It's Apparently My Turn For It All To Get To Me

[MightyMouse]

Okay, pardon me while I have a really bad moment (newbies, sorry...I'm usually more of "Suzie Sunshine", but I today I may come across as "Polly Pit-of-Doom").

I've been feeling awful all week, super symptomatic with limited standing-up time... and thinking "I have a sinus infection." But, I realized today that I actually have multiple canker sores--on my throat, soft palate, tonsil and back of the roof of my mouth and under the side of my tongue...all on my right side. What the **bleep**? Can't my body do ANYTHING NORMAL?? I can't decide whether to scream (okay that would hurt my mouth) or just crawl in my bed, pull the blankets up over me and not get out for a long, long time... next week sounds about right.

I changed toothpaste a few days before this all started--which isn't coincidental. Apparently certain toothpaste ingredients can cause canker sores in sensitive folks. Nice. (that's me being sarcastic). I'll be using baking soda for a while b/c this just really is awful. I have swollen lymph nodes on that side too--and feel like I have an ear infection, but I don't. I feel like I usually do when I have a fever, but I don't. My body ached like I have the flu...but I don't have that either. Now I really have empathy for my sister, who used to get these stupid sores in her mouth all the time. From what I was able to find, canker sores can involve autoimmune stuff too, so I guess that's why my nodes hurt so much along my jaw.

I'm not sleeping because of the pain. I've been attending an all week at a mandatory training for my incoming staff for the next school year and I had to teach at my college position 2 nights this week too... I kept thinking, "wow, this is harder than usual, I must be out of my work routine", but each day was getting worse...and I'm now running on fumes. Teri's on the other side of the country until next week and I don't want her to know how bad it is or she'll try to come home and mess up her new promotion (as of 7/1).

I am completely overwhelmed at the thought of going to work again tomorrow that I'm starting to cry as I write this...but I don't want to cry b/c it will make my ear and throat hurt more. I'm so frustrated and exhausted. I know I'm usually fortunate enough to have the ability to push through, but I don't know if my body can do it this time. I'm cranky. I'm in pain. My autonomic stuff is making this so much harder--I'm too tired and shaky to make a meal for myself and have lived on cereal for several days now. I suppose if I were normal, I'd probably just feel a bit icky but able to cope, but this stupid thing has me on the edge of the cliff.

There are many new members I've yet to say hello to, as well as many threads and posts I've altogether missed. Know that I'll read all at some point, even if I don't post.

Nina

[iheartcats]

I'm so sorry to hear what a bad week you're having. You are usually super-duper-positive, but no one can be like that all the time. I'm suspecting even Ned Flanders has his days.

I hope you have the weekend off and can just rest/relax. Mandatory trainings and the such get to me more than other things because I know I 'can't miss no matter what' and I get panicky and then things get worse...(and I know this, but I still do this, it's unending!). I'm hoping you just had a more stressful week than usual and you'll be back to baseline in a few days.

With these types of illnesses/disease/whatever one will call it stuff tends to pile up. Where a normal folk might shake it off and move on to the next thing, we tend to keep stacking one thing on another.

The weeks almost over. Let us know when you get better! Because you will!

[MomtoGiuliana]

So sorry for this. I hope you can take off tomorrow (sounds like you have no choice) and use the weekend to recover. Take care, Katherine

[Guest tearose]

This heat is making me unable to think much but here is an idea for you fearless leader!

Hang up the cape, pour yourself a cool hydrating drink, take something to knock out pain and go to bed!

If you still feel like " ! " in the morning, then you should allow yourself to stay home and heal. You will melt tomorrow if you are not careful!

feel better soon

tearose

[lorrie]

I haven't had the chance to get to know you yet, but I am truly sorry for what you are going through. Things will begin to get better soon, but you need to take care of yourself.

I gathered from your post that you are a teacher? Me too and we have mandatory meetings two days next week. I am praying that I am having good days but if not, I won't be there. That's one thing I finally got out of all this...my health has to come first.

Hope you feel better!!

[mkoven]

So sorry to hear you're feeling bad, Nina. Banish that toothpaste! I hope you can get some rest, take care of yourself, and feel better soon.

[ajw4790]

Hi Nina!

Hope you get to feeling better soon! Although, I don't think my reaction was quite as severe, I too am one of the "lucky" ones to have a bad sensitivity reaction to toothpaste (like the Crest Expressions or something that is really bubbly- more detergent I guess). I had a buch of mouth sores and then my gums were very sensitive and achy. Because of the inflammation or whatever of my gums it made biting down on anything horrible, and the whole combo of things also made my ears hurt. It stinks! Now I am pretty much locked into one toothpaste, because I have bad reactions to all others I try... Annoying!

Hope it gets better soon!

[momofsara]

Nina--Im so sorry about your sore mouth. One of the meds I take for rheumatoid makes me have mouth sores, and my doc recommended I use a solution of 1/2 peroxide and 1/2 water to rinse my mouth. It has helped with the sores. Also he told me to take Folic acid for the mouth sores. Hope you feel better soon----(((((((hugs))))))) Susan

[delphicdragon]

Feel better soon!!!

[ironsc]

I hope you feel better soon, and hang in there! I'll think good thoughts for you.

Hugs,

Cam

[Rachel]

Hi Nina,

I'm sorry you've had such a rough time lately.

Wow, I've never heard of such a reaction to toothpaste!! I hope your mouth and throat heal soon.

I hope you can find time to rest and recover. I sounds like you really need it.

Hugs,

Rahel

[morgan617]

Sorry late to chime in. Ask your doctor for Reynold's solution..it's a swish and spit. it doesn't cure them, but it sure makes them feel better! Jake will get 10-15 at a time in his mouth and he uses it like crazy when he does. And you are correct, it's an autoimmune thing. Biotene is the best toothpaste, as it helps with moisture and doesn't have the abrasive qualities of the others. It's a bit more expensive, but jake will tell you it's more than worth the cost. Hope you feel better soon sweetie. morgan

[corina]

hey nina! were you able to push the blankets away this morning and stick your head out?

i am sorry you're having a bad time. isn't it ridiculous that you can't even change toothpaste anymore???!!! i hope morgans suggestions will help you, it seems someone is very experienced in these problems . . .

hope you'll have a nice weekend!

corina

[MightyMouse]

Thanks everyone. I did have to go to work today--but I also was able to get a prescription to help.

Morgan, I now have the disgusting rinse. My goodness it tastes horrible (for those who don't know, it's a mixture of liquid antacid, liquid benedryl and lidocaine). YUCK... but I'll definitely say it helps.

I read up on this stuff last night before bed and took a b-complex vitamin. I also picked up sls/sds free toothpaste while at the pharmacy.

Something has been going on with my immune system lately. I got a fungal infection (ringworm) on my legs and arms last month that is only now starting to clear up... now this mouth full of ulcers. I need to get to actually see my doctor, which I've been avoiding; I've also been having what they thought was a bladder infection, but the pain in my lower abdomen and back has yet to resolve and it's now been many weeks. I think you can all understand why I'm so "over" going to the doctor.

Okay, enough of my pity party. Next week my goal is to at least get my appointment scheduled with my internist. My goal for the current moment is to get some sleep so my emotional stability returns... I'm hoping my physical stamina will follow sometime soon after, but I won't hold out for that one.

The kitties will have me as their nap buddy for a while now... here's to the possibility that my youngest one will actually let me sleep! (She tires Wilbur out...makes him, almost 2, feel like an old man).

Morgan...here's my new motto:

rinse, spit, sleep, repeat...

[morgan617]

Nina, Jake's also has dexamethasone in it, which is as bitter as you know what...but he'll do anything to help with the pain of those little buggers. As tiny as they can be, they always feel like they are the size of a quarter....good luck with getting rid of them.

For those of you that think lysine will help, it's for cold sores, not cankers. Many people confuse the two and they are totally different entities...morgan

[MightyMouse]

Yep, the lysine is of no use to me. From what I've read, the peroxide solution is useful, as is vitamin e put directly on the surface of the ulcer, and also rinsing with licorice root extract (which, as you may know is useful to raise bp too), taking b vitamins (including folic acid), and avoiding sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate (sds or sls).

This all started with one small, annoying ulcer under my tongue, but since I didn't stop with the toothpaste, they spread. Who knew these little boogers could hurt so much!? Made my morning cereal and coffee not quite as nice as I had hoped.

Thanks again to you all. I'm going to lie down now... there's a nice loud thunderstorm going by and I find them relaxing to listen to.

Nina

[Ernie]

Hi Nina,

I hope you are starting to feel better.

[Sophia3]

Yikes! Chiming in late, Nina. Hoping your mouth is feeling better AND the rest of you.

[Maxine]

Nina,

Sorry your having such a crummy time. Dang, it's got to feel like your climbing a mountain just going to work.

I hope you can get enough sleep. Sounds like you need to sleep for three days. I become an emotional and physical trainwreck if I don't get enough sleep.

Take Care,

Maxine :0)

[Megan]

I hope you get to feeling better soon, or at least get rested up!!

Meg

[MightyMouse]

Starting to feel a *little* better. I slept 10 hours last night, then was wakened early by the kitties... I ate (more cereal, of course), did a couple of things like toss laundry down the stairs, return a few emails, and then I went back to bed... and slept *heavily* for 6 hours. My mouth is starting to heal--not completely, but enough to make being awake bearable again.

Ahhh. I just had dinner--and now I have a "new" motto.

"Another meal, another bowl of cereal."

It really did help me through the past few days to be able to vent here and to see all your support. Thank you all.

Nina

[Guest Sandy Sims]

Gosh I'm so VERY sorry to hear of your troubles.

It all sounds SOOO familar--except I get ugly herpes simplex sores--then the infected ear that isn't and runny nose sinus infection that isn't--and flu symptoms without fever.

So you are NOT alone!

I DO feel your pain and wish I could give you a big hug, pet your head and say, "Hang in there!"

Rest, rest and rest--ok wake up and drink some water--then rest some more!

I hate to ask, but I really gotta know--what toothpaste caused this!

Glad you found a rinse that helps.

What a wonderful group of people are here!

I'm so glad to have found you all.

Sandy

[MightyMouse]

Hi Sandy, it was a Sensodyne toothpaste, with extra whitening and tartar control. I contains SLS, which I didn't know would bother me--I bought it b/c it was on sale, I typically use regular Sensodyne, which does NOT have SLS. I found a dental website that lists the ones I can use--which include some that are easy to find, and some that are tough to find. My grocery store carries Tom's of Maine, which is on the "safe list".

I really need to call my doctor tomorrow. The fungal infection I have on my arm and leg are now flaring up again. My immune system is really going haywire.

Yesterday I slept so much and it felt good. Today, all the resting in bed has paid off--I had my first meal that wasn't cereal--toast with cheese and a tomato from my garden. Not gourmet, but at least different. I did a little house work (one load of laundry and some dishes), and feel like I've run a marathon. Now I'm going back to bed!!!

Nina

[masumeh]

It all sounds SOOO familar--except I get ugly herpes simplex sores--then the infected ear that isn't and runny nose sinus infection that isn't--and flu symptoms without fever.

So you are NOT alone!

I was also thinking that this sounds a lot like Oral Herpes. It does give "flu like" symptoms and no actual high fever. Did you check that out? If you have never had it before, the first outbreak is the worst, and you need to have the doctor swab it and test it while the ulcers are open and active. Did you think about strep throat? If it's one of these, you will benefit from an antibiotic, so it's best to check it out ASAP.

Hope you feel better soon!

[mom4cem]

Hi Nina,

Late chiming in here also, but glad to hear you are feeling a bit better. I had a case like that years ago, coxsackie virus I believe, caught it from my niece,(its just one of those viral things you can catch) those sores were painful, nasty,, could not eat anything but jello and pudding for days. I had an rx prescribed for it and after a few days it started to go.

I can sympathize,,,painful. Glad to hear you are on the way to recovery