1956]

But when I iam washing with baking soda my mouth getting more dry but I am maxing with sold

[@the1mook]

Thanks Julie my husband has just gone thru head and neck cancer treatment in Australia and you have just answered our questions re dry mouth .....thank-you for covering all be needed to know ...very informative video your a lifesaver

[@nagrajacharyamarpalli7156]

Ocra ( ladies finger) curry is good for Chemo & post radiation . Small banana & mango, fresh juices are good to regain the taste of the mouth.

[@Fallen_Venus]

40 years after neck surgery and radiotherapy my dry mother has got worse. My tongue is often coated in white which you've not mentioned here. I've suffered hoarseness for 40 years and that's never improved and only got worse. I suffer from bruxism and my teeth are suffering but i now jnow low salivary production is a major factor. I've only learned the long term effects of the treatment by my own research. No consultant has diagnosed my symptoms. In fact the opposite and I've been told in the past by the cancer specialist there's nothing wrong with me or my symptoms are unrelated. In a general sense, I've never trusted the medical profession since.

[@Sagarscuisine]

It has been a year my mother has been treated for the tongue cancer and Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy after that. It takes 6 weeks to reproduce the salivary glands and get reed of dry mouth. But till now my mom is facing the dry mouth issue and is unable to eat most of the items like dry items, spices etc. Is there any remedy or treatment to reproduce the salivary glands and bring all things back to normal. Will really appreciate if you help on this. Please.

[@joanbaczek2575]

Sagar Thorat dry mouth from radiation does not go away. The saliva glands that produce amelise that breaks down protein enough to swallow comfortably permanently die. I’m 2 years remission and still struggle with dry mouth and meat is almost impossible to chew and swallow I end up swallowing chunks cus the more I chew the more rubber it gets and harder to swallow.

[@joanbaczek2575]

No I been trying for 2 years . Fruit and veggies are best options meat is most difficult and the gland that make amelase enzymes is permanently killed from radiation and it don’t come back I found eggs with some mayo goes down easier

[@klanzadumas2962]

@@joanbaczek2575 Did you experience high Calcium rates in your blood before you underwent treatment ?

[@richardharris3423]

@@joanbaczek2575 Has your saliva and taste gotten better of the past 3 years?

[@Fallen_Venus]

That patient able to perform an 80 mins singing performance... he can't have been that badly affected!! Maybe a lot of it was psychological.

[@nourelhouda8308]

I thank god I'm life I have been living with dry mouth for about 24,years my experience they don't tell you for sure your going to lose your Slavia OK they don't tell you is going a lace time struggle OK look in realty no body have there saliva back no no matter how strong or given if you try medd to try no and I'm not the only one you may get the saliva back if it was not lost from radiation I say sometime dose the gress grow in herowchima ) I know I wrote that wrong but you can live with out saliva OK no it dose not come back that's really I try every thing I did all the medical they told me I took all the med to bring it back but its really and life its not bad we just work harder I mean the ones we lost the Salvia to radiation so that's the fect !!!! For 24,years base of the tongue C and radiation thank god for grent us life again but its not easy over all thank god for every thing

[@reginedecastro9412]

may i know the type of cancer you had?

[@jennyomalley7634]

Hi, i have very bad side affects from 42 rounds of radiation for head and neck cancer. Also because of my immune system being compromised i have oral thrush.It would seem looking at YT videos there is nothing I can eat only yogurt.

[@rkp61158]

Strange how that works . I had treatment last summer , 30 rounds over 6 weeks and now yogurt , icecream , chocolate etc now taste horrible as I no longer have any sense of taste for sweetness . I was lucky and have some small amount of saliva production though not much . What makes it harder for me was they extracted all my teeth before surgery and radiotherapy and the new dentures seem to remove what little sense of taste I have left . Regardless I wish you a speedy recovery with your immune system , I know from experience it's a proper nightmare losing that

[@jennyomalley7634]

@@rkp61158 Thank you

[@nagrajacharyamarpalli7156]

Ochra (ladies finger )curry with youghurt is good for post radiation. Banana small,Guava, butter milk are good.

[@lol4462]

Hi Jerry how are you now? I’m starting head and neck radiation in about a week I already have trouble swallowing from my surgery on my neck. Did anything help? Have you been able to gain back your saliva and able to function as good as before?

[@jennyomalley]

@@lol4462 Best thing is to be positive and you WILL get through it. Take it as a challenge, bring it on baby ! . With me, I was completely alone Just moved to Ireland ,knew nobody . The hospital that could provide the treatment with the mask was 6 to 7 hours away from where i was living, so i stayed in hotel. After about 10 blasts, I think I noticed my lack of sense of taste, although my sense of smell was good it was a curse, returning to the hotel after treatment the smell of food made me feel sick. I'm 70 and bulled my way through it. Don't believe in pills, refused painkillers. Now after a year i'm eating and tasting nearly everything, walking 2\3 miles every day, chewing gum I find is good for the dry mouth a little gentle rubbing around the limph nodes on the neck and i sing a bit every day ( probably because i have nobody to talk to ) Oh i'm getting a cat :) . Hope all goes well for you, I'm sure it will. If you have any questions , no bother ask away. Good luck. Jenny.

[@camelliaflowers5828]

only interested in radiation induced lack of saliva ...