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02-15-2013, 12:11 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 585
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Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
Hey everyone...need to pick your brains again. I am almost done with my steroid taper after the whole brain radiation..Im down to 1/2 pill every other day (2 mg every other day). Suddenly about two days ago, the corners of mouth broke out in sores, three or four in each corner. Any advice on what may be causing it or what I might do to ward it off? They hurt like heck!
__________________
Diagnosed in October 2011 Stage IV with metastasis to liver.
January 2012 after double mastectomy, started taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin.
Clear.
December 2012 was diagnosed with five brain mets, and had whole brain radiation.
Around July 2014 two mets in brain, one a residual spot and one new one growing in size. Received Cyberknife on both areas
Clear/NED
April 2015 remain NED
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02-15-2013, 07:50 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 415
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
OUCH! I've had those before and always have to remember to moisten the corners of my mouth before I try to open to eat or drink anything.
I think staying really well hydrated, but also try to be really diligent about using chapstick or carmex throughout the day, concentrating on applying an extra bit in the corners.
Do you have anymore MagicMouth wash? or Ulcerease? Maybe dabbing a little on the corners will help will pain since there is lydocaine in it.
Who knows WHAT could be causing it - we're exposed to so much stuff - so my answer is hydrate hydrate hydrate and moisturize!
Hope this is helpful!
Keep the Faith~
Jessica
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02-15-2013, 08:18 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: New York, New York
Posts: 1,580
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
Jessica (hey, girl!) gave you some excellent advice...you could also try peroxide and Vaseline
Karen
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02-15-2013, 05:28 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 585
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
Thanks so much...I'll try your suggestions. ((hugs)) Seems like we get rid of one side effect and something else pops up. 
__________________
Diagnosed in October 2011 Stage IV with metastasis to liver.
January 2012 after double mastectomy, started taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin.
Clear.
December 2012 was diagnosed with five brain mets, and had whole brain radiation.
Around July 2014 two mets in brain, one a residual spot and one new one growing in size. Received Cyberknife on both areas
Clear/NED
April 2015 remain NED
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02-16-2013, 06:09 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: "Love never fails."
Posts: 5,808
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
One time I was found to have chalitis and the dematologist told me to use over-the-counter anthlet foot medicine. (Yip, dab it in the cornner of my mouth...
Sores are caused by bacteria/virus infection. You might want to give your oncology nurse a ring and see what their advice might be.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_sore
__________________
Jackie07
http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/06/doctors-letter-patient-newly-diagnosed-cancer.html
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3-11 Appendectomy - visually O.K., a lot of puss. Final path result - not cancer.
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Last edited by Jackie07; 02-16-2013 at 06:13 AM..
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02-16-2013, 08:40 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Philly Suburbs
Posts: 1,709
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
I don't know what causes it either...but I remember how much it hurts!
I agree with Jessica (big surprise), LOTS of chapstick (I tried a lip balm with tea tree oil in it per someone's suggestion...but I really think regular chapstick worked better) But, seriously, I probably applied chapstick 10 times a day.
And, you can NEVER be too hydrated on this nightmare of a journey!
Hope these nasty sores heal quickly...as I recall, they hung around for several days...well over a week...and then one day, when I was putting on the chapstick...I noticed the were gone!
Best of everything to you!
Denise
__________________
1/11-needle biopsy
2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes
3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH!
4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks
8/26/11 finished Taxol!!!
10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon
11/11 radiation x28
1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY!
1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :(
2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds
4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon
6/8/12 Return to work :)
6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :(
7/10/12 last Herceptin
7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm
8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb
8/23/12 Back to work
12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair
1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY!
1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair
1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm
5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis
5/10/13 begin weaning steroids
6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working!
6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear!
7/5/13 finally off steroids!!
7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin!
7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids
7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again!
8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :)
9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed
“ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert
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02-16-2013, 08:56 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
I think Jackie may have nailed it in passing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_cheilitis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1949217/
I would definitely call for help, because treating the wrong cause might make things worse. I don't remember having those cracks during chemo/herceptin (didn't have a lot of mouth problems after I gave up the Magic Mouthwash and started using chlorhexidine), but I do remember having them at other times in my life, and I just wanted to shoot myself. It's amazing how sometimes the smallest of problems can induce so much misery.
I just want to throw in a caution about tea tree oil. I was once an addict--I used it for everything. And then one day, it caught up with me--I used it as part of a foot soak, and my toenails fell off--and I've had a severe sensitivity ever since. If it even touches my skin, I itch for several days.
__________________
2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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02-22-2013, 11:56 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 585
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
Holy cow, Rhonda! I use tea tree oil for a lot of things. I can't believe your toenails fell off! o.O That really sucks!
Well, I hydrated, hydrated and hydrated, and I bought Carmex in the stick form and in the little pot. The Carmex from the little pot stung like the devil, so I went to using the stick and Im done to just one sore. I know it's just a little thing compared to a lot of the symptoms we all have, but wow, was it bothering me. Must be papercut syndrome, lol. Thank you so much. Don't know what I would do if I couldn't connect with people who have gone through the same things...very grateful for this site and all of you. Smiles!
__________________
Diagnosed in October 2011 Stage IV with metastasis to liver.
January 2012 after double mastectomy, started taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin.
Clear.
December 2012 was diagnosed with five brain mets, and had whole brain radiation.
Around July 2014 two mets in brain, one a residual spot and one new one growing in size. Received Cyberknife on both areas
Clear/NED
April 2015 remain NED
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02-22-2013, 02:25 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,526
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Re: Icky sores at the corners of my mouth
Hi
It's very very common to get a fungal infection at the corners of the mouth especially when your immunity is compromised.Some anti fungal meds will zap it really quickly
Hugs
Ellie
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